The City of Detroit has a plan to transition to clean, renewable energy, making the City a more sustainable place to live for future generations of Detroiters. The Detroit Climate Strategy set goals for the City to generate enough clean energy to offset the usage of its core municipal buildings by 2034.
Mayor Duggan’s Solar Neighborhoods initiative is a significant step toward these goals, aiming to transform mostly vacant lots in Detroit neighborhoods into clean energy generation sites. On June 24, 2024, Mayor Duggan announced the first three neighborhoods selected to host solar arrays. DTE Energy was chosen to develop one of these solar arrays, located in the Van Dyke/Lynch neighborhood.
This solar array will generate 10 megawatts of clean, renewable energy, offsetting a portion of the electricity required to operate City buildings such as City Hall, recreation centers, and police and fire stations. DTE will also work with the City to provide homes surrounding the solar array with valuable energy efficiency upgrades.
Project details
Click on the images below for more information on project landscaping, fencing and lighting.
Project milestones
DTE’s contractor will be using pile driving equipment to install the solar panel support structures starting January 7, 2026 through April 7, 2026 (or sooner). Workers will be on site from approximately 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., four days a week. This equipment hammers the supports into the ground and will be audible in the surrounding area. The peak noise made by this process will be below the decibel level of a common gas lawn mower. Please reference the video below to watch an example of the process.
Click on the images below for more information on project construction and timelines.
Community engagement
Construction Update Meeting January 5, 2025
Watch the full January 5 construction update meeting here.
Pre-Construction Community Meeting August 25, 2025
Contact us
Please email detroitsolar@dteenergy.com with any questions or concerns.
Job training and development opportunities
Tree Trim Academy in Partnership with IBEW
DTE and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) partnership established this Detroit-based program to provide training for those seeking a career in Line Clearance Tree Trimming. Our commitment is to grow and develop local and diverse talent to meet the needs of maintaining safe, reliable energy. We are currently recruiting and placing students into upcoming cohorts.
The Workforce Development program provides city of Detroit and metro Detroit residents with a paid, multi-week training for Building Analyst and Healthy Home Evaluator certifications through the Building Performance Institute (BPI). Participants will receive professional guidance and be connected to a recruitment network for clean energy jobs with competitive wages including benefits, driven by today’s competitive job market. Participants who complete the training can look forward to career pathways spanning across the electric, HVAC, insulation and home performance skilled trades industries.
For DPS students: Randolph CTC
DTE’s Workforce Development team partnered with the Detroit Public Schools Randolph Career and Technical Center to help guide the development of a comprehensive learning plan that includes the Energy Industry Fundamentals (EIF) curriculum and the 530 Line Worker standards. The program incorporates Renewable Energy activities, guest speakers, field trips, simulators, tools and equipment to provide students with a rich energy program delivery.