Simple, affordable and local, the MI Community Solar program recently launched by the Board of Water and Light and Michigan Energy Options allows residents to lease solar panels with no maintenance at a low cost.
In 2008, the state passed a mandate requiring that 10 percent of Michigan energy be generated from renewable resources. Now, Michiganders can help to surpass that goal by contributing to the growth of sustainable utilities.
It’s the solar energy heyday, says John Kinch, executive director of Michigan Energy Options. As an early supporter of the environmental movement at what was Michigan Urban Options in 1978, Kinch has worked for almost 40 years to help communities become more sustainable. He talks with the host, Kirk Heinze, of Greening of the Great Lakes, to discuss the next 25 years of renewable energy options on the horizon for communities, businesses and individuals.
“Essentially, community solar answers a market failure,” he says. “Eighty percent of rooftops could be utilized for collecting solar energy.”
The idea is to develop areas in the community that have a potential to capture solar energy and create more renewable energy options. Users can lease panels over a 25-year period at $399. That’s an economic and environmental investment that Kinch says will have paid itself back halfway through the lease.
“We worked really hard to drive the price down of our solar projects and make it as affordable as possible,” he explains. “Predictions are that solar prices are just going to come down even more, making it more and more affordable.”
Solar energy was also a practical choice for the renewable energy program. Unlike wind turbines, solar panels can be constructed and effective almost anywhere, including urban settings.
“As we think about the more weather events we have and the issues of resilience, transmission and distribution, I think we’re going to see the growth of more locally generated energy because it just makes sense,” Kinch adds.
The program is the start to a new a new market, where there is the ability to make ‘pro-sumers’ out of consumers, Kinch reveals. With MI Community Solar, users can produce their own energy instead of only consuming it.”
Greening of the Great Lakes airs inside MSU Today Sunday afternoons at 4:00 on AM 870.