Ford to install $5.8m solar facility at Michigan factory

August 13, 2010

Motor manufacturer Ford is to use solar power to help power the production of vehicles including the new Focus Electric.

The company is teaming with utility Detroit Edison and power electronics firm Xtreme Power to develop a 500-kilowatt solar power array at its Michigan Assembly Plant.

The new system will be integrated with a 750kW battery system to store up energy when the car factory is not in production for use when needed.

A second, smaller solar energy facility is planned for a later date, in order to power lighting systems at the Michigan Assembly.

Combined, the systems are expected to cut energy costs at the plant by $160,000 a year. Installation will begin later in 2010.

The solar array will be supported with $3 million from Detroit Edison’s SolarCurrents program and a $2 million grant from the Michigan Public Service Commission, along with $800,000 from Ford.

Jim Tetreault, Ford vice president, North America Manufacturing, said the project was part of a “transformation” at the Michigan Assembly to become a more sustainable plant.

He said: “With this solar energy system, we will be able to gain vital understanding about the integration of renewable power, smart-grid technologies and energy storage at an industrial facility.”

Battery

Austin firm Xtreme Power is the company providing energy storage systems to improve the quality of power generated by wind farms in Hawaii (see this BrighterEnergy.org story).

It will provide its Dynamic Power Resource system for the Michigan plant.

Renewable energy collected by the solar array will feed into a microgrid to provide power to the plant when active, with the battery storing energy during vacations for use during periods of insufficient or inconsistent sunlight.

The storage system will also be able to make use of cheaper off-peak electricity to provide power during expensive peak hours.

“We share a commitment with Ford to fostering an environmentally sustainable model of energy use in the U.S., and this joint project is indicative of just how far we’ve come,” said Carlos Coe, CEO, Xtreme Power. “We are proud to work together to help transform vehicle manufacturing into a sustainable process powered by clean, renewable energy.”

Ford is also planning on installing 10 vehicle charging stations at the Michigan Assembly, to charge trucks used on site.