Madisun Solar Program: Making solar energy affordable for businesses

Contact: Bryant Moroder, Madisun Solar Program email: Bryant@madisun.org phone: 608.261.5568

MADISON AND MILWAUKEE SOLAR PROGRAMS TEAM UP TO SUPPORT FREE EVENT

The City of Madison and the City of Milwaukee are teaming up to help Wisconsin businesses better understand incentives and on-going efforts by both cities available to help make solar energy more affordable. The free event at the Monona Terrace in Madison on October 25th at 1:30pm will feature a variety of expert presentations on how to take advantage of solar incentives and other programs to save tens of thousands of dollars for commercial customers of solar energy. Featured guests include Jason Coughlin from the Department of Energy, Michael Allen from Energy Law Wisconsin, John Young, author of a report “Alternative Energy: Third Party Financing and Development” and others. Information presented at the event will be relevant to business throughout the state.

Topics discussed will range from a collaborative new effort to save through discounts achieved through bulk buying on solar to a description of required actions to be eligible to take full advantage of a cash grant available from the federal government for up to 30% of the cost of a solar installation. Other topics include increasing the economic value of a solar investment by selling the renewable energy credits and which solar customers are eligible to deduct a significant portion of the adjusted basis of the system during the tax year the investment is first placed in service.

Another topic that will receive significant attention during the event is the opportunities and challenges of third-party owned solar systems in Wisconsin. Third-party owned solar systems though such financing mechanisms as power purchase agreements are becoming an increasingly popular strategy in other states for businesses that want to use solar energy or have roof space available but want to avoid the cost associated with owning a solar array.

The event is made possible through support of the Department of Energy’s Solar America Cities program, which both cities have participated in since 2007 along with the support of Caleffi Solar, RENEW Wisconsin, Helios Solar Works, MREA and WISIEA.

More information about the event can be found at: http://www.madisun.org/plugin

MORE ABOUT SOLAR AMERICA CITIES

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has designated 25 major U.S. cities as Solar America Cities committed to accelerating the adoption of solar energy technologies. The Solar America Cities partnerships represent the foundation of DOE’s larger Solar America Communities program which is designed to increase the use and integration of solar energy in communities across the United States. Visit Solar America Communities online at http://www.solaramericacommunities.energy.gov.