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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:** *
July 14, 2025 
Jeff Johnston, EGLE Public Information Officer, [email protected], 517-231-9304

EGLE announces Solar for Savings grants for eight rooftop and community projects

"Awards through MI Health Climate Challenge serve as pilot projects for MI Solar For All"

Eight awardees from all corners of Michigan will become the first MI Solar for All pilots, awarded in round one of the Solar for Savings (SFS) grants opportunity. SFS is the first of a series of MI Healthy Climate Challenge (MHC Challenge) [ [link removed] ] grant competitions to drive clean energy deployment and unlock additional investment across Michigan. 

The Office of Climate and Energy (OCE) in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) announced the awards today. Together, they tentatively total about $7.9 million – a number subject to change as the OCE works with awardees in the coming weeks to finalize grant agreements.  

Projects are focused on deploying solar projects to help low-income participants save money by reducing energy costs or providing other benefits, improving energy resilience, and supporting Michigan’s energy independence through greater solar access across Michigan communities. Grants were awarded in two categories: 

*Residential rooftop solar projects* 


* *Hope Village Revitalization, Wayne County:* Retrofit 10 homes in Detroit and Highland Park with rooftop solar, battery storage, weatherization and high efficiency, dual fuel, cold climate heat pumps, with a goal of scaling the program to 100 homes. 

* *Southwest Housing Solutions Corp., doing business as MiSide Housing, Oakland County:* Install solar on a 60-unit multifamily building serving low-income vulnerable seniors, including formerly homeless seniors, with solar benefits to fund part of the time for a service coordinator position for residents. 

* *Superior Watershed Partnership, covering all Upper Peninsula counties:* Install solar at 15 households. At least five households will receive energy storage. Critical care customers with medical devices dependent on electricity will be prioritized. Installations will provide electricity cost reductions to low-income households and, in cases with energy storage, added resiliency. 

*Residential-serving community solar projects* 


* *City of Benton Harbor, Berrien County:* Install solar at city facilities. Benefits will be provided to eligible low-income beneficiaries on city water bills. 

* *Hillsdale Board of Public Utilities, Hillsdale County:* Install ground-mounted solar at a municipal airport with pollinator-friendly plants. Low-income benefits will be provided on utility bills. 

* *Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, Chippewa County:* Install solar and storage at 12 residential homes and a community building to support resiliency, provided as electric bill offset to 12 households or through community programs focused on energy assistance or food security. 

* *Lowell Light & Power, Kent County:* Install solar canopies over the main parking lot at Stoney Lakeside Park for high visibility and community education with benefits provided on utility bills in an opt-out program. 

* *North End Woodward Community Coalition, Wayne County:* Expand the Solar Neighbors initiative to install solar, owned by a community trust. 

The proposals serve as pilot projects laying the groundwork for the broader MI Solar for All (MI SFA) [ [link removed] ] program, a federally funded initiative to bring solar energy to low-income households and communities statewide.  

MI SFA will provide direct financial assistance for rooftop solar, community solar, energy storage, and upgrades, as well as workforce development, community outreach, and technical assistance opportunities. Participating households are expected to receive a benefit equivalent to an average 20% reduction on their electricity bill. 

Michigan received $156 million [ [link removed] ] for MI SFA through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s $7 billion Solar for All competition. 

The state initially allocated $8.875 million for Solar for Savings but now has approved up to $20 million more to fund pilot projects that will broaden the knowledge base for MI SFA. Applications have closed for the first two rounds of Solar for Savings but remain open until 5 p.m. Sept. 30 for the third round.  Awards will be made first-come, first-served, and each round’s applicants will remain eligible in subsequent rounds. To learn more and apply, visit Michigan.gov/MHCChallenge [ [link removed] ]. 

Beyond Solar for Savings, the MHC Challenge will offer multiple funding opportunities to help build momentum around clean energy initiatives statewide. Future grant competitions will focus on helping communities and partners leverage federal tax credits, expanding access to green lending, and unlocking large-scale climate financing for high-impact climate projects. Eligibility will vary by competition, but the MHC Challenge is designed to include a wide range of public and private participants – including local governments, community lenders, schools, faith organizations, nonprofits, and solar providers. 

To stay informed about future competitions launching throughout 2025, sign up for the MI Healthy Climate Bulletin [ [link removed] ].

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This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy · Constitution Hall · 525 West Allegan Street · PO Box 30473 · Lansing, MI 48909 · 800-662-9278
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