Ypsilanti's grassroots group of solar-power activists have their solar-tracking website up and running, and are now getting ready to have the solar panels on City Hall go live within the next month.

The website measures how much electricity is generated from local solar panels, such as the panels atop the Ypsilanti Food Co-op. Right now it's only measuring the Co-op's production but two other solar panel groups are also in line to be included. A solar panel meter for all of Ypsilanti will eventually be added.

"Eventually we're going to have meters and graphs that show how much power is being generated," says Dave Strenski, volunteer with the Ypsilanti Solar Panel Project.

Strenski is part of the group that plans to start installing the solar panels on the backside of the City Hall in June. They landed a $36,000 grant to fund the addition of about a dozen panels on the upper part of back of the building, which is a blank space that faces south.

"We just hope it makes it better," Strenski says.

The Ypsilanti Solar Panel Project is still looking for $50 pledges to fund the City Hall and future projects. For information on giving, click here.

Source: Dave Strenski, volunteer with the Ypsilanti Solar Panel Project
Writer: Jon Zemke