Construction on Detroit solar arrays to begin in 2025 as site renderings revealed Thursday
The solar farm that will be situated at the Van Dyke/Lynch site is depicted.
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Detroit’s first three solar arrays are coming to its neighborhoods at State Fair, Van Dyke/Lynch, and Gratiot Findlay
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Renderings of the three sites showed what they will look like, with vegetable gardens being planted at two of the arrays and a meadow of flowers at the third
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Mayor Mike Duggan said the city has acquired 90% of the needed parcels of land to build and construction will start in the first half of 2025
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Detroit’s first three solar arrays are coming to its neighborhoods at State Fair, Van Dyke/Lynch, and Gratiot Findlay
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Renderings of the three sites showed what they will look like, with vegetable gardens being planted at two of the arrays and a meadow of flowers at the third
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Mayor Mike Duggan said the city has acquired 90% of the needed parcels of land to build and construction will start in the first half of 2025
DETROIT (FOX 2):Residents of three Detroit neighborhoods were given their first glimpse of the solar array farms that will be built in the city in the upcoming years on Thursday. The renderings included images of the fencing and vegetation that would be placed around the locations.
Members of the Van Dyke/Lynch, Gratiot/Findlay, and State Fair neighborhoods choose everything from the plant choices to the design and style of the barriers.
Townships and communities across Michigan have protested the loss of local sovereignty over community renewable energy. However, the mayor of Detroit presented its installation as voluntary, meaning it wouldn’t proceed without the consent of all nearby residents.
“We said to those neighborhoods, we are only going to build solar fields where every single homeowner in that area voluntarily agrees,” stated Mayor Mike Duggan. “That we are not going to take any owner-occupied house through eminent domain.”
Ninety percent of the required parcels of the 100 acres where the solar arrays will be installed have been purchased by the city, but more are anticipated to be added in the future.
State Fair solar array rendering.
As they looked for more permanent accommodation in Detroit, homeowners who lived within the designated boundaries were given money for 18 months’ worth of rent. According to Duggan, most renters have already vacated.
It is anticipated that work on the solar arrays would start in the first half of 2025.
Vegetable gardens were chosen to be planted around the panels of two solar arrays, located in Gratiot Findlay and State Fair. All produced food will be returned to the community.
A meadow was chosen by the neighbors on the Van Dyke/Lynch site.
Over several discussions with city authorities, residents worked out their preferences for the arrays’ appearance, including the ground cover and tree species.
“It was our choice,” one of the neighborhood leaders, Donna Anthony, stated.
An illustration of the solar array location at Gratiot Findlay
What are Detroit’s solar neighborhoods?
Building out power sources inside Detroit’s borders is necessary to meet the city’s aim of using renewable energy to power all of its governmental facilities by 2034.
Detroit will deploy three solar arrays with a combined power output of up to 33 megawatts to do that. 127 city buildings will be powered by the arrays once they are operational.
Through the department of neighborhoods, the initiative has worked with towns that have the room to expand the arrays and willing residents who are able to relocate.
Access to home renovation resources for home repairs will be provided to residents of the neighborhoods who are not in the path of the arrays. Rent money was given to those who do own in the area where the arrays are intended so they can locate alternative housing.
The savings from renewable energy will offset $4.4 million of the approximately $5.5 million overall cost of operating the solar panels.
“The adjoining neighbors get $15,000 to $25,000 a house to upgrade their homes with new furnaces, new roofs, new windows,” Duggan explained.
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