Consumers Energy has started construction on a 17-acre solar project — one of the largest solar developments in Michigan — at Grand Valley State University, expected to be completed and generating electricity by next spring.
“This project represents a cornerstone for our new Solar Gardens program, providing an avenue for customers to support the development of renewable energy that helps us continue to power homes and businesses across our state,” says Dan Malone, senior vice president of energy resources for the Jackson-based utility.
The Solar Gardens program offers Consumers Energy customers the opportunity to invest in the project, whether or not they live near the solar garden at Grand Valley or Western Michigan University.
Consumers Energy will place solar panels near 48th Avenue and Luce Street on university property.
“We are pleased to see Solar Gardens on our campus and the opportunity the project will give our students to learn about renewables, while making a real difference in our energy future,” says Thomas Haas, president of Grand Valley.
Consumers Energy also has two wind farms, one near Lake Michigan and one in the Thumb area, and contracts to buy electricity generated by wind, landfill gas, anaerobic digestion, and hydroelectric generation.
