DTE Offers Virtual 'Field Trip' To Michigan Wind, Solar Parks

DETROIT, MI — Students in Michigan learning virtually due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic now have a chance to take a virtual field trip to some of Michigan's largest wind and solar parks.

DTE Energy announced Monday that it is offering a 27-minute video that teaches students about the role renewable energy plays in combatting climate change and Michigan’s transition to cleaner energy sources. The video includes supplemental teachers’ guide to enhance learning experience, the company said.

“Increasing the amount of energy we generate from renewable resources is one of the most important things we can do to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change,” DTEO President Trevor Lauer said. “DTE is Michigan’s largest producer of renewable energy, with plans to triple generation from wind and solar by 2030. We created this field trip to help young people learn more about clean energy and to challenge them to think about actions they can take now - and in the future - to save energy and help protect the environment. It would be great if the field trip inspired some to pursue a career in Energy.”

The virtual field trip begins at DTE’s headquarters in downtown Detroit, where two DTE employees talk about their jobs with the company’s renewable energy team and the steps DTE is taking to generate cleaner energy. The field trip host also describes the science behind how energy is created.

The next stop on the field trip is DTE’s Polaris Wind Park, located in Gratiot County. Students get to see how wind turbines are constructed, learn about the turbines’ components and then go inside a turbine, venturing both inside and on top of the nacelle, experiencing the view.

The field trip moves to DTE’s Lapeer Solar Park to show students how we are generating more and more energy from the sun. Operational since May 2017, DTE’s Lapeer Solar Park is among the largest solar parks in Michigan. With 200,000 solar panels covering 250 acres, the park generates enough clean energy to power 11,000 homes, DTE said.

The final stop on the field trip is Detroit’s O’Shea Solar Park, where students learn about the more than 26 wildlife habitats and pollinator gardens DTE hosts at its sites. DTE plans to plant pollinator gardens at all of its future solar parks and the Wildlife Habitat Council has recognized the company for its environmental stewardship, according to DTE.

“With thousands of students now engaged in online learning, it’s great that DTE Energy is providing our students with the opportunity to learn about renewable energy and virtually visit DTE’s wind and solar parks,” Detroit Public Schools Community District Assistant Superintendent Beth Gonzalez said. “Educational efforts like this help further level the playing field for our students by bringing the experience to them. We appreciate DTE creating this fun and creative way to teach students about clean energy and the role it plays in their lives and we plan to make this part of our District’s recommended activities for Earth Week 2021.”