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Ann Arbor approves deal with DTE Energy to construct largest solar array in Michigan
Mlive.com ^ | February 03, 2015 | Ryan Stanton

Posted on 02/03/2015 5:45:16 AM PST by cripplecreek

Ann Arbor might be on its way to becoming the solar capital of Michigan.

The Ann Arbor City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a deal with DTE Energy to construct the largest solar array in the state on a 14-acre site at the city's airport.

The decision came following a brief discussion with no objections raised by any of the 11 council members.

"This is an exciting effort," said Mayor Christopher Taylor. "I'm so glad that we're moving forward with it. Having the largest solar field in Michigan is going to be an important thing for the city of Ann Arbor, even if it's just over the line in Pittsfield Township."

The Ann Arbor Municipal Airport is located just south of the city limits. The project still requires site plan approval from the township, as well as approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Michigan Department of Transportation.

The agreement between Ann Arbor and DTE would allow the utility company to use about 14 acres of the city-owned airport property. DTE would be responsible for paying for the solar panels and their installation and maintenance.

(Excerpt) Read more at mlive.com ...


TOPICS: Local News; Society; Weather
KEYWORDS: annarbor; dteenergy; energy; michigan; solar; stupidity
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The words "solar capitol of Michigan" have broken my sense of reason.

Leave it to Ann Arbor to get excited about the one thing even less effective than wind power.

1 posted on 02/03/2015 5:45:16 AM PST by cripplecreek
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To: Springman; cyclotic; netmilsmom; RatsDawg; PGalt; FreedomHammer; queenkathy; madison10; ...
The very last line in the story is the money quote.

He confirmed that solar panels that DTE installed on Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor are producing energy at 12 to 14 percent of their listed capacity.

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Michigan legislative action thread
2 posted on 02/03/2015 5:47:50 AM PST by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: cripplecreek

now theres a BARGAIN!


3 posted on 02/03/2015 5:54:32 AM PST by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: cripplecreek

Will be wonderful during those 12 days of continuous cloudy weather in Michigan or fry the birds in summer.


4 posted on 02/03/2015 5:55:03 AM PST by FreedomGuru (Oil is as organic as Tofu and daffodils.)
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To: cripplecreek

Cloud cover average:

“On July 19, the clearest day of the year, the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 76% of the time, and overcast or mostly cloudy 23% of the time.

On December 15, the cloudiest day of the year, the sky is overcast, mostly cloudy, or partly cloudy 70% of the time, and clear or mostly clear 29% of the time. “

https://weatherspark.com/averages/29652/Ann-Arbor-Michigan-United-States


5 posted on 02/03/2015 5:55:46 AM PST by DBrow
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To: cripplecreek

Col. Sanders approves!


6 posted on 02/03/2015 5:56:15 AM PST by left that other site (You shall know the Truth, and The Truth Shall Set You Free.)
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To: FreedomGuru

Yesterday would have been a nice sunny day for shoveling the snow off of the panels.


7 posted on 02/03/2015 5:56:36 AM PST by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: cripplecreek

Put them right on the runways.


8 posted on 02/03/2015 6:03:49 AM PST by headstamp 2
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To: cripplecreek

That’s what I said to a homeowner/customer the other day when he told me he was getting “free” solar panels for his house.

I asked him if they came with an illegal alien to shovel them off during the winter.


9 posted on 02/03/2015 6:06:23 AM PST by headstamp 2
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To: cripplecreek

Like the monorail in the Simpsons


10 posted on 02/03/2015 6:08:17 AM PST by dila813
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To: dila813

The rarefied air of Ann Arbor is surprisingly dense and common sense doesn’t easily penetrate it.


11 posted on 02/03/2015 6:10:06 AM PST by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: cripplecreek; AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ...

12 to 14 percent, eh? I guess they’d never heard of A) overcast skies or B) night.


12 posted on 02/03/2015 6:18:30 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: cripplecreek
Isn't Michigan the cloudiest state in the lower 48?
Those arrays of solar panels on North campus are real pretty! /sarc
13 posted on 02/03/2015 6:27:41 AM PST by stayathomemom (Beware of kittens modifying your posts.)
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To: stayathomemom

I’ve got a couple of potted palms. I guess that makes me the palm tree capitol of Michigan.


14 posted on 02/03/2015 6:29:39 AM PST by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: cripplecreek
Leave it to Ann Arbor to get excited about the one thing even less effective than wind power.

And in a state that almost always has cloud cover of some sort due to its position between the Great Lakes. This is as stupid as the California high speed rail.

15 posted on 02/03/2015 6:37:00 AM PST by Don Corleone ("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
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To: cripplecreek
The "solar capitol of Michigan" is about the same as the "ski team of Jamaica", and will be about as successful. I have lived my whole career within 30 miles of Ann Arbor, and can assure you that the sun is simply absent from the end of October to the end of March, and often a lot longer than that. I'll bet the panels won't even be producing enough energy to keep their batteries from freezing during that time.

Don't anyone bother to object that they won't be employing batteries. Solar power without storage to cover the time the dark time is simply subsidized propaganda.

16 posted on 02/03/2015 6:53:04 AM PST by norwaypinesavage (The Stone Age did not end because we ran out of stones)
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To: cripplecreek

Eh. We have solar panels for the 12volt system at our cabin in the mountains of central Utah. They are pretty good for some uses and in more sunny climes can be cost effective. Just not in Michigan.


17 posted on 02/03/2015 7:06:21 AM PST by Seruzawa (All those memories will be lost,in time, like tears in rain.)
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To: cripplecreek

Many stories and observations as to the airport, much more later when I have the time...


18 posted on 02/03/2015 7:11:58 AM PST by taildragger (It's Cruz, Pence or Walker, anything else is a Yugo with Racing Stripes....)
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To: cripplecreek

How do we get them to stop wasting their/our money?


19 posted on 02/03/2015 8:02:09 AM PST by Sioux-san
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To: headstamp 2

I live in Maryland. So schmo came to our door the other day trying to hawk this stuff.

When I got home, I printed out a graph that rated Maryland as a 4 on a scale of 1-10 for kilowatt hours of solar effectiveness. I would assume Michigan (where I used to live to be a 2-3.

He never came back so she didn’t get the chance to ask him to explain it to her.


20 posted on 02/03/2015 9:15:37 AM PST by cyclotic (Join America's premier outdoor adventure association for boys-traillifeusa.com)
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