With final approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW), we’ve completed three and started construction on the remaining nine projects across the state. Solar energy is more than a smart investment for our Wisconsin customers – it's a sustainable path into the future.

Background
We are adding nearly 1,100 megawatts (MW) of solar generation in Wisconsin by the end of 2024. 

As we accelerate our transition to delivering cleaner energy for customers, we’ve announced our plans for building out nearly 1,100 MW of solar in the state. The first phase of our plan was announced in May 2020 — six new utility-scale solar projects totaling 675 MW of solar energy. In June 2022, we received approval from the PSCW for six more projects that will generate 414 MW of solar. Located in mostly rural areas of Dodge, Grant, Green, Jefferson, Richland, Rock, Sheboygan, Waushara and Wood counties, collectively the 12 projects will create more than 2,000 local construction jobs and provide an estimated $130 million in local tax revenues over the next 30 years. 

We are also working with many communities and local businesses, exploring opportunities to partner on solar projects. To date, we have solar generation in Madison and Beloit, built community solar in Fond du Lac and energized an Alliant Energy® Customer-Hosted Renewables project in Iowa County, Kohler and Sheboygan.

Check out our map below for more information.

Battery storage units maximize the value of our renewable energy assets. This storage capacity allows us to capture excess electricity that is generated when the wind is blowing strongest and the sun is shining brightest. When the sun goes down or energy demands increase, we can release this stored battery power onto the grid and deliver clean, reliable energy to customers.

These energy storage solutions improve reliability and better meet customer needs – all while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and avoiding costly energy grid rebuilds.

We currently have several battery storage pilot units in operation and continue to evaluate potential development opportunities to harness more locally grown power and accelerate our transition to renewable energy. In Portage, we have a 5 MW battery that went into operation in 2022. We also have a Sauk City battery installed in 2020 and another in Boaz as part of a microgrid.

With an eye toward reducing carbon dioxide emissions and delivering cleaner, more cost-effective energy, Alliant Energy is working toward eliminating all coal from our generation fleet by 2040. It’s part of our Clean Energy Vision.

The company is on its way to achieving this goal. By mid-2026, Alliant Energy will have fully retired its remaining coal-fired facilities in Wisconsin – the Columbia Energy Center in Portage and the Edgewater Generating Station in Sheboygan.

As we transition from coal to cleaner energy, we remain focused on caring for our customers and employees. We are focusing on creating new jobs and bringing new economic development opportunities to the communities. We will provide career assistance to employees who are interested, including one-on-one coaching, tuition reimbursement and other resources geared toward the individual and unique needs of each employee.

Alliant Energy is working closely with community leaders in the Sheboygan and Portage areas to determine the best use of the sites along with ways to continue supporting the economic health of the communities. In Portage, a thorough analysis of the site and potential opportunities is currently being evaluated. In Sheboygan, Alliant Energy has engaged Vandewalle & Associates (V&A), to evaluate re-development options. A Wisconsin-based urban planning and economic redevelopment firm, V&A has a long-standing history of working on major projects in the Sheboygan region. They also have extensive experience transforming waterfronts, decommissioning and repurposing large industrial sites. While the planning and site redevelopment for this location is expected to be a multi-year process, the company will provide several opportunities for input. Click for an update and to share your thoughts.

Everything we are doing is about staying true to our purpose-driven strategy: Supporting customers and building strong communities.

In May 2020, customers started receiving energy from our new natural gas generating station – West Riverside Energy Center, located near Beloit, Wisconsin.

The facility can produce enough power for more than 550,000 homes.

The generation station’s combined-cycle technology allows it to adjust its power output up and down quickly to complement our wind and solar generation. In fact, our integrated 4-MW AC solar field on land adjacent to the West Riverside Energy Center become fully operational in 2021. This solar facility increases sustainability and efficiency by offsetting auxiliary power at the natural gas plant.

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Wind is a clean source of energy and a key part of our diversified energy mix.

With wind having no associated fuel costs, our investment in this renewable resource provides long-term savings for our customers.

In October 2020, the Kossuth Wind Farm became operational. This is a 150-MW wind farm located in Kossuth County, Iowa. Located in north-central Iowa, an area with consistently strong wind resources, the Kossuth Wind Farm can generate enough energy for 57,000 homes.

In early April 2018, we also finalized our acquisition of a 55-MW ownership interest in the Forward Wind Energy Center near Brownsville, Wisconsin. Both of these projects add to our existing fleet of two other wind farms serving Wisconsin customers: Cedar Ridge and Bent Tree.

Alliant Energy is now the third-largest utility owner-operator of regulated wind in the United States.