December 23, 2019 – West Bend, WI – Solar energy panels are now in place on nearly 12 acres on the southwest corner of River Road and Creek Road in West Bend.
The project started to take shape in November as a field of beams are being driven into the ground.
According to Washington County Public Affairs Coordinator Ethan Hollenberger the county is leasing property to We Energies. “The county is not responsible for any of the capital required to build or maintain the solar generation,” he said. “Washington County will not own the solar generation.”
It was June 2019 when Washington County Supervisors voted on a resolution approving the Solar Now Pilot Program.
“The Solar Now program, as approved by the Public Service Commission, is for governments to lease land for this purpose,” said Hollenberger. “We are receiving a lease payment based on the generation of the site. Next year, it is just over $98,000.”
“This is a great program for County as it allows us to continue to invest in budget areas the public believes are priorities such as public safety,” Hollenberger said.
Saukville and New Berlin are a couple of the other communities also investing in the Solar Now Program. Waukesha County is also exploring the opportunity.
The County anticipates energy generation to begin in 2020.
Great to see this going up generating clean Power in the city! Too bad greedy WE energies is reaping all of the profits for themselves instead of installing REAL community solar projects like in Madison and up north… Where the $ generated from the sun goes back to the community investors.
Sure the city is getting money to rent the land… But this plot of solar could produce millions of dollars of energy over it’s life span that WE pockets all for their greedy shareholders, not benefiting residents of the area.