Cherryland’s Renewable Energy Program Increases Solar By 700%

Cherryland Electric Cooperative has met its renewable energy program goal, increasing its solar by 700 percent to almost 2.8 megawatts in 18 months. In November 2016, Cherryland partnered with its power supplier, Wolverine Power Cooperative, to develop a suite of solar programs to add 10 MW of consumer-owned solar across Wolverine’s service territory. The suite included new community solar, net metering, and buy-all sell-all (BASA) programs. Under the BASA program, cooperative members install solar panels on their property and the cooperative purchases all the energy they produce.

Since 2016, Cherryland members have contracted approximately 2.3 MW of BASA solar, with projects ranging from 7.7 kilowatts to 1 MW per project.In all, Cherryland currently receives nearly 20 percent of its power from renewable sources and 56 percent from carbon-free sources. With the success of the program, the cooperative expects to make a public announcement regarding future solar program offerings by July 1.

Cherryland’s service territory spans Kalkaska to Northport to Manistee. It serves 35,000 members in the Grand Traverse region.