MGE Solar Projects

MGE owns and operates several solar arrays. We're growing our use of solar energy to advance our renewable energy and carbon reduction goals.

Badger Hollow and Two Creeks Solar Farms

In May 2018, MGE announced plans to build two large solar farms in partnership with WEC Energy Group (WEC). In April 2019, state regulators approved the projects. 

• Badger Hollow Solar Farm is located in southwestern Wisconsin in Iowa County, about 12 miles west of Dodgeville. The first phase of this project came online in fall 2021. MGE and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group, own a combined total of 150 megawatts (MW) of the 300-MW project. MGE owns 50 MW of the first phase.
  
  In August 2019, MGE and We Energies announced plans to acquire the remaining 150 MW of the Badger Hollow Solar Farm. In February 2020, MGE received preliminary approval from state regulators to purchase an additional 50 MW. The second phase of the project is under construction.

• Two Creeks Solar Farm is located in the Town of Two Creeks and the City of Two Rivers in northeastern Wisconsin. MGE's ownership share is 50 MW of its 150-MW output. Two Creeks became operational in November 2020.

Dane County Airport Solar

MGE partnered with Dane County to construct 10 MW of solar on County-owned land adjacent to Dane County Regional Airport. This project was built under MGE’s new Renewable Energy Rider, an innovative model that gives large energy users and MGE the opportunity to partner to tailor a renewable energy solution to meet the customer's needs. Energy from the solar project serves the County. The array began delivering locally generated, sustainable energy in December 2020.
 

O'Brien Solar Fields

The 22-MW O'Brien Solar Fields, located in Fitchburg at Lacy Road and South Seminole Highway, delivers locally generated solar energy to large energy users through Renewable Energy Rider agreements. The solar array began generating electricity in spring 2021 to become the largest solar project in Dane County.

Hermsdorf Solar Fields

MGE partnered with the Ciy of Madison and the Madison Metropolitan School District to construct an 8-MW solar array north of Dane County's Rodefeld Landfill in southeast Madison. The array includes nearly 30,000 solar panels and covers 53 acres of land. The City is served by 5 MW of the output and MMSD is served by 3 MW of the output under separate Renewable Energy Rider agreements with MGE. The electricity generated by this distributed solar project is expected to increase renewable energy use in City operations by nearly 20% and by about 16% for MMSD.

Paris Solar-Battery Park

MGE obtained regulatory approval to purchase 20 MW of solar energy and 11 MW of battery storage from the Paris Solar-Battery Park, a 200-MW solar park to be built in the Town of Paris in Kenosha County. This partnership will help MGE to meet future energy and capacity needs cost-effectively as the company continues its ongoing transition away from coal-fired electricity with the planned retirement of the Columbia Energy Center in Portage in June 2026. MGE's share of the Paris Solar-Battery Park will power about 6,000 households. The project is expected online in 2023.*  

Darien Solar Energy Center

MGE, partnership with We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), subsidiaries of WEC Energy Group, received approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to purchase solar energy and battery storage from the Darien Solar Energy Center. MGE will own 25 MW of solar energy and 7.5 MW of battery storage from the 250-MW solar and 75-MW battery storage facility in Rock and Walworth Counties in southern Wisconsin. The 2,000-acre project will feature up to 850,000 solar panels, and it will generate enough clean energy to power about 75,000 households. MGE’s share of the output will power about 7,500 households. We Energies and WPS will own the remaining 225 MW of the output and 67.5 MW of battery storage from the project. The Darien Solar Energy Center is expected to begin serving customers by the end of 2024.*   

Koshkonong Solar Energy Center

MGE, in partnership with We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), received approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to purchase solar energy and battery storage from the Koshkonong Solar Energy Center. MGE will own 30 MW of solar energy and 16.5 MW of battery storage from the facility located in the Towns of Christiana and Deerfield in Dane County. The approximately 4,600-acre project will include a 300-MW solar array and a 165-MW battery storage system, and it will generate enough clean energy to power about 90,000 households. MGE's share will power about 9,000 households. The project is expected to be online in late 2025.* 

Shared Solar Program

MGE's Shared Solar program offers the benefits of locally generated solar power. It's easy, flexible and affordable. Our first project, which came online in 2017, is a 500-kilowatt (kW) solar array located on the roof of the City of Middleton Municipal Operations Center. The program was expanded in 2020 with an array built at Middleton Municipal Airport. The 6-MW Morey Field Solar array serves Shared Solar participants and the City of Middleton and the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District under our Renewable Energy Rider program. To learn more, visit mge.com/sharedsolar.

 

Solar Lighting Proposal

We continue to explore innovative and environmentally friendly options for our customers. That's why we have an option for residential and business customers who want to add overhead solar lighting to their properties. MGE is able to partner with customers to design a customized lighting plan for large expanses.

 

Solar in Schools

We are committed to helping teach area students about renewable energy technologies. That's why the MGE Foundation has funded solar array installations for each of the 10 high schools in our electric service area.

 

 

Solar in Our Community

Live energy production data from several of our projects in the community is available on our website. These projects give us a better understanding of which equipment and mounting configurations work best in our climate and conditions. As solar technology continues to evolve, we continue to learn how we can best serve our customers with clean energy from the sun.

_{*Battery storage timing to be determined.}