Detroit solar farm plans delayed

A Detroit plan to build solar farms in impoverished neighborhoods has stirred controversy, leading to a delayed vote from the Detroit City Council.

Until Tuesday, the Detroit City Council had plans through the Solar Equity program to create 104 acres of solar farms in three neighborhoods facing blight and trash dumping. However, some council members are concerned the project would alienate homeowners and not prevent crime.

“Solar panels will disrupt and destroy entire neighborhoods,” Councilwoman Angela Whitfield-Calloway said. “There will be no future affordable housing being built anywhere around a solar farm. Not one resident will benefit from any of the solar panels being built in their neighborhood, not one... It's not a way to address blight and crime.”

If the plan does later pass, DTE Energy and Lightstar Renewables will manage three solar fields in the Gratiot-Findlay, State Fair and Van Dyke-Lynch neighborhoods. It’s expected multiple houses will need to be demolished, and 21 households have already moved in an agreement with the city.

Homeowners who relocate will receive either $90,000 or twice the market value of their home, whichever is higher, and renters will receive 18 months’ rent. Detroit’s chief financial officer estimates $4.4 million from the Utility Conversion Fund will be needed to both build the solar farms and relocate families. Homes surrounding the solar panels would receive $15,000 in “energy efficient upgrades.”

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says the ultimate goal is to replace all city buildings’ power with renewable energy.

“One-hundred twenty-seven city buildings are currently powered by 33 megawatts of energy per year from traditional sources, largely fossil fuels,” Duggan said. “In the next two years, we are going to build solar fields that are going to produce that 33 megawatts of energy in renewable energy, effectively generating all the power for city buildings from solar fields.”

Some residents argue the solar farms will lower their electricity bills and keep the neighborhood safe.

“We need that in our neighborhood," one resident said at the council meeting. "It’s going to help the neighborhood and keep their bills down.”