The state is providing three million dollars to Grand Rapids. It will fund the infrastructure needed to transport solar electricity from the former Butterworth landfill site to the city’s primary circuit.
State Representative Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) is the chair of the subcommittee on Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
“Studies about potential uses for the property highlighted the development of solar as the best and highest use for the site because it's a capped landfill there," she said. "The city or development can't penetrate the cap which is several feet down from the top of the property. And so, solar would be installed as it has been on other capped landfills in the state and across the country."
The impact goes beyond lower electricity cost for the city, said state Representative Phil Skaggs (D-East Grand Rapids).
“We are already seeing many businesses, especially advanced manufacturing that wants to come to Michigan, because they think that our renewable energy standard meets with the values of their companies. So this is a tool to mitigate climate change. It's a tool to create good paying Michigan jobs and it's a tool to attract new businesses," Skaggs said.
The development of the site is part of Grand Rapids' goal of reaching 100 percent renewable energy for city operations by fiscal year 2025.
