A group of like-minded Leelanau County locals has been working together to promote renewable energy and energy conservation for years. The nonprofit goes by Leelanau Energy and prides itself on playing matchmaker for energy-efficient opportunities and the necessary resources to take advantage of them. Most recently, they’ve been granted $60,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding through Leelanau Township, and they plan to use that money to help Cherryland members in need. We sat down with Leelanau Energy Board Director Joe DeFors and Leelanau Energy Member Beth Verhey to find out how.

 

How will this funding help Cherryland members?

 

The approved ARPA funding will be used to expand Cherryland’s existing low-income community solar program, by purchasing community solar subscriptions on behalf of Leelanau Township members in need of some financial assistance. DeFors explained, “The panels are $600 each for a 15-year lease. Our concept is to allocate 10 solar panels, so $6,000, to 10 households, which equals the $60,000 from the ARPA funding. ”For each panel subscription, Cherryland members will save $0.10 for every kilowatt hour produced by that solar panel. Those savings are passed on directly to the member in the form of a bill credit. A win-win for Leelanau Energy—not only meeting their goal of boosting the region’s use of renewables but also saving members money along the way.

 

Who qualifies for this assistance and how do I apply?

 

First, members must live in Leelanau Township. From there, Leelanau Energy has partnered with the Northwestern Michigan Community Action Agency (NMCAA) for the application process. Through this process, members will apply for NMCAA’s Weatherization Assistance by filling out a referral form. The form will ask for information about the applicant’s income, homeownership or landlord agreements, and the condition of their home. From there, an intake specialist will reach out to discuss your application. If you qualify, NMCAA will make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible! Then it’s time to talk solar! Verhey says, “If you’ve already qualified for other health and human services programs, you are automatically considered qualified for this program. So, I think that is also extremely helpful.” NMCAA says a household is automatically qualified if they’ve received State Emergency Relief (SER) energy assistance in the last year or if at least one person in the home receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) through Social Security.

 

What’s the catch?

 

There really isn’t one. This program not only helps you optimize your home’s energy efficiency but also helps you lower your monthly electric bills. “This is a great example of agencies and the township partnering on shared goals. It’s just been excellent. There are folks and organizations out there that care and are concerned and are willing to work to help make a difference,”

said DeFors. Verhey agreed, saying, “It’s about understanding a living wage and the true cost of living, how much we need a viable workforce on the peninsula, and how to make it affordable. With the right puzzle pieces together, it can be done!” Funding a program like this through the American Rescue Plan is a model that both DeFors and Verhey say can be replicated by every township. “It’s a fairly simple model, so we’re just hoping it might be replicated through the county.”

 

To apply for this low-income community solar program, visit https://www.nmcaa.net/energy.asp. If you have other questions, suggestions, or ideas regarding renewable energy in Leelanau County visit leelanauenergy.org. To learn more about Cherryland’s renewable energy programs visit cherrylandelectric.coop/renewable-energy-programs.