Grand Valley, Consumers Energy to celebrate completion of solar gardens project

Officials from Grand Valley and Consumers Energy, along with local, state and federal officials, will celebrate the completion of the state's largest community solar project June 10.

The 17-acre, 11,200-solar-panel project, located on the Allendale Campus, is owned and operated by Consumers Energy through its Solar Gardens program. The site provides electricity produced by solar energy to enrolled customers in West Michigan, including Grand Valley. 

The completion ceremony will take place in the Kirkhof Center on the Allendale Campus at 11 a.m. Remarks will be made by Grand Valley President Thomas J. Haas; John Russell, CEO of Consumers Energy; U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow; and Michigan Public Service Commissioner Norman Saari. A tour of the solar power plant, located south of Pierce Street near 48th Avenue, will follow at 12:30 p.m. 

For more information about the Solar Gardens program, visit www.consumersenergy.com/solargardens.