Commercial Solar for Schools & Universities
Michigan’s Trusted Partner for School and Campus Solar
Michigan schools face some of the highest electricity rates in the country, and they climb almost every year. Solar lets your institution lock in predictable energy costs and redirect the savings back into students, staff, and facilities. Our Michigan based team handles the entire project from design to activation.
70+ Reviews
Pearl Certified & Michigan Saves Authorized
Award Winning Solar Installer
Lower Your School’s Energy Costs and Reinvest in What Matters
Every dollar a Michigan school sends to DTE Energy or Consumers Energy is a dollar that does not reach a classroom. As buildings add technology, HVAC upgrades, and other improvements, energy demand keeps rising, and utility rates rise alongside it. For administrators working against tight budgets, that combination makes long term planning harder every year.
Solar changes the math. By generating power on site, your school or university stabilizes a major operating cost and protects its budget from future rate increases. The money that used to leave the building as a utility payment can instead support facility upgrades, classroom technology, athletics, and staff. Commercial solar installation is at the core of what we do, and education projects are some of the most rewarding work we’ve taken on.
How Michigan Schools and Universities Benefit from Solar
Predictable Energy Costs
Solar replaces a rising, unpredictable utility bill with a fixed, known energy cost. Over a solar energy system’s life, that stability frees up significant operating dollars to redirect toward education.
Resilience for Critical Operations
Michigan winters bring ice storms and outages, and many schools serve as community warming centers. Paired with battery storage, solar keeps critical systems running when the grid goes down.
Visible Sustainability Leadership
A solar array signals environmental responsibility to students, families, donors, and the wider community, a real advantage for districts and universities answering to their stakeholders.
Living STEM Learning Lab
Real time production dashboards let students track generation and connect classroom science to a working system on their own roof, turning infrastructure into curriculum.
Solar Solutions Built for School Campuses
Schools and universities have more usable space for solar than almost any other property type. We design each system around your campus layout, energy use, and available roof, parking, and land.
1
Rooftop Solar Arrays
Flat and low slope roofs on gyms and classroom wings, engineered for Michigan snow load. Learn more about solar on flat roofs.
2
Solar Carports and Canopies
Parking lots generate power while providing covered, shaded parking, and pair naturally with EV charging.
3
Ground Mounted Systems
Open campus land hosts cost effective arrays sized for larger university loads.
4
EV Charging Infrastructure
From staff parking to electric bus fleets, charging that can run on your own solar.
5
On Site Monitoring Dashboards
Administrative or classroom displays make performance visible and support STEM programs.
How Michigan Schools Can Pay for Solar
One of the biggest myths about school solar is that it requires a large amount of upfront funds. For most institutions, that is not the case. We help you find the path that fits your budget cycle.
No Upfront Cost
Power Purchase Agreements
A third party owns the system and your school buys the solar electricity at a fixed rate, usually below the utility rate. No upfront cost, no maintenance responsibility.
Budget Friendly
Capital, Bond & Energy Savings Funding
Solar is an eligible use of capital budgets, bond funds, and energy savings programs. Projected savings often help fund the project over time.
Financing Program
Michigan Saves Financing
As an authorized Michigan Saves contractor, we connect institutions with clean energy financing built for our state.
Offset Costs
Grant Support
We help schools identify and pursue Michigan grant opportunities that can help offset project costs.
Spread The Cost
Phased Campus Installation
A large campus does not have to go solar all at once. We can phase a project building by building so it fits your budget cycle and spreads the investment over time.
The Simple Case
Predictable Energy Costs
The strongest case is often the simplest. Solar trades a rising utility bill for a fixed, known cost that protects your operating budget for decades.
See What Solar Could Save Your School or District
Our team will analyze your utility bills and campus layout and show you a clear picture of savings, financing options, and energy cost projections.
Get a Free Solar Assessment →How Michigan Schools and Universities Benefit from Solar
1
Energy Analysis & Feasibility
We review utility bills, model your campus with satellite imagery and LIDAR, and deliver a clear 25 year production and savings estimate.
2
Custom Design & Financial Modeling
A system tailored to your buildings and budget, with a board ready financial model showing financing options, grants, and projected return.
3
Permitting & Installation
We handle all permits and DTE or Consumers interconnection, scheduling major work around your academic calendar with strict campus safety protocols.
4
Activation, Monitoring & Support
We commission the system, train your staff, set up monitoring, and back it with our 10 year workmanship warranty and ongoing local service.
Why Michigan Schools Choose Strawberry Solar
Local Michigan team since 2010. Detroit based, 15 plus years of experience, deep knowledge of DTE and Consumers territory.
Pearl Certified and Michigan Saves authorized. Credentialed and trusted for quality workmanship.
Manufacturer agnostic. We recommend the best fit equipment for your campus, not whatever we are told to sell.
Full turnkey service. Design, permitting, installation, interconnection, monitoring, and support under one roof.
A long term partner. Ongoing monitoring and support for decades, not just through installation day.
Michigan School & University Solar Projects
Boggs School
Detroit, MI
The James and Grace Lee Boggs School is a K-8 public charter on Detroit’s East Side, known for its place-based approach to learning and a core commitment to community and environmental stewardship. We helped the school put that value into practice with a solar installation that lowers operating costs and gives students a working example of sustainability right on their own campus.
Boggs School →
Henry Ford Community College
Dearborn, MI
Henry Ford College is one of Michigan’s largest community colleges, serving thousands of students across its Dearborn campuses alongside an active, campus-wide commitment to sustainability. Our solar installation helps the college reduce energy costs across its facilities and advances the environmental goals its students and faculty have championed for years.
Henry Ford Community College →We only work with brands we trust and would install on our own homes. We do this to ensure that every customer is satisfied with their solar setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Through Power Purchase Agreements and third party ownership, your institution can install solar with little or no money down and simply pay for the solar electricity at a lower rate than the utility charges. We walk you through every option during a free consultation.
We schedule major work around your academic calendar, prioritizing summers and breaks, and follow strict campus safety protocols throughout. Minimizing disruption to students and staff is built into how we plan every school project.
Paired with battery storage, solar can keep critical systems online during a grid outage, which matters for schools that serve as community warming or emergency centers. We design backup capacity around the loads that matter most to you.
Yes. The core financial case is simple. Solar replaces a rising, unpredictable utility bill with a fixed and known energy cost. Over a solar energy system’s life (often over 25 years), that protects your operating budget and frees up dollars you can reinvest in students and facilities.
Yes. Panels actually operate more efficiently in cold temperatures, and snow typically slides off or melts quickly. We engineer every system for Michigan snow load and seasonal conditions.
Timelines vary by system size, permitting, and utility approvals, but most commercial projects move from contract to activation over several months, with the physical installation taking a matter a few weeks. We keep your team informed at every stage.