July 27, 2022 - Two Alliant Energy® Customer-Hosted Renewables projects, the City of Sheboygan Solar Field and Kohler Solar Field, both recently became operational.
The two projects highlight the flexibility of the Alliant Energy® Customer-Hosted Renewables program, working with both public and private customers to make meaningful advancements in clean energy. In total, the projects could generate enough power for roughly 760 homes annually at maximum output.
“We are pleased to advance our transition to clean energy with the completion of the city of Sheboygan and Kohler solar projects,” said David de Leon, president of Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin energy company. “Sheboygan-area residents will have access to the energy generated from these solar fields – just another example of how we keep customers at the heart of everything we do.”
The City of Sheboygan Solar Field utilizes land at the Sheboygan Business Center for a 1-MW solar project.
The city will showcase the benefits of clean energy while receiving lease payments for 25 years.
“In light of the plans to close the Edgewater Generating Plant and Alliant Energy’s focus on clean energy, the city of Sheboygan is excited to partner to create the city’s first solar field,” said Chad Pelishek, director of planning and development for the city of Sheboygan. “The City of Sheboygan Solar Field aligns with the city’s continued sustainability goals to be less dependent on fossil fuels.”
The Kohler Solar Field is a 2.25-megawatt (MW) solar project on Kohler Co.'s property.
In its commitment to a Better Planet, the Kohler Solar Field is one of several environmental initiatives Kohler has undertaken since 2008 as it aspires to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. In addition to the Kohler Solar Field, Kohler Co. has 12 company-operated active projects across the globe, plus eight more solar projects in development.
“This is an important element of our Better Planet environmental strategy because it’s helping the company reduce its impact while bringing a valuable long-term benefit to our local community,” said Ratish Namboothiry, director of Innovation for Good and Sustainability of Kohler Co. “We are excited to work with Alliant Energy to bring clean energy to Sheboygan County.”
SunPeak, a solar developer based in Madison, provided solar design, engineering and construction services for the projects.
“Having the opportunity to work closely with three other Wisconsin-based organizations on these projects was meaningful for us,” SunPeak President Chad Sorenson said. “It’s very exciting to see utility-led clean energy partnerships take off in our local communities, and we were glad to support the effort to get these systems constructed and online.”
These projects fall under Alliant Energy’s Clean Energy Blueprint, which is a roadmap to achieving out clean energy goals of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity we generate by 2050. Additionally, investing in renewables allows us to provide affordable, safe and reliable energy for years to come.