Construction has commenced on SpartanSolar-Wolverine, our cooperative’s 1.2 MW solar array across from Wolverine’s headquarters. In the past month, site work has been completed including installing a parking lot, service road, and the interconnect between the new array and the substation across the road. Right now, hundreds of metal posts are being pounded into the ground to support the racking that will eventually hold 4,352 solar panels. These panels will be delivered in November from the Suniva factory in Saginaw. If you are in the market for wooden pallets for crafting or heat this winter, we’ll have hundreds available!

One of the things that made this site particularly attractive was the minimal amount of site work needed. As a hayfield, it was already decently flat and required little to no grading. In fact, the array will follow the general contour of the land. There is also no risk of future shading because directly south is M-55, which is unlikely to be replaced with trees or skyscrapers in the near future. Finally, the close proximity to an existing substation makes for an easy interconnection to our distribution grid. As we examine future sites for solar, all three of these factors play a large role.

Thanks for following along, please sign up for updates on www.spartansolar.com, and feel free to reach out if you’d like an in-person tour.

By Sam Hogg
Project Developer
Spartan Renewable Energy