Alliant Energy completes 6 solar project, triples generation in Wisconsin - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Alliant Energy completes 6 solar project, triples generation in Wisconsin

Alliant Energy triples its solar generating capacity with completion of six new sites.
Karl Ebert

The state's largest owner-operator of solar energy installations this month is tripling the power it draws from the sun.

Alliant Energy on Thursday announced the completion of six new solar farms, bringing its total generating capacity in Wisconsin to 764 megawatts. Operating at full capacity on bright, sunshiny days, Alliant's nine operating solar farms will be able to power about 225,000 homes.

"Completing these projects is a huge milestone and a pivotal moment in our journey toward a brighter energy future,” said David de Leon, Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin president.

Alliant has set a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 through a combination of renewable energy investments and the shutdown of its coal-fired generating plants. It has set an "aspirational goal" of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Another three solar projects that are scheduled to begin operation in mid-2024 will give Alliant's solar installations the ability to generate 1,089 MW and power nearly 300,000 homes.

In all, Alliant will spend more than $1.5 billion to build its 12 solar farms.

Meanwhile, the company plans to close its two coal-fired plants in Wisconsin by 2026. The 380-megawatt Edgewater Generating Station in Sheboygan will shut down in 2025 and the 1,100-megawatt Columbia Energy Center, near Portage, which it jointly owns with Wisconsin Public Service Corp. and Madison Gas and Electric Co. will stop burning coal in 2026

"It is clear that Alliant Energy understands and recognizes the multiple benefits that large-scale solar power plants bring to Wisconsin," said Michael Vickerman, clean energy deployment manager for RENEW Wisconsin.

More: Consumer groups, lawmakers seek to reduce impact of $2 billion cost of closing Wisconsin coal plants

The newly completed solar projects are: Albany, a 50-megawatt site in Green County. Cassville, a 50-megawatt site in Grant County. Onion River, a 150-megawatt site in Sheboygan County. Paddock, a 65-megawatt site in Rock County. Springfield, a 100-megawatt site in Dodge County. Wautoma, a 99-megawatt site in Waushara County.

The solar arrays have a pivoting tracking system that follows the sun and two-sided solar panels that allow them to capture both direct sunlight and light reflected from the ground.

Construction of the first solar farms began in 2022. Nearly 1,000 people, including a large contingent of local, union workers, built the projects. Emily Pritzkow, executive director of the Wisconsin Building Trades Council, said Alliant's use of local labor kept dollars in the communities where the solar arrays were built.

“The construction of renewable energy projects with skilled union labor creates a ripple effect that drives local economic growth," she said.

More: The federal Inflation Reduction Act will allow Alliant Energy to fully own solar farms, reduce customer costs by $138 million

With its large-scale solar construction projects winding down, the company will shift its focus to smaller projects like a partnership with the University of Wisconsin to explore possibilities for combining solar-energy production and agriculture, and installation of large-scale battery storage systems at two solar sites and at the Edgewater Generating Station, Alliant spokesman Tony Palese said.

Construction will begin next year on battery storage at the Grant and Wood county solar sites. The battery installations, to be built by FlexGen a Durham, N.C.-based battery systems provider, are a first foray for the company in building battery systems that are integrated with utility-scale solar arrays and can be called on for backup power at night or when solar energy output is diminished.

The lithium-ion battery arrays will be able to power more than 180,000 homes for four hours.

A third battery installation, planned for the Edgewater site, will be able to provide four hours of power for about 100,000 homes.

In all, the battery installations are expected to cost about $560 million, according to documents filed with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.

The company is also seeking PSC approval to build a new type of carbon dioxide-based battery at the Columbia Energy Center. The project, in partnership with the Italian company Energy Dome, would be partially funded by a $30 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.