Our utility subsidiary, Madison Gas and Electric (MGE), has received approval from state regulators to purchase solar energy and battery storage from the Koshkonong Solar Energy Center. MGE will own 30 megawatts (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 Koshkonong Solar Energy Center continues the progress we've already made reducing carbon emissions, increasing cost-effective renewable energy and advancing new technologies to benefit all our customers," said Jeff Keebler, MGE Chairman, President and CEO. "We are working aggressively to reduce our carbon emissions at least 80% from 2005 levels by the end of this decade and achieve net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. We are doing this while working to ensure all our customers experience the economic and environmental benefits of our ongoing clean energy transition."
Koshkonong Solar Energy Center
The project will include a 300-MW solar array and a 165-MW battery storage system. It is expected to generate enough clean energy to power about 90,000 households. MGE's share of the output will power about 9,000 households.
We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), subsidiaries of WEC Energy Group, will own the remaining 270 MW of the output and 148.5 MW of battery storage from the project, which is being developed by Invenergy LLC. The Koshkonong Solar Energy Center is estimated to begin serving customers in late 2025.
It is one of three announced investments by MGE in large-scale solar energy and battery storage. MGE also will own a 10% share of the Paris Solar-Battery Park and the Darien Solar Energy Center, both of which are under construction.
Path toward net-zero carbon electricity: 80% carbon reduction by 2030
MGE has a goal to reduce carbon emissions at least 80% by 2030, consistent with global climate science to limit global warming. MGE continues to transition its energy supply to cleaner sources. Since 2015, MGE has announced several new utility-scale wind and solar projects, which are expected to increase MGE's owned renewable capacity by more than nine times when completed.
