Renewables Ready Communities Award

The Renewables Ready Communities Award (RRCA) is designed to reward municipal renewable energy adopters in Michigan by offering financial awards to local governments that host or permit large-scale renewable energy and storage projects. The initiative supports local communities and accelerates the deployment of clean energy across the state.

Eligible applicants are Michigan municipalities, such as cities, townships, or counties, that physically host or have permitted for any portion of an eligible renewable energy project. Permitting involves the procurement and approval of a land use permit or approved site use plan, while hosting involves the containment of the energy technology within the municipality's boundaries (or expected hosting per permitting documentation). Award recipients must notify EGLE upon the start of construction and operation, implement funds according to an Award Use Plan approved by resolution at a public meeting, attend biannual award use check-in meetings, and submit periodic summary reports. Upcoming funding rounds may additionally require projects to satisfy specific construction labor standards.

Eligible projects must be grid-connected wind, solar, or energy storage installations located in Michigan that obtained a land use permit or approved site use plan on or after October 1, 2023. Projects must have a nameplate capacity in alternating current of at least 50 MW, or at least 100 MW if wind energy is included. The specific megawatt allocation must be verified by the developer.

While the initial $30,000,000 appropriation has been fully applied for and is closed, an RRCA Waitlist remains open for eligible local governments ahead of a pending refresh funded by the EPA. EGLE will contact entities on the waitlist to submit a full application if funding becomes available.