East Lansing evaluating solar power potential of city-owned properties – WKAR

East Lansing is one of 30 communities across Michigan selected to host a Healthy Climate Corps member. The program was launched earlier this year to support local governments and organizations tackling climate change.

As part of the program, Brion Dickens is evaluating the more than 50 city-owned parcels for their potential to produce solar power as part of East Lansing’s Climate Sustainability Plan.

“They can be anything from vacant lots to their big soccer complexes, to their municipal buildings,” said Dickens, a retired building contractor with experience installing solar projects, including on his own home.

He said the city had also considered wind energy, but solar was a better option.

“East Lansing and the Lansing greater area, doesn’t have the wind potential that counties to the north do,” Dickens said. “The technology with solar is so cheap now that it’s better off just throwing up panels.”

When his term is done in November, Dickens plans to present the East Lansing City Council with his findings. Officials will then decide how to proceed, including how to fund any solar installations.

Dickens said one project he would like the city to explore is installing an agrivoltaics project, also called dual-use solar, on a vacant parcel near US-127.

Agrivoltaics joins crop, livestock production or pollinator habitats with solar panel placement, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“You could have a public-private entity growing crops among the [solar] arrays,” Dickens said. “And the city could take the power. They could charge rent.”

Dickens said self-generating power could save the city costly utility expenses. He said the city’s Hannah Community Center alone has a monthly electric bill of up to $30,000.

“Every dime a municipality doesn’t spend on utility services is something they can budget to either reduce taxes or add more services,” he said.

Other communities with Healthy Climate Corps members are Lansing, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint, and Grand Rapids.

The first cohort runs through November. State agencies, tribal governments, local governments or nonprofit organizations can apply by July 19 to host a second cohort member, whose term will run November 2024 through October 2025.

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