254th largest plant in Michigan · 11275th nationally
M72 West Solar is a solar power plant in Michigan with a nameplate capacity of 1.8 MW. It generates roughly 2.1k MWh per year — enough to power about 199 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 13% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | M72 West Solar |
|---|---|
| Operator | Heritage Sustainable Energy. Llc |
| City | Traverse City |
| County | Leelanau County |
| State | Michigan |
| ZIP | 49684 |
| Coordinates | 44.77679, -85.70136 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M72W | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 1.8 MW | Operating | 2019 |
| NERC Region | RFC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.. |
Utility-scale solar farms convert sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic panels. They produce zero direct emissions and have no fuel cost, but generation is variable — peaking at midday and falling to zero at night. Capacity factors typically run 18–28% in good locations.