The Badger Hollow Solar Park, a 300-megawatt renewable energy facility said to be the largest solar project in Wisconsin, has been completed and is now producing clean energy for homes and businesses in the state.
The new site in Iowa County includes 830,000 panels that can capture solar energy on both sides and move to track the sun throughout the day. With such features, the panels may capture sunlight reflected off of snow during winter months.
The Badger Hollow project was split into two phases, and the first phase of the project was completed and went online in December 2021. This second phase marks the completion of the facility, which is now reportedly the largest solar project in Wisconsin and will reportedly be able to provide enough energy to power 900,000 homes. The project is jointly owned by Wisconsin Public Service, We Energies, and Madison Gas and Electric (MGE).
“Wisconsin utilities have a long history of working together, and I appreciate the partnership with We Energies to make this project a great success,” said Jeff Keebler, chairman, president, and CEO of MGE. “The completion of Badger Hollow is another step in our ongoing transition to greater use of cost-effective, carbon-free, renewable energy to serve all MGE electric customers. By 2030, we expect every MGE electric customer will have 80% fewer carbon emissions from their electricity use simply by being an MGE customer as we work toward our goal of net-zero carbon electricity.”
In addition to the Badger Hollow project, a number of recent developments have shown Wisconsin’s increased investment in solar energy. The state’s clean energy plan includes the adoption of community and utility-scale solar projects such as this one, and last year, the state unveiled plans for six additional solar projects.
Wisconsin has also become a contributor to the overarching national goal of securing a domestic supply chain for renewable energy development. Last August, Siemens announced plans to open a manufacturing facility for photovoltaic solar inverters in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
States may benefit from solar-related tax credits by supporting domestic solar growth. The Department of Energy offers financial incentives for the manufacturing of a wide range of solar components, and homeowners and businesses may also benefit from residential solar tax credits to save on long-term energy costs.
