US-based diversified energy company DTE Energy has commenced operations at its 150MW Sauk Solar park in Branch County, central Michigan.

The 150MW facility is equipped with 347,000 solar panels and can supply clean energy to 40,000 homes.

Sauk Solar is more than three times the size of DTE's second-largest solar park in Lapeer.

It is the first in a series of six new solar parks set to become operational as DTE expands its renewable energy projects to satisfy customer demand for cleaner energy via its CleanVision MIGreenPower programme.

The parks are financed by customers who have voluntarily enrolled in MIGreenPower.

The MIGreenPower programme, one of the nation's largest voluntary renewable energy initiatives, is pivotal in this clean energy transition.

With 100,000 residential and 1,900 business customers enrolled, DTE plans to add more than 2.4GW of new wind and solar energy to support these enrolments in the next decade.

DTE Electric president and chief operating officer Matt Paul stated: "As our largest solar park yet, Sauk Solar is a major accomplishment for DTE and all the teams that made it happen – but it’s also the first in a series of new solar developments that will have a major impact on the state of Michigan as a whole."

The construction of Sauk Solar generated more than 350 local jobs. Since 2009, DTE's renewable energy investments have created 20,000 jobs in Michigan.

DTE currently produces sufficient clean energy from wind and solar to power more than 750,000 homes, and aims to supply renewable energy to 5.5 million homes by 2042.