Jackson Solar

The Jackson County Solar Project is one of Michigan’s largest renewable-energy builds- a 125-megawatt solar farm spanning more than 1,400 acres of rural land west of Albion. Designed to meet the state’s growing demand for clean power, the project required a long-lasting steel foundation capable of withstanding Michigan’s harsh climate and soil conditions. The fabricator partnered with the galvanizer to supply and protect thousands of structural components essential to supporting the solar array’s extensive racking system.

The fabricator collaborated closely with the galvanizer to deliver approximately 2,400 tons of hot-dip galvanized structural steel for the racking system. Given the project’s expansive footprint and accelerated installation timeline, material flow required exceptional coordination. More than 120 truckloads of steel were galvanized, inspected, and dispatched directly to the jobsite in carefully sequenced deliveries that matched field-installation progress across the 1,400-acre site. A key objective of the Jackson County Solar Project was to keep Michigan dollars within the state by sourcing as much of the work as possible from local suppliers. Utilizing a Michigan-based galvanizer reinforced this commitment by supporting regional industry, reducing transportation distances, and contributing to the state’s economic vitality. This local partnership ensured that critical processing remained close to the project site, strengthening both efficiency and community investment. Hot-dip galvanizing was selected for its proven ability to protect steel components subjected to Michigan’s challenging conditions, including moisture-rich soils, freeze-thaw cycles, and long winter exposure. The metallurgically bonded zinc-iron alloy layers provide robust abrasion resistance during handling and installation while ensuring decades of maintenance-free corrosion protection. Because the solar posts and racking elements varied in size and configuration, the galvanizer maintained strict attention to venting, draining, and processing sequence to ensure uniform coating quality across thousands of pieces. This consistency was essential for long-term performance as well as seamless field assembly. The Jackson County Solar Project demonstrates the galvanizer’s capability to support utility-scale renewable-energy infrastructure through reliable processing, disciplined logistics, and technical expertise. The result is a corrosion-resistant steel foundation designed for a multi-decade service life- strengthening both Michigan’s renewable-energy future and the local economy that helped build it.