7 Michigan Communities Getting Renewables Ready with $4.9M in Awards to Deploy Solar and Battery Storage

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has announced the third round of Renewables Ready Communities Awards (RRCA) to support deployment of more than 978.5 MW of solar power and battery storage, enough clean energy to power more than 975,000 Michigan households and businesses.

The RRCA awards program provides flexible funding to local units of government to help fund community improvements and additional services for their residents. These include local road and bridge repairs; public safety systems; park and playground enhancements; accessibility accommodations; and upgrades to grounds, energy for public buildings, and streetlights.

The program aims to accelerate the build-out of large-scale renewable energy projects such as wind, solar, and storage by providing these incentives for communities that permit and host the projects. RRCA grants are provided in addition to the tax revenue and community benefits already received by host communities.

The third-round awards total $4,892,950 and supports seven local units of government for the following projects:

• $1.25 million to Moorland Township in Muskegon County for the Muskegon Solar Energy Center project.
• $1.1 million to the City of Trenton for the Trenton Channel Energy Center project.
• $1 million to the City of Ecorse for the Redstart Energy Storage project.
• $600,000 to Fremont Township in Saginaw County for the Eagle Creek Solar Park project.
• $429,050 to Augusta Charter Township and $303,900 to York Township, both in Washtenaw County, for the White Tail Solar project.
• $210,000 to Coldwater Township in Branch County for the Cold Creek Solar project.

Considering the new round, awards through the program total $12.43 million, over one-third of its $30 million budget allocation, to 23 counties, cities, and townships across the state’s two peninsulas that are hosting enough solar and battery storage to power nearly 2.5 million households.

The RRCA aims to meet 60 percent renewable energy, 100 percent clean energy, and 2,500 MW storage standards set under the state’s 2023 clean energy laws.

Grants from RRCA will be available until funds are depleted. In 2024, EGLE was awarded $129.1 million from the federal Inflation Reduction Act’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program