The new solar installation, which will be operated by Detroit Edison and maintained by J Ranck Electric of Mt Pleasant, will feature 270 solar panels, including 60 that track the movement of the sun nearly doubling the size of the previous experimental solar energy facility at that site.
The previous solar facility started producing electricity in 1997, but was decommissioned last summer in favor of newer solar technology and the 120 solar panels and other equipment retired by the utility were distributed to various organizations to generate power for buildings and vehicles.
Detroit Edison’s SolarCurrents program plans to invest $100m for the installation of PV systems on utility- or customer-owned property or rooftops over the next five years to generate 20MW electricity throughout Southeast Michigan.
Other organizations signing up to host solar installations under this program, which requires customers to participate for 20 years, are Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Ford Motor and Monroe County Community College and all will begin producing power early next year.
