6 MW Solar Farm Goes Online in Fitchburg, Wisconsin

Public utility Madison Gas and Electric Co. (MGE) said Tuesday the six-megawatt (MW) Strix Solar facility in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is now producing power.

MGE has allotted four MW for electric customers while the remaining two MW is for the company’s proposed Shared Solar-Strix program, it said in an online statement.

The program plans to supply about 1,400 households annually using a model largely based on MGE’s current fully subscribed community solar program, Shared Solar.

“If approved, Shared Solar – Strix would offer participants the option to pay a minimal up-front fee to subscribe to receive energy from the Strix array for six years as MGE works toward its goal of 80 percent reduced carbon emissions by 2030”, said MGE, owned by MGE Energy Inc.

“MGE residential and small business electric customers who choose to participate would receive carbon-free energy for up to 50 percent of their annual consumption and would lock in their energy rate for the six-year term of the agreement.

“A low-income alternative also is proposed for Shared Solar – Strix”.

On April 3, 2024, MGE said it had submitted the proposal to Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission for approval.

According to the announcement, customers who may not own their residence or do not want to install rooftop solar could get additional solar energy from MGE. Customers would be able to keep their subscription if they move within the MGE service territory.

“MGE is working to achieve deep decarbonization, consistent with global climate science, as quickly, responsibly and cost-effectively as we can”, it said in Tuesday’s statement.

“MGE already has reduced carbon emissions by about 40 percent since 2005, our baseline year, putting the company halfway to its 2030 goal.

“By 2030, on behalf of all customers, MGE expects to deliver electricity with 80 percent fewer carbon emissions, and by 2050, we expect to deliver net-zero carbon electricity.

“Growing our use of cost-effective, carbon-free energy and working with customers to advance energy efficiency and the electrification of transportation are all key strategies for achieving targeted carbon reductions consistent with global climate science”.

Early last year MGE announced the completion of what it said was Wisconsin’s biggest solar project, the 300-MW Badger Hollow Solar Farm built in cooperation with We Energies. The two-phase project’s generation capacity is enough for about 90,000 homes.

In the second phase We Energies owns 100 MW of the capacity while MGE owns 50 MW. We Energies sister company Wisconsin Public Service owns 100 MW of the first phase and MGE owns 50 MW.

MGE supplies power to 163,000 customers in Dane County, Wisconsin from its own generation. It also purchases and distributes natural gas to 176,000 customers in seven south-central and western Wisconsin counties, according to the company.

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