2025_Projects
Here is a directory of current projects. Many of our projects are open source, and we welcome input and suggestions from you all. Let us know if you are interested in collaborating or coordinating with you or with others you know. Each project has its own email distribution list, so you can can subscribe to receive updates.
2025-01
Appropedia Collaborations -- The appropriate and sustainable solutions Wiki
A project started by Tom Stanton in 2023 is growing into a "solutions library" about ecovillages and intentional communities. All different kinds of intentional communities have existed in every continent with the exception only of Antarctica, depending how we define intentional community.
2025-02
Michigan Solar 4 All Systems
Solar energy is now fully cost effective in serving huge numbers of consumers with high-quality and safe energy. There are options for implementing solar plus batteries, and solar plus other energy storage, and community solar options at every scale from single-digit watts up to huge campuses, like those at Michigan's largest state universities. These opportunities are making it possible for investing in valuable solar and related distributed energy resources, and many of the options can be introduced immediately, without waiting for legislators, utility regulators, utility providers, or governments at every level to cooperate and participate. This project is generating options and pathways to open these markets starting now.
2025-03
Community Investment Fund Accelerator,
2025-26
Tom Stanton is one of about thirty people participating in the 2025-26 "Accelerator" program cohort, with the National Coalition for Community Capital. NC3 is providing coaching and support services for implementing Community Diversified Investment Financing. The first several projects are already getting started in Lansing, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Petoskey, Michigan, plus a few locations in other states. Tom is working on plans for multiple Michigan investment funds that: (a) will not trigger federal or state securities regulations; (b) will create additional measurable, widespread, and egalitarian community wealth; and, (c) are open to small investors and contributors using Regulation CF crowdfunding and appropriate combinations of donation-based crowd funding and equity-based crowd-investing.
2025-04
Community Benefits Services
Community Energy Solutions, LLC, is poised to offer consulting services to any government offices and to groups seeking proven pathways towards sustainable, resilient, and restorative solutions to any and all kinds of problems. This project is defining and outlining the list of services available.
2025-05
Michigan Dark Sky Education Project
Work with any and all Michigan Dark Sky enthusiasts and professionals to help introduce more and more Michiganders to the values of Dark Skies, the many opportunities in our state to visit and experience dark sky parks and the Dark Sky Sanctuary on Beaver Island. Establish a Diversified Community Investment Fund (DCIF) based on principles established by the National Coalition for Community Capital (NC3), to develop a portable-movable education and demonstration facility that can tour the state providing education about dark skies, and demonstrating and teaching multiple types of amateur astronomy and night sky photography options.
2025-06
Agrivoltaics, Floatovoltaics, Smartest-available Community Energy Siting and Zoning
Community Energy Solutions, LLC, is working with multiple people (in Michigan, nationally, and internationally) to support the best available practices for doubling, tripling, or quadrupling land uses to combine energy systems, especially solar energy, with food, farming, and agricultural systems of all kinds. One of the funding mechanisms slated for development in project 2025-03 will be an investment fund to support such projects. Michigan State University, along with others, has just received a National Science Foundation grant to establish an Agrivoltaics Research Center at its Kellogg Biological Station. Let us know of your interest if you want to receive notice as this project progresses.
2025-07
Curating plug-in solar for individual, household, neighborhood, and community utility bill cost savings
Plug-In Solar provides opportunities for anyone and everyone to start to deploy some solar energy to lower utility bills while providing added convenience, resilience, and options for serving particular needs when wide-area infrastructure is otherwise unavailable. In Europe, this is generally called "Balcony Solar." Germany alone has a reported 4 million small systems already installed and operating. Options exist for plug-in solar that does not require any permissions from nor necessarily cooperation on the part of either existing utility providers or local governments and code officials. There are already fully legal and cost-effective pathways to operating and installing small plug-in solar systems, and an international team of plug-in solar enthusiasts is working to enable plug-in solar in all U.S. jurisdictions and under all relevant equipment codes and standards. Plus, a global market exists for serving roughly two billion people with similar equipment.
2025-08
Sustainable, ecological, and regenerative land use projects
Community Energy Solutions is participating in multiple efforts to identify and curate best practices in land use to support communities and ecosystems. The team will utilize multiple design frameworks and guidelines to identify viable solutions, and will offer opportunities to assist others in identifying and implementing valuable projects. Primary categories include concepts for ecovillages and intentional communities, for scientific combinations of multiple value-added land management systems for food, farming, and agricultural production.
2025-09
Climate Action Planning and Progress
for Local Governments at Every Level
Thousands of individuals and organizations are engaging in the design and implementation of climate action plans. This includes all local governments at every level from homeowner association to states and multi-state regions. Community Energy Solutions will help review and explain proven solutions. We'll be seeking the broadest possible participation in brainstorming and curating ideas.
2025-10
Plastic stoppers!
Investing in food and food service systems for zero-waste,
circular economies, and local-wealth growth and preservation.
2025-12
Seed Saver Turnkey Operations / Franchises
Villages and communities world wide are recognizing the need to be able to save and propagate seeds, both as food for people and other living things and to ensure access to heirloom varieties and genetic diversity for the foreseeable future. This project will develop facilities and practices for small scale and highly localized seed saving and related food systems projects.
2025-13
Curating Regenerative Food Systems
Spread relentless positive action towards circular, restorative, and regenerative practices in every facet of the food service industry, from the farm fields and agricultural facilities through harvesting, storage, local delivery, consumption, and converting wastes to the most beneficial products and services.
2025-14
Acorn Friends Art Project
Teach children and adults how to make their own "acorn critter" art using all natural items gleaned from local trees and forests. Perhaps incorporate "Potato Head" options. Teach what do to, how to do it, and offer classroom experiences to help people get started. Package and deliver curriculum modules for appropriate grade levels, so that the modules support the standardized tests and art/science/environment/ecology curriculum for each grade level. Showcase best projects for each age group. Offer to teachers and educational groups state wide and beyond.
2025-15
EGLE Water Quality Monitoring Grant
The Water Resources Division (WRD) in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is seeking recommendations for 2026 to support its Surface Water Quality Monitoring Strategy. The strategy seeks to assess the following: the status and condition of individual waters within the state and determine whether water quality standards are being met. Measure water quality trends over location and time. Evaluate the effectiveness of water quality restoration and protection programs. Detect new and emerging water quality problems.
In 2026, the Water Resources Division intends to allocate the majority of its monitoring resources to watersheds highlighted in the Basin Year 3 Watersheds Map but will consider recommendations for other Michigan watersheds.
Deadline for Target Monitoring Request Submissions is October 31, 2025.