The Zeeland Board of Public Works (BPW), through partnership with the Michigan Public Power Agency (MPPA), has added 2.8 MW to its sustainable energy portfolio as White Tail Solar, a solar array in Washtenaw County, entered commercial operation in late 2025. This investment provides enough energy to power over 600 homes annually in the Zeeland community.
“Zeeland BPW has partnered with MPPA on renewable energy projects for more than a decade, and we are pleased to continue that relationship through this project,” said Robert Mulder, Power Supply & Market Operations Manager for BPW. “Projects like this support renewable energy development in Michigan and move us closer to achieving the goals established by the State, while delivering the power supply resources necessary to serve our customers.”
Zeeland BPW joined thirteen other public power utility providers across the state in a combined 25 MW power purchase agreement through MPPA. White Tail Solar, which has a total capacity rating of 140 MW, has all energy contracted to Michigan’s public power utilities.
“White Tail Solar continues our commitment to helping Members diversify their power supply portfolios and stay ahead of regulatory requirements,” said Patrick Bowland, executive director at MPPA. “Through joint action, we bring projects like this to life and celebrate how communities of all sizes benefit.”
Michigan has established aggressive renewable energy standards under recently passed clean energy legislation, and utilities across the state are making investments to meet or exceed these requirements. Through incremental, shared investments such as White Tail Solar, MPPA works with providers like Zeeland BPW to build capacity toward those goals.
Zeeland BPW remains committed to delivering reliable electric service at competitive rates and will continue to pursue renewable energy opportunities that are a strong fit for the community. The ability to partner with fellow municipal members through MPPA not only strengthens public power collaboration but also allows participation in large-scale projects that individually may not be possible.
