The theme for the 2026 Climate Summit hosted by the Michigan Climate Action Network (MiCAN) was Collective Courage—and wow, did it deliver! Kicking off with surprise guest speaker Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel left the room feeling...
Articles by Lyla Hollis
Announcing launch of 2026 Access MI Solar program!
Today, February 1st, we launch the 2026 Access MI Solar Program! Groundwork is excited to partner with CBS Solar to offer solar discounts for small businesses and residential customers within 40 miles of Traverse City and Petoskey.Investing in solar energy is an...
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): What are they? Why do we need them? And are they good neighbors?
Think of a battery energy storage system as a larger, highly engineered version of the batteries we use every day. However, instead of charging our phones or cars, they store excess energy from the grid when energy usage is low, hold it until it’s needed, and then...
Cattle-voltaics: Farmers make more money. Cows make more milk and calves.
As Groundwork continues to advocate for agrivoltaics—the concurrent use of land for farming and solar energy production—we are remaining current on the latest trends. Here, we take a look at the emerging practice of grazing cattle among solar panels—what's being...
Inspiration from small-scale solar in northern Michigan
One of the most exciting aspects of my role as a Clean Energy Specialist is seeing firsthand the impact of solar installations on local businesses. In just my first eight weeks with Groundwork Center, I’ve already visited two sites that have recently invested in solar...
Cheboygan Solar on the Rise: Northern Waters Solar Project Special Use Permit Approved
ABOVE: Conceptual photo of solar field. This week, Cheboygan County took a significant step toward advancing renewable energy when the County Planning Commission approved plans for a utility-scale solar installation. In three years, 800 acres of private farmland in...