MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - During the Township Board' meeting on Tuesday, May 1st, a discussion was held regarding Meridian Township's future with solar energy. 

In the Township's 2018 operating budget, $50,000 has been allocated for the installation of a solar panel array at the Municipal Complex. While there has not been a contract made as of yet, the Township is in discussions with CBS Solar, a company based in Copemish, Michigan. 

As part of their proposal, CBS Solar will be partnering with Absolute Environmental Systems (AES), which has an owner that lives in the Township and is eager to have a local project.

The original plan was to install the panels on the Public Safety Building's roof, but CBS Solar suggested that they may be installed on the ground instead. Assistant Township Manager and Director of Public Works & Engineering Derek Perry gave a brief presentation stating, "As we were discussing with CBS Solar, they brought up the alternate proposal of actually installing it on the ground, for a couple of different reasons. One, ease of maintenance. Obviously if you're installing panels on a roof, and have to do maintenance on it, that creates some challenges. Plus the actual installation, we would have to do roof renovations. It is a public safety building, the police kind of get pretty touchy about who's in and out of that building, so there are some access restraints."

After the presentation, the Board agreed to continue their discussion with CBS Solar, and hope to see progress made in the near future.