Energy Efficiency, Solar  -  June 15, 2021

City of Madison Adds 8 MW Solar For Municipal and School Buildings

The City of Madison and the Madison Metropolitan School District will soon be receiving power from an 8 MW solar array approved by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. 

The installation is being led by Madison Gas and Electric in pursuit of its goal to achieve net-zero carbon electricity for all its customers by 2050. The City will receive 5 MW of the output, while the school district will take 3 MW under separate RER agreements with MGE.

Through this clean energy generation, the City of Madison will increase its renewable energy use by 20%, while the school district will increase its use by 16%.

NextEra Energy Resources Development will develop the 28,000-panel installation across 53 acres of land in southeast Madison.

"The groundbreaking for this project signifies a significant step towards achieving our district's renewable energy goals for the future," Dr. Carlton D. Jenkins, Madison Metropolitan School District superintendent, said in a statement. "With a focus on mitigating climate change to the benefit of our community, our students, staff and board of education worked collaboratively to establish goals to meet 50% of all MMSD's energy needs with renewable energy by 2030, 75% by 2035 and 100% by 2040. Through our tremendous partnership with the City of Madison, this project alone will move an estimated 16% of MMSD's traditional energy from MGE entirely over to solar-produced energy."

Construction on the array is expected to begin this summer and be generating electricity by the end of the year.

Read These Related Articles:

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• Madison plans 8 MW solar array to power municipal operations

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