Consumers Energy has officially begun work on the Muskegon Solar Energy Center. According to WZZM13, the utility's first significant solar facility will span 1,900 acres in Muskegon County and serve the electricity needs of approximately 40,000 homes. The lease agreement made with the county for the land, traditionally used for agriculture, promises to open up a new avenue of revenue through lease payments and property taxes.
The project also stands to benefit local school systems, as Greg Helmer, superintendent of Ravenna Public Schools, illustrated the direct impact on educational funding. "The revenue coming in will allow us to help us with facility projects, staffing, contract negotiations and to just help our students perform better and help support teaching and learning," Helmer told WZZM13. In addition to educational gains, Consumers Energy emphasizes the cost advantages of solar power for consumers, citing stable pricing due to the inexhaustible nature of its source—sunlight.
Speaking to the long-term sustainability and reliability of the incoming solar farm, David Hicks, the Vice President of Clean Energy Development at Consumers Energy, highlighted the longevity of the investment, 30 to 35 years, we’ll have this facility. In fact, after 25 years it will still produce 80% of the power it produces on day one, as reported by WOOD TV. The operations, expected to kick off in 2026, will be part of a broader strategy to transition toward renewable energy sources, with the utility aiming for an 8,000-megawatt solar portfolio by 2040.
Signifying the growth in clean energy solutions, Hicks, elaborated on the plans for future expansion. “I've got five new projects right behind Muskegon that will go into construction next year, in a year and a half. So, we are well on our way of meeting our goal of 8,000 megawatts of solar generation and being a non-carbon-emitting utility by the year 2040,” Hicks mentioned, in an interview with FOX 17.
The significance of this project is further underlined by the expected monetary benefits to Muskegon County, as Charles Nash, chairman of the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners, pointed out, “What we make in crops, we’re getting more than enough from them to take care of that expense so we’re not losing anything and we’re gaining a little bit of revenue on top of that,” according to an interview with WOOD TV.
