275th largest plant in Michigan · 12726th nationally
Western Michigan Solar Gardens is a solar power plant in Michigan with a nameplate capacity of 1.0 MW. It generates roughly 1.5k MWh per year — enough to power about 142 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 17% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Western Michigan Solar Gardens |
|---|---|
| Operator | Consumers Energy Co - (Mi) |
| City | Kalamazoo |
| County | Kalamazoo County |
| State | Michigan |
| ZIP | 49008 |
| Coordinates | 42.25250, -85.64273 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 1.0 MW | Operating | 2016 |
| 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.