Ribbon to Be Cut Monday on Detroit Edison Solar Installation at MCCC

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Apr 14, 2011, 05:15 ET

Dingell to Speak at Ceremony that Marks First Day of Earth Week

MONROE, Mich., April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Monday – the first day of the annual, nationwide Earth Week celebration – officials will cut the ceremonial ribbon on a Detroit Edison solar installation on the Main Campus of Monroe County Community College.

The ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. next to the college's Physical Plant Building, which is located northeast of Parking Lot 3. The new solar installation is located on the extreme east side of the campus beyond the Physical Plant Building.

In July, Detroit Edison – a subsidiary of DTE Energy – and MCCC announced the signing of a 20-year agreement that will provide the utility's customers with renewable energy generated from the sun.

The installation is part of Detroit Edison's pilot SolarCurrents program that calls for photovoltaic systems to be installed on customer property or rooftops over the next five years to generate 15 megawatts of electricity throughout Southeast Michigan.

MCCC is the first educational institution to participate in the program, and its installation is Detroit Edison's largest SolarCurrents installation on a college campus.

Scheduled speakers at the ceremony, which will be emceed by MCCC President Dr. David Nixon, will include:

U.S. Rep John Dingell (D-Dearborn)
State Sen. Randy Richardville (R-Monroe)
State Rep. Dale Zorn (R-Ida)
Ron May, senior vice president, major enterprise projects at DTE Energy
Alan Barron, chair of the MCCC Alumni Association Board and Monroe Township supervisor