Madison, WI – Solar energy will become accessible to more Wisconsin citizens under a bill introduced by State Senator Duey Strobel (R-Cedarburg) and State Representative Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa).
The bill will authorize community solar programs that would allow families, farms, schools, and businesses to choose to get their energy from individuals and developers who build community solar projects, bypassing the utility as their sole source of energy.
The Conservative Energy Network supports the goal of the solar bill and encourages legislators across the state to sign on as co-sponsors.
Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum Executive Director Ryan Huebsch says, “Solar power is a clean source of energy that is growing in interest and dropping in cost across our state,” Huebsch said. “More and more people want solar to be part of their source of energy in their homes and businesses. This legislation will allow communities to take full advantage of the advances in solar energy innovation.”
Community solar is any solar project or purchasing program, within a geographic area, in which the benefits of a solar project flow to multiple customers such as individuals, businesses, and other groups. In most cases, the solar panels are located in a remote, off-site array. Customers can either buy or lease a portion of the solar panels in the array, and then typically receive an electric bill credit for electricity generated by their share of the community solar project.
“Community solar projects provide the option of solar energy to people who may not otherwise have access,” Huebsch said. “This conservative policy reform will encourage renewable energy growth and unlock investment that will create jobs in local projects across the state.”
