Yesterday afternoon, DTE and the City of Detroit came together to celebrate breaking ground on the Van Dyke/Lynch Solar Park, one of five solar parks the City is developing as part of its Neighborhood Solar Initiative.
Located on 42 acres of vacant lots in Detroit, the Van Dyke/Lynch Solar Park will generate 10 megawatts of clean energy when it comes online in June 2026, the equivalent of powering more than 2,000 homes. This clean energy generation will offset a portion of the electricity required to operate City buildings such as City Hall, recreation centers, and police and fire stations. DTE will also provide residents near the Van Dyke/Lynch Solar Park with up to $15,000 in home energy efficiency upgrades.
“Today represents a milestone for our shared vision of a more sustainable future,” said Joi Harris, president and CEO, DTE Energy. “It is part of our
transition to generating energy that is cleaner – while also safe, reliable and affordable – not only for those of you who live in the Van Dyke/Lynch neighborhood, but for everyone we serve…You can be proud that Detroit-made, clean power will help reduce the City’s carbon footprint and create a cleaner environment for your children and grandchildren.”
DTE is committed to supporting the City of Detroit in its clean energy goals, which include powering 100% of the City’s municipal buildings with clean energy by 2034 and sourcing 50% of Detroit’s electricity from clean energy in the next three years.
“The way Detroit is doing solar is very different than you see elsewhere in Michigan or across the country, which is why it has been so well received,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “This has been a community driven process from the very beginning, and we are bringing solar only to neighborhoods that actively pursued it and were enthusiastic about having it.”
DTE has clean energy goals of our own, aiming to reach 50% renewable energy by 2030 and net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Van Dyke/Lynch Solar Park, as well as the solar park we will begin constructing in Detroit’s Greenfield Park neighborhood next year, are important steps in that journey.