4 Common Concern’s About Wisconsin’s Upcoming Community Solar

Community solar

Wisconsin State Senator Duey Stroebel (R – Saukville) and State Representative Timothy Ramthun (R – Campbellsport) have introduced legislation that would expand access to community solar in Wisconsin. This legislation enables the development of more community solar and supports energy freedom, expands customer choice, saves money on your utility bill, all while creating healthier and more resilient communities. Community solar expansion would allow more Wisconsin farmers to lease their land to host solar arrays and receive a guaranteed secure income for 25 years or longer.  This drought-resistant cash crop is especially valuable for Wisconsin’s agricultural communities facing economic stress. Here’s what you need to know.

 

 

4 Common Concerns About Community Solar

  1. Will Community Solar Decrease My Land Value?
    1. The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers released a comprehensive survey this year that analyzed over 400,000 transactions in New England and found no associated impact on property values for solar farms located in rural areas.
  2. How Will the Solar Panels Be Recycled?
    1. Arch has several partnerships centered on recycling our solar components, including a partnership with We Recycle Solar. Some of the major parts of the recycling process are:
    2. Removing the aluminum frame (100% reusable)
    3. Separating the glass along a conveyor belt (95% reusable)
    4. Thermal processing at 500 degrees Celsius (This allows for the evaporation of small plastic components and allows the cells to be easier separated)
    5. Etching away silicon wafers and smelting them into reusable slabs (85% reusable)
  • Do Solar Farms Damage the Soil?
    1. One of the most common questions with WI community solar. The principal concern is the trace metals used in silicon-based solar cells that are toxic and could damage the ground. However, the vast majority of solar panels are sealed with tempered glass to protect the photovoltaic cell. A study sponsored by the US Department of Energy concluded that soil contamination is not a risk factor “due to the sealed nature of the panels”
  1. Does Community Solar Take Land From Famers?
    1. The opposite: Community Solar Land Lease’s offer Farmers on average almost double the value for their land over time. See the chart below for a look at the income difference over 20 years.

At A Glance

  • System Size

    173.6kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $28,483 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    184,864 Pounds of Coal

At A Glance

  • System Size

    26kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $4,238 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    Two Rivers Water & Light

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    2,411,958 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    23.8kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $3,716 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    1,948 Pounds of Coal

At A Glance

  • System Size

    197.6kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $22,293 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    20,695 Gallons of Gas

At A Glance

  • System Size

    149.5kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $23,913 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    1.8 Tanker Trucks of Gas

At A Glance

  • System Size

    123kw

  • Estimated Savings

  • Utility Provider

    Madison Gas & Electric

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    13,709,514 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    389kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $56,681 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    44,398,424 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    133.2kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $1,114,935

  • Utility Provider

    Madison Gas & Electric

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    14,727 Gallons of Gas

At A Glance

  • System Size

    25.7kw

  • Estimated Savings

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    26,293 Pounds of Coal

At A Glance

  • System Size

    26kw

  • Estimated Savings

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

At A Glance

  • System Size

    28.86kw

  • Estimated Savings

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

At A Glance

  • System Size

    43.6kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $151,039

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metered

  • Environmental Equivalents

    4,817,623 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    73.84kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $329,713

  • Utility Provider

    Plymouth Utilities

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

At A Glance

  • System Size

    64.845kw

  • Estimated Annual Savings

    $21,442

  • Utility Provider

    WPS

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

At A Glance

  • System Size

    133kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $386,522

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    12,550 Gallons of Gas

At A Glance

  • System Size

    26.6kw

  • Estimated Anual Savings

    $3,953

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    12,578 Pounds of Coal

At A Glance

  • System Size

    128.7kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $513,821

  • Utility Provider

    Manitowoc Public Utilites

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    13,964,512 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    45.5kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $275,531

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    4,679,952 Smartphones Charged

At A Glance

  • System Size

    1.825 MW

  • Estimated Savings

    $103,000 Annually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Direct Sell Rate Tariff

  • Environmental Equivalents

    1,740,000 ton of CO2 emissions

At A Glance

  • System Size

    388.8kw

  • Annual Savings

    $51,288

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metering

  • Environmental Equivalents

    26,104 gallons of gasoline consumed. 22,789 gallons of diesel consumed. 256,673 pounds of coal burned. 3.1 tanker trucks' worth of gasoline.

At A Glance

  • System Size

    388.9kw

  • Annual Savings

    $51,340

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metering

  • Environmental Equivalents

    26,135 gallons of gasoline consumed. 22,815 gallons of diesel consumed. 256,973 pounds of coal burned. 3.1 tanker trucks' worth of gasoline.

At A Glance

  • System Size

    299.3kw

  • Annual Savings

    $42,934

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metering

  • Environmental Equivalents

    20,076 gallons of gasoline consumed. 17,526 gallons of diesel consumed information. 197,404 pounds of coal burned.

At A Glance

  • System Size

    50.7 kW - DC

  • Estimated Savings

    $10,329

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Line Side/Parallel Generation (CGS-NM)

  • Environmental Equivalents

    361,853lbs of coal burned annually

At A Glance

  • System Size

    31.87 kW

  • Estimated Savings

    $4,998 Anually

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Monthly Net Metering (CGS-NM)

  • Environmental Equivalents

    CO2 Emissions: 22.6 Metric Tons 2,341 Gallons of Gasoline

At A Glance

  • System Size

    370kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $1,053,732

  • Utility Provider

    Alliant Energy

  • Connection Type

    Parallel Generation

  • Environmental Equivalents

    401,786 lbs. of Coal or 44,218,770 smartphones charged.

At A Glance

  • System Size

    389kw

  • Estimated Savings

    $1,190,164

  • Utility Provider

    WE Energies

  • Connection Type

    Net Metering

  • Environmental Equivalents

    384,108 lbs. of Coal or 42,273,187 smartphones charged