DTE Energy has opened its Huron renewable energy center in Bad Axe in Michigan providing 25 operations and maintenance jobs.
The company said it has renovated the former Normans Warehouse and the site of the M-53 Drive-In Theater into a renewable energy operations headquarters (pictured).
The center includes new offices, garage facilities, warehousing and a maintenance shop area.
It also has an unfinished 3000 square-foot space that DTE plans to develop into a community area for renewable energy education and hosting wind park tours, meetings and other community activities.
Plans are expected to be finalised this year, with completion of the space in 2017, DTE said.
DTE added that the center is close to wind parks and solar arrays in the Thumb region, which enables the operations team to respond more quickly to maintenance needs.
The new location will also increase accessibility of the operations team to the community and landowners, particularly during the construction of the 50MW Pinnebog wind farm.
Pinnebog is an expansion of DTE’s 112MW Echo wind park, which is underway and expected to be complete by the end of the year.
DTE Energy director of renewable energy David Harwood said: “We are excited to breathe new life into a building located on a site that has been a landmark in Bad Axe for years, and to provide yet another example of how renewable energy provides economic benefits to the local community.”
Image: DT Energy
