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A funding opportunity from Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is available for local governments involved in locally permitted, large-scale renewable energy projects. An eligible project is a grid-connected wind, solar, or battery storage project of at least 50 megawatts (MW) which received a local permit after September 1st, 2023, most commonly through special use or site plan approval.

The Renewables Ready Communities Award (RRCA) awards a local government $4,000 per MW permitted for. This award may be increased by 20% if the developer of the project establishes a satisfactory Project Labor Agreement for the construction of the project. If the host and permitter are separate (e.g., with county zoning), each local unit receives half of the award ($2,000 per MW.) This one-time award payment is made in full when construction begins on the project.

There are no requirements on how RRCA dollars can be spent. Prior awards have gone to various projects of public benefit such as new recreation equipment, building repairs, roadwork, cemetery upgrades, rooftop solar installations, consulting for master plan updates, contributions to fire department equipment purchases, and more.

Please contact EGLE through the RRCA website for details about eligibility, award amount determinations, Project Labor Agreement standards, and more.

John LaMacchia is the League’s director of state & federal affairs. He can be reached at [email protected] or 517-908-0303.