Michigan Awards $8.1M for Solar Projects
LANSING, Mich. — On Monday, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced the fourth round of Renewables Ready Communities Awards. This round will support the deployment of 1,836 MW of solar power projects, which the department says is enough to power more than 1,830,000 local households and businesses.
“Michigan’s Renewables Ready Communities Awards continue to support local communities and our prosperous, healthy, clean energy future,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos in a press release announcing the funding.
“These awards will enable communities to invest where they see needs in infrastructure, public safety, and more, while accelerating the build-out of affordable green power to hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents.”
The RRCA program provides flexible funding to local units of government to help fund community improvements and additional services for residents.
The program aims to speed 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 new fourth-round awards total $8,132,500 and support eight local units of government for the following projects:
- $2,495,000 to Lee Township in Calhoun County for the Sunfish Solar 1 project and $1,545,000 for the Sunfish Solar 2 project.
- $1,000,000 to Bethel Township in Branch County for the Branch Solar project.
- $750,000 to Watertown Township in Sanilac County for the Watertown Solar project.
- $625,000 to Parma Township in Jackson County for the Jackson County Solar project.
- $600,000 to Hart Township in Oceana County for the Hart Solar project.
- $570,000 to Meade Township in Huron County for the Silver Creek Solar Park project.
- $297,500 to Barry County for the Spring Creek Solar project.
- $250,000 to Bethany Township in Gratiot County for the Gratiot Solar Project.
“Lee Township is honored to be awarded a Renewables Ready Communities Award and will use the funds to improve township infrastructure,” said Michigan Township attorney Catherine P. Kaufman.
Kaufman said Lee Township has reviewed and approved three solar energy projects, which combined will provide over 900 MW of solar energy.
The RRCA program’s first round was announced in October 2024, the second round in December 2024, and the third round in January 2025.
Including the new round, awards through the program total more than $20.56 million — over two-thirds of its $30 million budget allocation — to 29 counties, cities and townships across the state’s two peninsulas that are hosting enough solar and battery storage to power approximately 4.3 million households.
An interactive map on the RRCA webpage displays all the Michigan municipalities with renewable energy projects eligible for the RRCA grant. Information on the map includes project size, intended use of award funds, and a dashboard summarizing statistics about the grant.
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