Platte River State Fish Hatchery in Beulah just wrapped up its first week generating solar power.
Paul Stowe, the hatchery’s natural resources manager, says it’s a move that ultimately makes more sense for the Department of Natural Resources.
“There are six state fish hatcheries, and of the DNR’s utility budget, they use about 20 percent,” Stowe said.
Fish hatcheries are notoriously energy hungry, with millions of gallons of water to pump, and sometimes heat, per day.
“Today it’s a nice sunny day, we’re getting almost a hundred kilowatts out of that system. You know, if you do the math with our current utility rate, that’ll save us more than a couple hundred dollars a day to use less electricity from our regular utility provider and secure our own electricity right here,” said Stowe.
Cherryland Electric Cooperative is the hatchery’s regular utilities provider and is supportive of the project.
“It’s a nice example of a commercial member who sized their array in a way that fits their needs,” said Rachel Johnson, Cherryland’s CEO. “The fish hatchery is in a somewhat unique position because they have a steady, base demand for electricity that’s the same 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
While the hatchery is now producing some of its own electricity, it will need to supplement from Cherryland, especially during the winter months.
Johnson says despite the hatchery buying less energy than before, Cherryland’s rate structure means the cooperative will not be harmed by a big customer’s conversion to solar.
Stowe says the savings from generating more electricity on site will help fisheries offset rising costs elsewhere, particularly the price of fish feed.
But with particulate matter from Canadian wildfires lingering in the air right as the solar array went live, Stowe mentioned another motivator that’s top of mind.
“Fisheries division is committed to making sure that our management is addressing global climate change,” he said. “We are trying to do what we can, where we can, because it is a real threat to our fisheries here in Michigan.”
The Platte River location is the latest state hatchery to receive the upgrade. Only one, in Marquette, will not get a solar array. But between six installations at five different locations, the DNR says it expects to save $2.5 million over the next 25 years.
Nothing will change for anglers and visitors, except the sight of some shiny new solar panels.
