Colfax Township was the recipient of $1.67 million for two renewable energy projects. (Photo by Seth Stapleton)
LANSING – The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) recently announced the newest round of Renewables Ready Communities Awards (RRCA) to support communities hosting solar power and battery storage projects that will generate enough clean energy to power more than 847,000 Michigan households and businesses.
Among the local awardees was $1.67 million to Colfax Township for the Century Oaks Storage battery project ($1 million) and the Huron County Silver Creek Solar project ($670,000).
“Through these awards, EGLE is pleased to support communities that are working toward Michigan’s healthy, sustainable, clean energy future,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos. “We look forward to the Renewables Ready Communities Awards program continuing to enable local governments to invest where they see needs in public safety, community services, and more.”
The RRCA program offers flexible funding to local governments for community improvements and additional services like road and bridge repairs, public safety, park enhancements, and building upgrades.
The program incentivizes communities to host large-scale renewable energy projects such as wind, solar, and storage by providing awards that supplement existing tax revenue and community benefits.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s fiscal year 2024 budget included $30 million to fund the RRCA’s initial rounds, and EGLE is awaiting state legislative action to release another $129.1 million in funding the federal government issued in October 2024.
Once legislative authorization is given, the funds, which require no state match, can be used to scale up the RRCA, launch a pilot to build renewable energy projects on brownfields, strengthen support for local governments through EGLE’s Renewable Energy Academy, support clean energy related workforce development, and develop a comprehensive strategy to meet the state’s goal of 60% renewable energy by 2035.
So far, EGLE has awarded more than $24.2 million out of its initial $30 million budget allocation to 35 counties, cities, and townships across the state’s two peninsulas that are hosting enough for solar and battery storage projects to power more than 5 million households.
A total of $3.67 million was awarded to six local units of government. In addition to Colfax Township, the awardees are:
• $748,500 to Sands Township in Marquette County for the Superior Solar project
• $675,000 to Fayette Township in Hillsdale County for the Heartwood Solar project
• $297,500 to Johnstown Township in Barry County for the Spring Creek Solar project
• $245,000 to Quincy Township in Branch County for the Cold Creek Solar project
• $35,000 to Butler Township in Branch County for the Cold Creek Solar project
Half of each award is disbursed upon the start of energy project construction, and the other half upon operation. Most of the projects are expected to begin operation in 2026.
The RRCA’s first round was announced in October 2024, the second round in December 2024, the third round in January 2025, and the fourth round in April 2025.
An interactive map on the RRCA webpage displays all the Michigan municipalities with renewable energy projects eligible for the RRCA. Information on the map includes project size, intended use of award funds, and a dashboard summarizing statistics about the award.
Deploying renewable energy at scale is essential to averting the worst impacts of climate change by meeting the state’s MI Healthy Climate Plan goals. The RRCA is a key tool to meeting the 60% renewable energy, 100% clean energy, and 2,500 MW storage standards set under the state’s landmark 2023 clean energy laws.
For more information, including eligibility requirements, funding amounts, and awardee obligations, visit EGLE’s RRCA webpage.