“Energy Justice Mechanism”

A community solar project in a Michigan village proves that even small-scale clean energy systems can translate into big benefits for residents.

According to Inside Climate News, the small village of L’Anse, located on Lake Superior, benefits from a photovoltaic system installed near the settlement in 2019. According to ICN, the system consists of 340 panels and has a maximum output power of 110 kilowatts.

About 50 households or organizations have signed up for the community solar program, ICN reports, with some saving about $300 a year on their energy bills as a result. Thanks to a $140,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, 25 low- and moderate-income customers received subsidies that helped them pay for their subscriptions, according to ICN.

According to ICN, a local utility reported that it had noticed a significant drop in the number of households late with payments as a result of the energy subsidy program.

Karl Hoesch, lead author of a report on the project and a graduate student at the University of Michigan, attributes the program’s success to the tight-knit community of L’Anse, which came together to light their village with clean, solar-powered electricity.

When planning for the project began in 2017, the Inflation Mitigation Act was not yet in effect and Michigan did not offer a state solar program that could help with financing. This meant the village had to provide the funding, but fortunately grants from the Michigan Department of Environmental Protection and zero-interest loans helped make the project happen, ICN explained.

The charming village of just 1,900 inhabitants has shown the world what is possible with a little resourcefulness and determination to provide the city with affordable and pollution-free energy.

Fortunately, the adoption of IRAs has made it much easier for states and cities to launch clean energy projects. In its first year of existence, the IRA led to 280 renewable energy projects in 44 states, representing investments worth $282 billion, according to Goldman Sachs.

The Treasury Department reported that an estimated 270,000 jobs have been created since IRAs were approved, and that number is expected to be more than 1.5 million by 2034.

As the use of solar energy increases around the world, communities around the world can enjoy cleaner air, lower electricity bills and the opportunity to participate in an energy solution that helps cool the planet.

“Ideally, community-sourced solar power can be a mechanism for promoting energy justice,” Hoesch wrote in an article published by ICN.

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