Detroit Edison tries to make solar power affordable with Solar Currents

Detroit Edison wants its customers to help it meet Michigan’s new alternative energy mandate with its new SolarCurrents program.

The downtown-based utility is offering to pay for 50 percent of the installation costs for a solar energy system through the new pilot program. Businesses and residences are eligible. The program will harness the energy produced through the solar panels and credit part of the energy bill to the customer's bill for 20 years.

The idea is to help Detroit Edison reach the state's new Renewable Power Standard, which calls for 10 percent of their electricity sales come from renewable resources by 2015. Most of that is expected to be generated from wind power, but Detroit Edison and its parent company, DTE Energy, are also looking at solar options.

"It will be a small amount of energy in the big picture," says Len Singer, spokesman for Detroit Edison. "But it's a pilot program and its going to ascertain the role solar energy can play in Michigan."

Detroit Edison estimates a solar energy system for a typical 2,000-square-foot home or business can cost about $18,000 to install. The utility forecasts that as many as 1,500 of its customers will take part in the program. A second phase in the program for bigger solar panels is also being worked on and could be released soon.

For information on SolarCurrents, click here or call (313) 235-4786.

Source: Len Singer, spokesman for Detroit Edison
Writer: Jon Zemke