Using solar power to boost rural Michigan’s economy

In Baroda, a town of 875 near Lake Michigan, employers like Lakeshore Die Cast play an outsized role in keeping the local economy strong. So when rising utility costs began putting jobs at risk, it was not just a crisis for one business. It was a problem for the whole community.

“Watching electricity costs continue to go up, I couldn’t do anything about it for a long time,” said Adam Schaller, owner of Lakeshore Die Cast. “I started thinking about ways to reduce it.”

A zinc and aluminum die-casting company that has been in Schaller’s family for three generations, Lakeshore Die Cast saw electricity bills steadily eat into funds it relied on to invest in its workers. The costs threatened to undermine everything his family had built.

Schaller found a solution in solar energy. He discovered the USDA Rural Energy for America Program grant and applied, hoping it might give his family’s business a fighting chance. That first 500-panel installation now saves Lakeshore Die Cast about $50,000 a year, plus another $20,000 through the federal tax credit, enough savings to hire at least three new employees and strengthen the company’s footing in a global market. As Schaller installed a second, even larger array, nearby shops and manufacturers took note. A funeral home, a pet-boarding business, and other local employers began installing their own systems, multiplying the economic lift across Baroda and the surrounding region.

That’s where Resource Rural came in. The organization helps rural communities access public and private funding that strengthens local economies. Their work is helping rural residents across the country create jobs, support small family-run businesses, and generate the kind of homegrown economic growth that keeps communities vibrant.

After his project was awarded, Resource Rural connected with Schaller to help share this success and the ripple effect it could have across rural Michigan. Through that partnership, Schaller was introduced to the state team at Solar United Neighbors. Today, he’s part of their “Ready, Set, REAP” program — helping other small business owners navigate the process by sharing his experience and the real economic benefits that solar has brought to Lakeshore Die Cast. This is exactly the kind of work Resource Rural leans into: building local networks, opening doors to opportunity, and making sure rural business owners can learn from one another’s wins.

“Once one person figures out how it can be useful, it’s about helping others do it, too,” Schaller said.

By supporting organizations like Resource Rural, the Hewlett Foundation is helping connect people and businesses to funding opportunities, programs, and expertise that might otherwise remain untapped or out of reach. This work ensures that economic opportunity and environmental progress reach every community. When rural businesses succeed, entire communities flourish — creating a future where zip codes don’t determine opportunity.