Detroit-based energy company DTE Energy is to install a photovoltaic system on the roof of a high school in Michigan as part of its $100 million SolarCurrents program.
DTE Energy and Mercy High School in Farmington Hills have signed a 20-year agreement that will provide the utility's customers with renewable solar energy.
The 400-kilowatt, $2.5 million photovoltaic system will be installed using 125,000 square feet of roof space at the high school. The solar array should be operational this fall after design and construction is completed.
The installation is part of DTE Energy's pilot SolarCurrents program that calls for photovoltaic systems to be installed on customer rooftops or property over the next four years to generate 15 megawatts (MW) of electricity throughout southeast Michigan.
"We're pleased that Mercy High School will be the first private high school to participate in SolarCurrents, which is one of the largest distributed solar programs in the country," said Trevor Lauer, DTE Energy vice president, Marketing & Renewables. "We're seeing that the program has encouraged the development of new renewable energy projects by providing financial incentives to commercial and industrial customers interested in solar energy."
DTE Energy plans to invest more than $100 million in the program, in which customers participate for a 20-year period. The solar energy systems will be owned, installed, operated and maintained by the company. In return, Mercy High School and other customers that participate will get an annual credit on their energy bills, as well as a one-time, upfront construction payment to cover any inconvenience during installation.
DTE Energy expects to invest nearly $2 billion in the coming years to add 1,000 MW of renewable energy to meet the state's renewable energy goals. In addition to the solar installations, the company plans to acquire or build wind farms and other green energy facilities for half of that capacity, and contract with third party vendors for the rest.
