Project Profile: The Closed Landfill Solar Project - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Closed Landfill Solar Project - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI

City of Milwaukee, WI

Asset Recycling
Solar Energy Use/Right-of-Way Use Agreements

Other: Solar Farm

In 2020, the Common Council in Milwaukee approved a project that will transform eight acres of land on part of a city-owned, closed landfill near Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport into a 2.25-megawatt (MW) solar array. The project, which will be part of We Energies’ Solar Now pilot program, will be the largest solar panel project in the city’s history.

As a part of a 20-year lease, We Energies will construct and operate the solar installation on the city-owned site capable of powering over 450 homes, at no cost to city taxpayers. The utility firm will make lease payments of approximately $100,000 annually based on the power generated and other regulatory factors. In the first year of the deal, We Energies would pay the city for a 50 percent Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) solar accreditation level. In subsequent years, the percentage would fluctuate based upon the measured amount of sunlight as determined by MISO.

We Energies will maintain ownership of the electricity generated and feed it into the grid while the city claims the renewable energy certificates associated with the array, allowing it to be the sole entity able to claim the solar power.

The project will include more than 7,000 panels powering at least 460 homes and will coincide with the city’s goal of obtaining 25 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2025. SunVest Solar Inc. of Pewaukee will build the solar array with Trina solar providing the 72-cell solar panels.

Lease-leaseback. The project is a 20-year lease on the city-owned land, with the city retaining the Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to the project.

• We Energies
• SunVest Solar Inc.
• Trina Solar
• City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO)
• Redevelopment Authority of Milwaukee (RACM)
• Pieper Electric
• Current Electric

N/A

Milwaukee city officials announced project plans on Tuesday, March 3, construction has begun with plans to finish by the end of 2020.

We Energies will pay for the cost of the array through its State-authorized Solar Now program. This program allows We Energies to offer up to 2.25 MW of solar panels to customers, with a program-wide cap of 35 MW.

• Use Value Capture-ROW Use Agreement to generate lease revenue from a closed city landfill that isn't useful for other forms of development
• Reduce our use fossil fuels and accelerate new clean energy project
• Building a profitable, renewable energy source on an otherwise unusable parcel of land for other forms of development.
• Contribute to the city’s goal of renewable energy generating 25 percent of the city’s energy by 2025.
• Supports emergency preparedness by powering the 128th Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard should the electrical grid become compromised.
• Solar installation on the city-owned site capable of powering over 450 homes, at no cost to city taxpayers.

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Closed landfill to become massive Milwaukee green energy project with 7,000 solar panels
• Wisconsin Public Radio - Milwaukee City Officials Announce Largest Solar Energy System
• Urban Milwaukee - City Shines Light On Solar Project
• Committee Approves Large Solar Deal After Contentious Debate

Erick Shambarger
Director of Environmental Sustainability, City of Milwaukee
(414) 286-8556
eshamb@milwaukee.gov