Lightstar Renewables has officially announced a collaboration with the City of Detroit to begin proceedings for its Phase 2 Solar Neighborhoods initiative, which is designed to turn long-vacant land into state-of-the-art solar fields, and therefore, deliver exceptional benefits to the community.
According to certain reports, the stated development delivers a rather interesting follow-up to the success of Phase 1, where Lightstar effectively brought solar fields to three neighborhoods.
In essence, the new phase is, by and large, expected to introduce 61 acres of solar infrastructure across Houston-Whittier/Hayes and Greenfield Park neighborhoods. All in all, these efforts will contribute to a total of 165 acres of solar fields throughout Detroit. Leveraging that infrastructure, the initiative in question should be able to generate 31 megawatts of renewable energy, which is enough to power well over 127 municipal buildings, including police stations, recreation centers, and transit hubs.
“This initiative goes far beyond renewable energy,” said Owen Deitcher of Lightstar Renewables. “It’s a holistic vision for sustainable urban development that combines energy innovation, community empowerment, and environmental stewardship. At Lightstar, we couldn’t be more honored to partner with the City of Detroit and our incredibly engaged neighborhood partners to make this vision a reality.”
Talk about the Phase 2 of Lightstar-Detroit Solar Neighborhoods initiative on a slightly deeper level, we begin from its promise to deliver significant energy upgrades. This translates to how the program will make it possible for more than 106 local homeowners to receive a minimum of $15,000 worth of energy efficiency improvements. By doing so, it will cut down on energy costs, while simultaneously enhancing the quality of life.
Next up, we must dig into the program’s community-driven design. You see, residents would go on to have a big say in reaching upon the landscaping design of solar sites, ensuring these projects reflect their vision. An example relaying the same stems from the way, apart from the core infrastructure, ornamental trees, perennial gardens, and flowering meadows will also be present in the mix to make better use of previously neglected open spaces.
“The Solar Neighborhoods program has turned blighted land into something truly beautiful and beneficial, while also improving the lives of residents. This is the progress we’ve been waiting for,” said Victoria Hicks, a Greenfield Park resident.
Another detail worth a mention is rooted in the initiative’s bid to support urban agriculture. We get to say so because, thanks to innovative agrivoltaic solutions, each and every designated solar site will have the means to support local farmers, empowering them to grow crops sustainably with less water use and frost protection.
Founded in 2019, Lightstar Renewables’ rise up the ranks is orchestrated by its ability to develop, build, and own community solar projects. The company’s excellence in what it does can also be understood once you consider it has, thus far, successfully developed 1,000 MW of renewable energy projects across the United States and abroad.
“The Solar Neighborhoods initiative has been very much a community driven process that is taking blighted vacant land and turning it into a productive and attractive new use while providing direct benefit to homeowners,” said Mike Duggan, Mayor of Detroit. “Residents of these neighborhoods designed the landscaping for their new solar arrays and homeowner occupants are receiving energy efficiency upgrades to their homes to increase their value and lower their utility costs.”
