DTE Energy
With the help of cutting-edge technology, Barton Malow completed the Sauk Solar Park project in late 2024, helping DTE make significant strides in the journey toward renewable energy. The 150-megawatts-of-AC (MWAC) project near Union City, Michigan, is DTE’s largest solar park to date and the largest in Michigan.
With 347,000 solar panels, the park generates enough clean energy to power approximately 40,000 homes. Over 7.5 miles of DC trenching was completed, and approximately 52,000 I-Beams, which is equal to nearly 5,000 tons of steel and is more than double the amount used to construct some skyscrapers, were meticulously placed in the field. Barton Malow self-performed civil, pile, racking, and module installation.
Work on the 851-acre site started in early 2022, and the solar park is now fully operational. Sauk Solar is more than three times the size of DTE’s second-largest solar park and the first of six new solar parks to come online as the company continues to build renewable energy projects through its CleanVision MIGreenPower program.
The completion of the project supports DTE’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions and reaching Michigan’s new renewable energy standards of 60% by 2035. During construction, the project created more than 350 local jobs. Sauk Solar will bring Branch County millions of dollars in added tax revenue over its life, creating additional funds that can be used for roads, schools, first responders, and other vital community services.
Barton Malow Company self-performed site and civil work, including over 8.5 miles of access roads, installing 20 miles of fence, site balancing, cut and fill, and excavation of the 851 acres of land.
