Alliant Energy proposes 414 MW more of Wisconsin solar

The six projects would range in size from 50 to 100 MW and would almost double the state’s current installed solar capacity.

March 31, 2021 Joe Bebon

Image: Pixabay

Alliant Energy announced plans to add another 414 MW of solar in Wisconsin, almost doubling the state’s current installed solar capacity.

The utility said the six new projects would join previously proposed solar farms, rounding out Alliant Energy’s plan to add more than 1 GW of solar by the end of 2023.

If Alliant Energy reaches that goal, the utility would be among the largest owners and operators of solar energy in the Badger State. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, Wisconsin is currently home to about 442 MW of installed solar capacity.

As proposed to state regulators, the six newest projects would be developed in mostly rural parts of five counties. Once the projects are operational, Alliant said local communities would receive around $50 million in shared revenues for the next 30 years. Over the same period, local landowners would receive a combined $60 million in lease payments.

Five of the project are being self-developed by Alliant Energy, and include:

Alliant Energy is awaiting a regulatory decision on a May 2020 proposal to acquire and advance six other solar projects that would add 675 MW of capacity by the end of 2023.

If the dozen projects are approved and fully built, Alliant Energy estimates that by 2025 nearly half of its resource mix will come from renewable resources, including solar, wind, and hydro.

Combined with upcoming retirements of the Edgewater Generating Station and Columbia Energy Center, Alliant Energy said it is well positioned to achieve its goal of cutting carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fueled generation in half from 2005 levels by 2030.

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