New Solar Garden from Consumers Energy Coming to Jackson County

JACKSON, MI – A Jackson County community will soon have a “solar garden” that will provide renewable, clean energy to area residents.

Jackson-based Consumers Energy plans to begin construction in spring 2025 on Blackman Solar, a new 30-acre solar development in Blackman Township. The future site, located at the corner of Blackman and County Farm Roads, will be part of Consumers Energy’s Solar Gardens program, officials said.

“Blackman Solar is a great example of partnering with the community to develop a project that provides reliable, clean energy while also providing local tax and economic benefits,” said David Hicks, vice president of renewable energy development for Consumers Energy.

According to its website, Consumer Energy Solar Gardens is a community solar program that allows utility customers to support the development and generation of solar energy without having to own their own facilities.

The Blackman Township Board of Trustees approved a conditional use permit from Consumers Energy by a 6-1 vote for the solar project Wednesday, Sept. 18, said Blackman Township Supervisor Pete Jancek. The township approved the permit because it fit the township’s zoning for the site, he added.

Jancek added that while he doesn’t like the idea of ​​farmland being redeveloped, he also believes Consumers Energy will take good care of it, he said. He added that the utility will add vegetation and fencing around the project so it will be barely visible from the road, he said.

Trustee Scott Pack voted against issuing the conditional use permit, Jancek said.

“Given that these are consumers… I feel much more comfortable when it comes to implementing these types of projects,” Jancek said.

Electricity generation is expected to begin in December 2025, officials said. Blackman Solar will feature nearly 5,000 solar panels and generate up to 2.5 megawatts of renewable energy for 2,500 future Solar Gardens customers.

“We are grateful for the welcome we have received from Blackman Township leaders and are excited to continue developing solar projects like this on our path to a carbon neutral power grid,” Hicks said.

The new community solar plant will be the fourth owned and operated by Consumers Energy, company officials said, joining other Solar Gardens projects in Cadillac, Western Michigan University and Grand Valley State University.

The energy provider is also closing its last three coal-fired units next summer. The company is expanding solar projects as part of its Clean Energy Plan to become carbon neutral by 2040, officials said.

Related: Consumers Energy offers a look inside its last coal-fired power plant before it closes

Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents, officials said. More information is available on the Consumers Energy website.

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