HOW TO ACHIEVE ENERGY SOVEREIGNTY IN HIGHLAND PARK

Highland Park could be 100% powered by local clean energy resources through a combination of rooftop solar (30%), distributed solar (33%), community solar (6%), and energy efficiency (25%), alongside a Community Water and Energy Resource Center. An analysis suggests that installing nearly 44 MW of solar in Highland Park would save approximately $23 million. Achieving this requires the State of Michigan to eliminate solar restrictions and improve compensation, while the City of Highland Park must enact solar ordinances and develop local energy businesses.

• Highland Park has the potential to be 100% powered by local, affordable, and community-owned clean energy resources if provided with the necessary tools and investments.
• A proposed energy mix for the city includes distributed solar (33%), rooftop solar (30%), energy efficiency (25%), and community solar (6%), supplemented by a Community Water and Energy Resource Center (CWERC) that captures methane for power and heat and treats wastewater.
• The installation of nearly 44 MW of solar in Highland Park is estimated to result in savings of close to $23 million, with further savings expected from the CWERC and energy efficiency measures.
• Achieving energy sovereignty requires state-level actions from Michigan and its utilities, including the removal of distributed solar caps and size restrictions, the requirement of virtual net metering for community solar, and expanded low-cost financing for low-income households.
• Local implementation in Highland Park requires the city to enact a comprehensive solar ordinance, establish a local revolving loan fund, create a sustainability commission, and develop local energy efficiency and solar businesses.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2021). HOW TO ACHIEVE ENERGY SOVEREIGNTY IN HIGHLAND PARK. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2021-10/How-to-Achieve-Energy-Sovereignty-Highland-Park-fact-sheet.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. HOW TO ACHIEVE ENERGY SOVEREIGNTY IN HIGHLAND PARK. 2021. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2021-10/How-to-Achieve-Energy-Sovereignty-Highland-Park-fact-sheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=HOW TO ACHIEVE ENERGY SOVEREIGNTY IN HIGHLAND PARK |date=2021 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2021-10/How-to-Achieve-Energy-Sovereignty-Highland-Park-fact-sheet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2021how, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{HOW TO ACHIEVE ENERGY SOVEREIGNTY IN HIGHLAND PARK}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2021}, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2021-10/How-to-Achieve-Energy-Sovereignty-Highland-Park-fact-sheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }