Business electric customers served by Consumers Energy can now submit applications to participate in the utility's next phase of its solar energy program.

The Experimental Advance Renewable Program (EARP) allows electric customers to sell the output of customer-owned solar generating systems to Consumers Energy for a fixed price over a contract length of 15 years. Applications for this next phase of the EARP must be submitted by March 29, 2012.

Consumers Energy will be conducting an information session on March 5 in Saginaw for electric customers interested in learning about this program. The session will be held at Saginaw Valley State University. The session is free of charge, open to the public and will take place from 5:30 PM until 8:30 PM.

Speakers during the session will provide information on how customers can install their own solar energy systems as part of this program. Reservations for this session and information about the program are available at www.consumersenergy.com/EARP

About 100 customers have installed their own solar energy systems during previous phases of this program.

Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural gas and electricity to 6.8 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.