Solar power in Michigan has been growing in recent years due to new technological improvements, falling solar prices and a variety of regulatory actions and financial incentives. The largest solar farm in Michigan is Assembly Solar, completed in 2022, which has 347 MW of capacity. Small-scale solar provided 50% of Michigan solar electricity as recently as 2020, and multiple solar farms in the 100 MW to 200 MW range are proposed to be completed by the middle of the decade. Although among the lowest U.S. states for solar irradiance, Michigan mostly lies farther south than Germany where solar power is heavily deployed. Michigan is expected to use 120 TWh per year in 2030. To reach a 100% solar electrical grid would require 2.4% of Michigan's land area to host 108 GW of installed capacity.
Michigan had over 1,444 MW of solar capacity by the end of 2023. December 2020 marked a high point with over 105 MW brought online in that month alone. December 2021 saw 110 MW added. In 2016, solar provided only about 0.25% of all electricity. This rose to 1.3% in 2023.
Solar farms and arrays The 347MW Assembly Solar Project is the largest in the state. Located in Shiawassee County, it began construction in 2019 and was completed in March 2022.Proposed Shiawassee solar farm would cover 1,200 acres in two townships, mlive.com, October 16, 2018Assembly Solar Project construction moves ahead, GREYSON STEELE, Argus-Press, Jul 20, 2020McCarthy Completes Construction of Michigan's Largest Solar Farm in Shiawassee County, Michigan, March 30, 2022 On January 5, 2026, Consumers Energy started operations of its largest solar array, Muskegon Solar, a 1900 acre solar farm @ the County wastewater plant in Moreland Township. The sprawling array can generate 250 MW of electricity, enough electricity to power 40,000 homes and businesses. In July 2012, Michigan's largest rooftop array, 977.6 kW, was installed in Canton on the IKEA store. Ford Motor Company and DTE Energy built the largest solar plant in the state, a 1.04 MW solar carport at Ford's world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan in 2015.DTE plans big solar power project with Domino's Farms in Ann Arbor Township, Crain's Business Detroit, Jay, Greene, May 15, 2015Ford, DTE Energy to build Michigan's largest solar array, DTE, Aug 14, 2014 In 2015, DTE built a 1.1 MW solar farm at Domino's Farms near Ann Arbor, slightly larger than the Ford carport.Michigan's largest solar panel installation taking shape outside Ann Arbor, mlive.com, Ryan Stanton, May 14, 2015 The IKEA store announced an expansion of its existing array in 2015 to bring it to 1.2 MW.IKEA to Increase Size of Michigan's Largest Rooftop Solar Array by Approximately 25% Atop Detroit-Area Store in Canton, MI, Business Wire, December 03, 2014 A 1.95 MW solar farm at DTE's Greenwood Energy Center near St. Clair came online in January 2016.Solar power projects heat up across Michigan, Capital News Service, Colleen Otte, December 4, 2015 Indiana Michigan Power, in November 2016, opened a 4.6 MW solar farm near Watervliet.Indiana Michigan Power Planning Solar Power Facility Near Watervliet, WSJM, January 5, 2016Indiana Michigan Power Watervliet solar plant goes online, pvtech, Danielle Ola, November 14, 2016 In May 2017, DTE brought online a 28.4 MW solar farm and a 19.6 MW solar farm in Lapeer County.DTE Energy announces biggest solar project yet, Michigan Radio, Sarah Cwiek, December 21, 2015 These are the first large utility-scale solar farms in the state, with the larger covering 200 acres of land and the smaller covering 100 acres.DTE Energy building two solar sites planned to be largest in Michigan, mlive.com, Dominic Adams, December 21, 2015 In July 2017, DTE completed a 2MW solar farm built in a closed city park in Detroit.DTE Building 2 MW Solar Project On Blighted Land In Detroit, Solar Industry, March 30, 2016
The 24 MW Delta solar farm opened in two phases in 2018, supplying power for the Lansing Board of Water and Light.BWL Starts Construction on Delta Township Solar Array, Kevin Lavery, WKAR, Aug 29, 2017Solar power plant holds ribbon cutting in Grand Ledge, WILX Michigan State University built the largest solar carport project in North America, which covers 5000 parking spaces and has a total of 15 MW(DC) of power, completed in December 2017.MSU trustees approve largest solar array in Michigan, Detroit Free Press, from Lansing State Journal, RJ Wolcott, September 11, 2015Alterra Power Announces Amendment of Power Purchase Agreement for Michigan Solar Project, CNW Group, Dec 22, 2016
A 1.3 MW solar farm was built by American Municipal Power at a brownfield site in Coldwater and came online in February 2018.Six years late, work starts on solar farm, The Daily Reporter, August 28, 2017Solar farm could begin construction in August, The Daily Reporter, July 17, 2015 Flushing Schools built a 0.96 MW system spread over the roofs of seven school buildings, completed in 2019.It Starts With The Kids: Michigan Schools Part Of Trend To Save $$ With Solar Project, Clean Technica, Carolyn Fortuna, March 31, 2018Standard Solar installs nearly 1 MW of solar for Flushing Community School District, Solar Power World, Kelsey Misbrener, August 22, 2019
In December 2020, the 20 MW Temperance Solar,Firm begins work on solar farm in Erie, Monroe News, Dean Cousino, June 19, 2020 20 MW Bingham Solar, 15 MW Electric City Solar and the first 50 MW phase of Assembly Solar Farm were all brought online.
In January 2021, Pine Gate Renewables brought 16 MW of solar power online in the form of eight separate 2 MW solar farms in Genesee and Saginaw counties.Pine Gate Renewables completes 8 solar projects across Michigan, Solar Power World, Billy Ludt, January 8, 2021
Fort Custer began construction in May 2015 of a 0.25 MW solar farm with plans for a second 0.3 MW farm later.More than 700 solar panels installed at Fort Custer Training Center, mlive, May 15, 2015 This is part of the U.S. military's renewable energy goals of 25% renewables by 2025. In 2017, a project was announced for Fort Custer that would be a microgrid consisting of a 1.375 MW diesel system, 0.720 MW solar PV array, and a 0.400 MW energy storage system.Eaton To Assist U.S. Department Of Defense Microgrid Demo Project, Solar Industry, Joseph Bebon, April 5, 2017 Camp Grayling has a small 0.02 MW installation on one building roof while Selfridge Air National Guard Base had no solar power by 2014. Orion Renewable Energy Group, has proposed a 100 MW solar farm in SE Goodland Township in Lapeer County.
Solar with battery storage "Circuit West" is a thirteen-block microgrid test in Grand Rapids. It contains a 0.65MW array of 1,800 panels on the roofs of three buildings and a 500 kW-hr battery.Consumers Energy Dedicates First Ever Solar, Battery Storage Systems on Grand Rapids' West Side, January 24, 2019
Community solar In 2015, several community solar projects were proposed. Consumers Power built a 3 MW solar farm at Grand Valley State University, completed April 2016, which became the largest solar farm in Michigan.Ground broken for solar farm near GVSU campus, WZZM, October 2, 2015 Consumers Power also built a 1 MW community solar project at Western Michigan University, completed in August 2016.Consumers Energy builds solar power plant in WMU business park, mlive, August 15, 2016Solar Gardens, Consumers Energy, accessed April 29, 2016 Spartan Solar, a 1.2 MW installation in Cadillac, was built by Wolverine Power Cooperative in fall 2016, the largest solar plant in Northern Michigan.Wolverine to Add Largest Solar Array in Northern Michigan, PRNewswire, September 27, 2016 A 0.3 MW community solar farm in East Lansing opened in January 2019 for Lansing Board of Water and Light.New solar park in East Lansing goes on line, Ken Palmer, Lansing State Journal, January 23, 2019Community Solar Parks to be Developed in Cities of East Lansing and Lansing, FOX 47 News, November 3, 2015 Escanaba approved a 1MW partly community solar installation near Delta County Airport to be online in 2018.Solar farm becoming a reality in Escanaba, TV6 FoxUP, May 28, 2018
Proposed and under construction Pittsfield Township has approved a 20 MW Community Solar Project on 77 acres owned by Ann Arbor.
A proposed 125 MW solar farm near Muskegon would also be among the largest in the state.Muskegon State regulations slow plans for proposed Muskegon County solar farm, mlive, Oct 16, 2019Two large-scale renewable energy projects planned in West Michigan, mibiz, 15 September 2018 Ranger Power's 149MW River Fork solar farm would be built in Sheridan Township, Calhoun County by mid-2021 and has an agreement with Consumers Energy.Southern Michigan solar farm inks power deal with Consumers Energy, mlive.com, September 10, 2019$150M Calhoun County solar energy center gets local approval, Brooks Hepp, Battle Creek Enquirer, Nov. 18, 2019 Ranger has also proposed a 200 MW farm in Montcalm County to be called Freshwater Solar.Project: Freshwater Solar 1,200-acre commercial solar farm proposed for northeastern Montcalm County, The Daily News, Cory Smith, January 12, 2020 The 200 MW Calhoun Solar Energy Center is proposed in 2019 by Invenergy for Convis Township in Calhoun County which signed an agreement with Consumers Power in March 2021.Consumers Energy to get more renewable power through Calhoun County solar project, Fox17 News, March 11, 20211200-acre solar energy center proposed in Convis Township could be one of the largest in Michigan, Brooks Hepp, Battle Creek Enquirer, July 29, 2019 In 2019, Ann Arbor proposed a 20 MW solar farm on a closed landfill site.Pittsfield planning commission recommends solar farm approval, mlive, Feb 22, 2020 In February 2020, Michigan State University's board approved a proposal to seek a 20 MW solar farm on 100 acres.A 100-acre solar array will save MSU money, increase renewable energy use, Mark Johnson, Lansing State Journal, Feb. 14, 2020 Traverse City is investigating a 10MW solar farm at the Cherry City Airport and a 1MW farm on a waste dump; nearby Acme Township is working on the 9MW Trailside Solar Farm.Multiple Solar Projects On Deck, Traverse Ticker, Beth Milligan, July 22, 2020 A 150 MW solar farm to be built in Coldwater in Branch County was seeking planning approval in 2021.Coldwater Solar Farm will have economic impact, Monroe News, Don Reid, January 7, 2021 Copper Country Power has an agreement to build solar farms on two former mining sites in the Upper Peninsula: Groveland Mine in Dickinson County, and 7 Mile Pit in Crawford County.2 former Michigan mine sites to be repurposed as solar power operations, mlive, September 28, 2020 Superior Solar Project will be a 150 MW solar farm in Sands Township, Marquette County.Zoning for Superior Solar Project approved in Sands Township, UPMichigan.comSuperior Solar Project, official website White Tail Solar would be a 120 MW farm in Washtenaw County,White Tail Solar, official siteWhite Tail Solar Changes Plans in Augusta While Moving Forward In York, The Sun Times News, March 8, 2021 A 100 MW solar project in Hart was expected to be online in 2023.Shift by Holland, Zeeland means more solar energy for customers, Carolyn Muyskens, The Holland Sentinel, June 19, 2021
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