Under the SolarCurrents^TM utility-owned pilot program, DTE Energy obtains easement rights to locate large (100kW-500kW) solar arrays on suitable property in southeastern Michigan. 

DTE Energy engineers, builds, owns and maintains the photovoltaic system. DTE Energy also receives all energy, capacity and environmental and/or renewable attributes generated by the PV system. The property owner receives an annual income generated as an easement payment – and the satisfaction of knowing that they were instrumental in aiding the development of clean, renewable energy.

As part of the development package, DTE Energy also provides an on-site educational solar energy kiosk for sites with an educational aspect or high volume of visitor traffic.

Initial development sites were identified through a Solicitation of Interest conducted in April 2010. If you believe your facility is a good candidate for a solar installation, contact us.

Installations on DTE Energy property

DTE Energy Detroit Headquarters – Our newest PV system is part of a new roofing structure in the visitor parking lot. The system covers 29 parking spaces. Six of those parking spaces are designated for plug-in electric vehicles and include fast chargers. There are 336 solar panels, each producing 240 watts, for a total of 80 kW. Scio Township – In 2010, DTE Energy replaced 120 fourteen-year-old panels with new technology. The old modules and inverters were donated to charities. The new installation includes 47kW of fixed, and 13kW of single-axis tracking arrays.

Technical Development Center – Began operating in 2011 and includes a 386kW garden array and an additional 5.4kW array located on the pole barn. The TDC is a DTE company site where linemen and other apprentices of Local 17, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers receive necessary training, and where the splicer school for Local 223 Utility Workers Union of America is located.

The solar installations at our TDC site will provide first-hand experience for our field workers that will be seeing this new distributed generation technology on our electric system and allows them to become familiar with the equipment components and operations.

All Energy produced  is sent to the grid for distribution to customers.

Installations on Easements

DTE Energy has allocated 15 megawatts (15,000 kW) for this program. As of the end of 2012, just over one-third of the program (5,875 MW) has been fulfilled, including the 3 DTE Energy sites. Educational kiosks will be delivered to the first six facilities early in 2013, furthering our mission of spreading the news about solar energy.

Partner	Location	Generation Capacity	More Information
	Detroit Hamtramck Assembly Plant, Wayne County	516 kW	Press release See Output
	Orion Plant, Oakland County	345 kW	See Output
	Michigan Assembly Plant on Michigan Avenue, Wayne County	502 kW	Press release See Output
	BCBS parking garage roof, downtown Detroit, Wayne County	220 kW	Press release See Output
	Monroe County Community College campus in Monroe, Monroe County	513 kW	Press release See Output
	Mercy High School roof, Farmington Hills, Oakland County	394 kW	Press release   See Output
	Warren Consolidated Schools Career Prep Center roof, Sterling Hts, Macomb County	197 kW	See Output
	Indian Springs Huron-Clinton Metropark, Oakland County	495 kW	See Output
Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM)	Monroe	518 kW	See Output
Wil-Le Farms	Bad Axe, Huron County	485 kW	See Output
	North Campus Research Complex, Ann Arbor	430 kW	See Output
	Information, Science and Technology, Ann Arbor	225 kW
Riopelle Farms	Harbor Beach	502 kW