MGE's Shared Solar program helps meet the needs of customers who want affordable, locally sourced solar energy without needing to install or maintain their own solar panels. Two additional local businesses recently made plans to purchase renewable energy through the second installation of MGE's Shared Solar program. With a minimal up-front cost, businesses in MGE's electric service territory now have the option of powering their business with community-based, sustainable energy. The 5-megawatt solar array in Middleton is expected to be online later this summer.

Knight Hollow chooses Shared Solar to power its nursery

Knight Hollow Nursery (KHN) is adding even more green to the environment. The Middleton wholesale business plans to purchase renewable energy through the second installation of MGE's Shared Solar program. 

"Supporting clean, renewable energy aligns well with our beliefs and mission as a nursery," said Dr. Deborah McCown, President of Knight Hollow Nursery. 

The KHN campus includes two 100-foot greenhouses, a lab and a large planting room. Up to 100,000 plants may be growing under the nursery lights at any given time. It's important to have a controlled environment for the work that takes place there. KHN uses a process called micropropagation to clone rare and hard-to-grow trees, shrubs, fruits and flowers and sell them to plant growers across the country. A proper growing climate is critical, and that requires a significant amount of energy.

"We make green products and try to make the world a better place with those products, but it takes a lot of energy to do so," McCown said. "Participating in Shared Solar is one way we can offset our energy use and help protect the environment."

KHN will purchase 100 shares of solar energy from the program, which is about 50% of the nursery's annual electric use. Shared Solar gives business and residential customers in MGE's electric service territory the option of powering their business or home with locally generated solar energy at a minimal up-front cost.

"There is a cost to reserve a portion of the solar energy produced, but in the end, that's not what matters. It's more about what we can do for our planet," McCown said. "And it's an added benefit that we will save money over time based on the lower cost we will pay for energy."

By participating in Shared Solar, KHN will eliminate nearly 53,000* pounds of carbon dioxide emissions annually. This is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions to nearly 60,000* miles driven by an average passenger vehicle in one year.

KHN serves customers in the nursery industry, including private firms, arboreta and U.S. government agencies. 

Beyond solar

In addition to Shared Solar, KHN makes other sustainable choices. In recent years, the company replaced its fluorescent lighting with energy-efficient LED lighting. Staff also is committed to reusing materials when possible. 

"We will spend a little extra time to clean out and reuse plastic bins rather than buying new ones," McCown said. 

National Electrostatics to power its manufacturing facility with solar energy

You can find them at UW-Madison, at a national lab in Japan or India, at IBM or at Boeing among other places. They are electrostatic ion beam accelerator systems, and they are manufactured at National Electrostatics Corp. (NEC) in Middleton. In fact, NEC is one of only two companies in the world that build a wide range of electrostatic accelerators, which have testing and analysis applications in physics, natural science, medicine and archaeology. 

In addition to being the world leader in the manufacture of its product, NEC also is taking action in support of its commitment to the environment. The company will power its business with renewable energy from MGE's Shared Solar program. 

"Everybody has to do something, and it should be sooner than later," said Mark Sundquist, President of NEC. "Going solar is one strategy that will help. MGE's program makes it easy."

NEC will purchase the equivalent of 50% of the energy it uses annually at its 75,000-square-foot facility that includes machine shops, assembly areas, testing space and offices. The company's participation in Shared Solar will eliminate more than 448,000* pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year. This is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions produced by 55* gasoline-powered cars and the carbon dioxide emissions from 27* typical homes' energy use for one year. 

"I've been reading about global warming in scientific literature for more than 30 years. Global warming is real and it's happening faster than models have predicted. Polar ice caps are melting and the Arctic is opening up. Greenland's ice sheet too is melting," Sundquist explained. "We need to take this seriously and act now."

In addition to the environmental benefit, Shared Solar offers financial benefits. 

"We will have a capped electricity service rate and will see payback in the form of energy savings down the road. However for us, it's not really about the financial aspect," Sundquist explained. "We are proud that the product we manufacture can be used to date artifacts, measure the contents of a food or learn more about the effects of a medication," Sundquist said. "And we also are proud that we are manufacturing our product with clean energy. It's the right thing to do. It's necessary to do."

More sustainable choices

NEC has taken other actions to help save energy and preserve the environment, including:

• Installing electric vehicle charging stations.
• Offering bike racks and a shower for employees who choose to bike to work.
• Installing energy-efficient HVAC systems.
• Sorting and recycling various metals and other materials left over in the manufacturing process.
• Installing energy-efficient lighting throughout the facility. This was a key action item from a recent energy assessment.

At his home, Sundquist also participates in Shared Solar and MGE's Green Power Tomorrow program.

"The choices we make today will have an impact over the next 50 years. The sooner we take action, the more bang we will get for our buck," he said. "Going solar, or any of these other efforts alone aren't the solution to global warming, but they are important pieces that will make a difference." 

*From Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator at epa.gov.

Shared Solar for your business

MGE's Shared Solar program helps meet the needs of customers who want affordable, locally sourced solar energy without needing to install or maintain their own solar panels. Learn more about how your business can take part in this optional program at mge.com/sharedsolar.