“Solar energy is a vital component of our Clean Energy Plan to substantially reduce carbon emissions, and we thank Ranger Power for their work to increase clean, renewable energy for our customers in Michigan,” said Dennis Dobbs, Consumers Energy’s vice president of enterprise project management and environmental services.
Consumers Energy selected this project through a competitive bidding process.
River Fork Solar encompasses about 1,800 acres in Sheridan Township and includes more than a half million solar modules equipped with single axis tracker systems. Consumers Energy’s commitment means it will purchase about 2/3 of the site’s output for 20 years.
The project is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 244,000 tons each year, which is equivalent to the yearly emissions of 77,702 cars. It also is expected to generate a $2.5 million increase in household earnings in Calhoun County and create an estimated 269 jobs during construction, with roughly $16 million in construction dollars being spent in Calhoun County, according to a study by Anderson Economic Group.
In June, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved Consumers Energy’s Clean Energy Plan, which calls for eliminating coal as an energy source and meeting 90 percent of customers’ energy needs through clean sources like renewable energy, energy waste reduction, and energy storage.
