Lightstar Continues Advancing Detroit's Vision for Clean Energy

Mayor Announces Houston-Whittier/Hayes and Greenfield Park as Detroit's Phase 2 Solar Neighborhoods

BOSTON, Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Detroit continues its commitment to renewable energy and community revitalization with Mayor Mike Duggan's announcement of Houston-Whittier/Hayes and Greenfield Park as the next two neighborhoods selected for the city's Solar Neighborhoods Initiative. This milestone Phase 2 expansion will introduce 61 acres of solar fields, bringing Detroit's total solar infrastructure to an impressive 165 acres. These efforts support the bold goal of producing 31 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy, sufficient to power 127 municipal buildings throughout Detroit.

"Detroit is taking real action to fight climate change, while removing blight and investing in long-neglected areas," Mayor Duggan said. "Now, two more neighborhoods in our city know that they have not been forgotten."

Lightstar, one of the nation's leading solar developers, has been selected to build 63 acres of solar fields in the Gratiot/Findlay and State Fair neighborhoods in Phase 1 and 19 acres of solar fields in the Houston-Witter/Hayes neighborhood in Phase 2. 

Phase 2 Highlights at a Glance

Houston-Whittier/Hayes Neighborhood:

• 18.7 acres of solar
• 2 relocation homeowners within the Solar Array
• 70 Community Benefit homeowners who will receive $15,000 each in energy efficiency upgrades

Lightstar Renewables brings its groundbreaking commitment to community-focused solar innovations, including agrivoltaics, which combines solar arrays with agricultural opportunities.

Both neighborhoods were selected through a competitive process with the aim of the initiative to take vacant, blighted land and put it to use generating enough clean energy to power 127 City municipal buildings as part of the City's efforts to address climate change. These include all police and fire stations, transit centers, City administrative buildings, recreation centers, health clinics, City Airport, and more.

Why Solar Neighborhoods Matter

Advancing Detroit's Vision for Clean Energy: This expansion builds on the success of Phase 1, which delivered solar fields to Gratiot-Findlay, Van Dyke-Lynch, and State Fair neighborhoods, collectively adding 104 acres of renewable energy infrastructure. With Phase 2, Detroit continues its leadership in renewable energy innovation, designed to enhance municipal energy systems and improve the quality of life for its residents.

"Lightstar is proud to partner with the City of Detroit in creating solutions that benefit the environment while uplifting local communities," said Owen Deitcher, of Lightstar Renewables. "Innovative methods like agrivoltaics prove that solar energy can simultaneously support urban agriculture and neighborhood transformation."

Empowering Communities with Renewable Energy

Community-Centered Benefits: The initiative places Detroit residents at its center by ensuring meaningful community benefits, including the following key improvements:

• Energy Efficiency Upgrades for over 106 adjacent homes.
• Comprehensive Relocation Assistance for residents affected.
• Support for Urban Farmers through Lightstar's agrivoltaic design.

A Sustainable Vision for Detroit's Future

Sustainability Beyond Clean Energy: Detroit Solar Neighborhoods go beyond clean energy creation; they redefine sustainable urban development. Key program features include:

• 35 Years of Renewable Energy: Solar arrays will operate for decades, after which the land will be restored to greenfields.
• Urban Farming Innovation: Agrivoltaics offers urban farmers designated land, enabling them to grow crops with up to 50% less water usage and protection against frost.
• Boosting Local Livelihoods: By combining agriculture with energy, the initiative supports farmers with meaningful stipends, operational training, and resources for scalable growth.

"The work we're doing with Solar Neighborhoods is about more than renewable energy—it's about creating opportunities," said Brianna Fiorillo, Policy & Strategy Manager, Midwest at Lightstar. "We're energizing communities, empowering farmers, and showing the world that solar can build resilient cities."

Innovation That Grows with the Community

Empowering Detroit Farmers with Agrivoltaics: Lightstar Renewables is dedicated to urban farmers finding a path to agrivoltaics. In this environment, farmers will have the opportunity to manage 1-4 acres of farmland at no cost, operating in tandem with solar installations. Benefits include farming stipends, reduced water usage and frost protection due to the microclimate of the arrays, and training programs to scale operations.

To learn more about opportunities to farm within the sited areas, farmers are encouraged to contact Owen Deitcher at [email protected]

Moving Toward Detroit's Green Energy Future

Lightstar and Detroit's Solar Neighborhoods Initiative show how renewable energy can go hand in hand with community revitalization. Phase 2 continues to remove blight, grow sustainable energy infrastructure, and create meaningful opportunities for Detroit residents—all while cementing Detroit's leadership in urban sustainability.

About Lightstar Renewables

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Boston, Lightstar Renewables is a trailblazer in the development of community solar solutions. With over 1 gigawatt (GW) of projects completed or in development, Lightstar remains committed to providing clean energy solutions that benefit people, the land, and the planet. Learn more at www.lightstar.com

For further updates, or for press inquiries, contact Meghan Welborn, Director of Marketing and PR at Lightstar at [email protected] or visit the website at lightstar.com

Together, we're redefining what a cleaner, greener future looks like.

SOURCE Lightstar Renewables, LLC