Calhoun County, Michigan will soon be home to a $150 million solar farm with a maximum capacity of 149 megawatts of power.
The River Fork Solar Project will be handled by New York-based energy company Ranger Power. It will encompass between 750 and 1,000 acres of land. According to the Battle Creek Enquirer, the energy from the panels will be connected to the electrical grid through a substation just west of 28 Mile Road. From there, the energy will be sold to utility companies in the state. Ranger Power hasn’t finalized any of the necessary agreements yet.
Construction on the project is slated to start mid-to-late 2020.
Michigan has been a hot bed for alternative energy sources due to its high electricity costs. In February, General Motors announced it made its largest renewable energy purchase in Michigan to date, buying 300,000 megawatt hours of wind energy through DTE Energy. The automaker says that this deal means reaching 1.71 terawatt hours of renewable energy in North America — more than any other automaker in the region.
The wind power purchased through DTE Energy’s MIGreenPower program will equal 100% of GM’s electricity needs for their global technical center in Warren as well as a substantial portion of their Detroit-based world headquarters at the Renaissance Center.
Also last month, Ford Motor Company announced it will be collaborating with DTE Energy to procure 500,000 megawatt hours of wind energy in Michigan. The automaker says the deal should help power two plants and several additional buildings with 100% renewable locally sourced energy.
The collaboration is part of Ford’s commitment to procure renewable energy through DTE Energy’s MIGreenPower voluntary program. Ford says that their Dearborn Truck Plant, Michigan Assembly Plant, and several new buildings on the Ford Research and Engineering Campus and Corktown campus will soon be entirely powered by renewables. Michigan Assembly already has a 500-kilowatt solar photovoltaic panel system.
The 4th Annual Environmental Leader & Energy Manager Conference takes place May 13 – 15, 2019 in Denver. Learn more here.