WOLVERINE POWER COOPERATIVE, INC.
New Solar Array Takes Shape at PIE&G Headquarters

A new solar project is taking shape in Onaway,MI adding another bright chapter to Michigan's growing cooperative renewable portfolio. Located in front of Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op's (PIE&G) headquarters, the 200-kilowatt solar array is designed to give members a visible, local connection to clean energy.

The project is part of the Wolverine's SpartanSolar program and being built by J. Ranck Electric of Mt. Pleasant, marking their fourth SpartanSolar installation. The array received a $200,000 USDA Rural Energy for America grant to help bring it to life.

Construction is underway, with completion expected by the end of the year. The Onaway site is unique in more ways than one: it is the first ballasted SpartanSolar array, using concrete supports instead of driven posts to accommodate the rocky terrain near PIE&G's headquarters.

While relatively modest in size compared to other cooperative solar sites, the Onaway array reflects the commitment to bring solar to where cooperative members are.

"We are happy to host it.  This project is a visible reminder of cooperatives delivering reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy to our members," said PIE&G CEO Allan Berg. "Having the array right here at our headquarters lets members see firsthand how cooperatives are investing in the future."