By Rosemary Horvath
Herald Correspondent
[private]DTE Energy will expand its renewable energy footprint in Pine River Township next year with a solar energy park covering approximately 400 acres of leased land west of US-127 and north of M-46.
Construction will begin in spring and last approximately 12 to 15 months, according to company spokeswoman Cynthia Hecht. Upon completion, the project will generate enough clean energy to power approximately 13,000 homes.
Township trustees approved a special use permit for DTE following a public hearing in November. Three residents questioned potential glare, regulations, and loss of agricultural land from production.
Conditions were added to thepermit, along with requiring “post-construction measurements to confirm that the project meets the specific requirements of the zoning ordinance,” township supervisor Kevin Beeson said.
In regard to agricultural production, DTE spokeswoman Cynthia Hecht said the solar panels will be too low to allow for crops to be planted underneath them, but the energy company intends to plant pollinator gardens within the project footprint to support bees and other pollinating species.”
The township has a 7-page guide within its zoning ordinance addressing small solar arrays such as rooftop applications and large utility-scale solar energy systems.
Outlined are details such as site plan review, maps, land ownership, setbacks, environmental impacts, noise impacts, lighting, access roads, and more.
DTE’s wind farm completed in 2019 provided an incentive for building a solar farm, and the township stands to benefit from the added tax revenue.
“When Pine River Wind came to the township in 2018, DTE built a multi-million-dollar substation to get that power onto the grid,” Beeson said. “Excess capacity exists on that substation, making the solar cost attractive.”
The township, along with neighbors, Bethany Township, and Coe Township in Isabella County, claim title as having the state’s largest wind farm.
DTE Energy’s Pine River Wind Farm spans 40,000 acres with 65 turbines generating 161-MW, built to power more than 54,000 homes in the state.
According to a trade magazine, DTE’s renewable portfolio comprises 14 wind and 31 solar parks, all located in Michigan.
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