Indiana Michigan Power, an operating unit of American Electric Power, recently started building its first solar power facility in Indiana.
I&M will also be building three other solar power facilities. One will be located in Watervliet, Michigan.
The four facilities combined will generate 15 megawatts of energy by the end 2016. That's enough energy to power about 2,500 homes. The Michigan facility will generate almost one-third of that energy.
Tracy Warner is with I&M. He says the company's solar program is only a pilot at this point.
"We are seeing increasing preference by our customers, government, regulators, and our own desires to have more renewable energy," Warner said.
DTE Energy and Consumers Energyhave also developed pilot programs to generate solar energy. DTE's program is currently generating almost 10 megawatts of energy from solar power, and has allocated 15 megawatts for the program. Consumers Energy program plans to generate up to 10 megawatts.
I&M covers parts of southwest Michigan, including Benton Harbor and St. Joseph.
