Madison Gas & Electric (MGE) is partnering with the City of Middleton to install a solar energy system on their Municipal Operations Center that will generate 500 kilowatts of electricity that will feed back into the grid. MGE plans to offer a sign up for approximately 250 customers (at the 2kW level) who want to buy into that local solar. This provides an option for customers who can’t or won’t install their own solar system but want to support clean energy. The proposed cost includes a one-time fee of $189 with an annual cost of $155.50 per year, or 12 cents a kilowatt hour fixed rate for twenty-five years. According to MGE, this will add approximately $3 per month to the average electric bill.
In return for use of their roof for the community project, MGE plans to place a 100 kilowatt solar system on Middleton’s police department building, which should offset approximately 25 percent of the building’s annual electricity use. Middleton is an Energy Independent Community working to generate 25 percent of their energy from renewables by 2025. The project proposal has been submitted to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission for approval and can be on line as early as summer 2016. For more information MGE, WSJ, Middleton.