Consumers Energy, the state of Michigan and the City of Cadillac have dedicated Consumers’ third solar power plant, Cadillac Solar Gardens.
Cadillac Solar Gardens will generate nearly half a megawatt of electricity, enough to power as many as 100 homes at a time. The site has 1,752 panels and includes a battery storage system. Notably, the project is located on repurposed brownfield land with a manufacturing history that dates to the late 1800s. Before the solar power plant, the site had been vacant for more than 30 years after the closure of an auto manufacturer.
Consumers’ Clean Energy Plan proposes using nearly 8 GW of solar energy by 2040, ending the use of coal by 2025, achieving net-zero carbon emissions and saving customers $650 million through 2040.
Consumers Energy also operates solar power plants at Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University. Those two locations generate enough power to serve over 800 homes at a time.
The projects are part of the company’s Solar Gardens community solar program.
“Today marks a major milestone for the City of Cadillac and the entire state as we celebrate the dedication of Consumers Energy’s Cadillac Solar Gardens,” says Carla Filkins, mayor of Cadillac. “We’ve come together to turn a blighted brownfield property into a site that will play a key role in Michigan’s clean energy transformation and help better protect our environment for generations to come.”
