Homeowners and small businesses in Leelanau County can save money on solar panel and system installations, thanks to a new partnership between Leelanau Energy and the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities. The two organizations are teaming up for the latest cohort of Access MI Solar, a group-buy discount program designed to make solar energy more affordable to northern Michiganders.

Now in its fourth year, the Access MI Solar program kicked of in 2022 with a pilot program in the Petoskey area. The following year, the Groundwork Center – which leads the initiative – expanded the opportunity to any household or “small-scale commercial businesses” within a 30-mile radius of Traverse City.

The program utilizes the principles of bulk buying to make solar panels more affordable. Through this year’s cohort, for instance, participants will receive a 10 percent discount on their solar installations through project partner CBS Solar, so long as at least 10 homeowners or small businesses sign up.

While Access MI Solar has technically been available in Leelanau County since the 2023 cohort, Leelanau Energy’s Phil Loud says Leelanau “did not get the same level of focus as areas up along the east side of Grand Traverse Bay.” The partnership between Groundwork and Leelanau Energy is intended to drive more participation in Access MI Solar from Leelanau County residents.

“Leelanau Energy decided to put together some presentations and press packages to better alert folks up in our county as to the availability of the program,” Loud explains.

The first of those Leelanau Energy presentations will take place next Thursday, May 8 at 7pm at Suttons Bay District Library. Another presentation will follow at the same time a week later, Thursday, May 15, at Glen Lake Community Library. Both community engagement sessions are open to the public and are meant to answer any questions locals may have about Access MI Solar.

Those interested in Access MI Solar can sign up for a free bid from CBS Solar via a Google form.

“Those who sign up are under NO OBLIGATION to proceed to completion,” the Leelanau Energy press release notes. “The sign up simply links the applicant with CBS Solar who will send a representative to assess their site and energy needs. CBS will then provide a free quote for the system design, including all equipment, installation and permitting costs. With a firm quote in hand, each household or business is free to move ahead, or not.”