| It's easy to understand why states like California and | | | | project for Roundy's Corp. supermarket distribution |
| Texas might opt for clean, renewable solar energy to | | | | center in Oconomowoc. |
| replace fossil-fuel electricity generation. Each has large | | | | Initiated by the state's Office of Energy Independence |
| areas of solar insolation whose values approach 5.5 | | | | (OEI), and funded through an $8.822-million grant that |
| (on a scale of 2.0 to 9.0 in the continental United | | | | the OEI applied for in 2009 (via the U.S. Dept. of |
| States). | | | | Energy's Community Renewable Energy Stimulus |
| Wisconsin, at 2.5 - with a peak of 3.5 - is harder to | | | | program), the 12,000-panel, 3.177-megawatt installation |
| imagine. Yet Wisconsin is the only state in the union | | | | will, when completed, become the largest solar project |
| other than California and Texas to have two major | | | | in the Midwest. |
| cities included in the Solar America Cities program; | | | | The project will also create 190 jobs, double the state's |
| Milwaukee and Madison. | | | | solar portfolio, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by |
| The Solar America Cities program is an initiative of the | | | | 4,237 tonnes per year, and provide for almost 20 |
| U.S. Department of Energy, which aims to see | | | | percent of distribution center's electricity needs. |
| accelerated adoption of solar energy technologies to | | | | Add to that the new factory in Mazomanie, to be built |
| create a cleaner, more secure energy future. | | | | by Menomonie-based Cardinal Glass, which makes |
| Comprised of 25 major American cities, the program | | | | low-e glass for energy-efficient windows and will now |
| operates through 180 municipal, county and state | | | | being making solar panel glass, adding about 60 jobs |
| agencies, as well as solar companies, universities, | | | | and competing with Corning, an industry leader in |
| regional utilities and various non-profit policy | | | | glassware production who is also thinking of expanding |
| organizations, all of whom are committed to seeing | | | | into solar panel glass manufacture. |
| solar energy take a front seat at the energy table. | | | | Wisconsin is a leader in solar panel installation training, |
| The fact can't be accounted for merely by | | | | with more certified solar installers per capita than |
| Wisconsin's renewable portfolio standard, or RPS, | | | | nearly every state in the nation, according to the |
| since the goal is 10 percent of energy from | | | | Midwest Renewable Energy Association's executive |
| renewables by 2105. | | | | director Terri Parker, whose agency plans to train 200 |
| The law, SB 459, enacted in March 2006, allows utilities | | | | instructors across six states over the next five years, |
| to fulfill their requirements by buying renewable | | | | thanks to a $3.3-million grant. And this isn't even |
| resource credits (RRCs) from one another, and also | | | | counting the cooperative, internally financed solar |
| allows a carry-forward method of accounting. | | | | education "farm" being developed by the Milwaukee |
| In spite of that, Wisconsin really is leading in renewable | | | | Area Technical College and Johnson Controls, which |
| energy, notably solar, with a proposed $19.6 million | | | | will consist of about 2,500 panels. |