— Sen. Duey Stroebel says it’s “only a matter of time” before his vision of community solar is passed into law in Wisconsin, though he concedes that’s not likely this legislative session.
“My main goal, frankly, is to create some competition in the area of our power source in Wisconsin,” the Saukville Republican said in a recent interview.
Alongside Rep. Scott Krug, R-Nekoosa, and other co-sponsors, Stroebel last year introduced legislation that would allow third-party-owned community solar projects in the state. Under the bill, these smaller solar fields would be created by developers only after local officials have approved the project, he explained.
Using transmission lines of existing energy providers but paying for the cost of transmitting the power themselves, these community solar owners could sell subscriptions to the project to customers in the community, according to Stroebel. Those customers would then get a credit on their electricity bill.
“But the only way they’re going to fill these subscriptions is if they can actually price their power at a rate cheaper than what the investor-owned utilities that are so predominant throughout the state of Wisconsin,” Stroebel said. “If they can generate their power more cheaply, then people will buy subscriptions and they will be able to enjoy the benefits of green energy.”
If these subscriber organizations aren’t able to do that, he expects consumers won’t pay more than what the large utilities charge, calling it a “market-driven” solution to reducing energy costs.
Utilities in the state have taken a stance against the bill. The Wisconsin Utilities Association argues it would benefit out-of-state community solar developers at the expense of customers who aren’t subscribed to the projects.
“The developers would benefit from using Wisconsin’s electric grid with no obligation to maintain service and reliability, to prove the generating asset is necessary or cost effective, or to be a provider of last resort, as Wisconsin’s utilities are required to do,” the group said last year in a statement on the bill.
Meanwhile, utilities have been forging ahead with their own version of community solar, with Madison-based Alliant Energy yesterday announcing its Cedar Rapids Community Solar garden in Iowa has begun generating energy for more than 300 customers.
But Stroebel argues utilities have “hijacked that terminology” by calling their solar fields community solar projects.
“What they’re doing isn’t community solar,” he said. “It’s investor-owned power generation. It’s paid for by the stockholders of that company. It does not have anything to do with the power rate that’s paid. They still charge the exact same amount, whether it’s generated by a coal plant, a gas plant or a solar field.”
By contrast, he says community solar requires private capital and must be cost-competitive and market-based.
In a recent column posted to WisOpinion.com, WalMart Director of Public Affairs Lisa B. Nelson called on state legislators to pass the Assembly and Senate versions of the community solar bill. She argues the move will attract investment to the state, create new jobs, reduce utility investment requirements and related rate increases.
“Community solar is a solution that brings a plethora of benefits to a broad base of consumers, transforming the way we access and think about energy, as well as reduce energy costs for Wisconsin families and businesses,” Nelson wrote.
The legislation was referred to the Senate and Assembly utility committees last year. And though Stroebel argues “there’s still energy behind the bill,” he’s not confident it will go all the way this session.
“Do I think the odds are real good for passing this session? Probably not,” he said. “But put it this way, this session, this bill has gone much further and received much more broad support than it ever has in the past … from the agricultural community to the business community.”
See bill details.
— The greater Milwaukee area saw year-over-year increases in home sales and listings in January, but GMAR says activity remains well below typical levels.
The Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors’ latest report, released yesterday, shows monthly home sales rose slightly from 813 in January 2023 to 848 last month. But the group wrote that “any excitement must be tempered by the fact that sales in January 2023 were extremely slow” compared to previous years.
Meanwhile, listings increased 12.4% over the year, from 1,098 to 1,234.
“But, once again, placing these additional listings in context, the market is hundreds of listings behind where it needs to be to satisfy buyer demand,” report authors wrote, adding sales would be “much higher” if more homes were available.
The group also notes prices dipped 2.2% in a “surprising” shift, going from about $336,000 to $329,000. But GMAR cautions against reading too much into the change, noting it doesn’t indicate regular price declines will continue.
See the full report.
— Wisconsin farmers planted fewer acres of snap beans last year than in 2022 but had higher yields, as the state once again led the nation in producing the crop.
That’s according to the latest vegetable report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, which shows Wisconsin accounted for 48% of all U.S. snap bean production last year. Farmers in the state harvested 51,900 acres of snap beans and produced 6.75 million hundredweight, or cwt, a slight increase from last year’s total harvest.
And while total acres of harvested snap beans was lower than the previous year’s total of 56,000 acres, yield per acre rose from 120 cwt to 130 cwt, the report shows.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin ranked third for production of sweet corn in 2023 with 17% of the U.S. crop, behind Washington and Minnesota. The state produced 10.7 million cwt, compared to about 9.8 million cwt in 2022.
And while total acres of harvested sweet corn fell slightly over the year — from 55,800 acres to 55,000 — yield per acre jumped from 175 cwt to 195 cwt.
See the report.
— U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is urging Hospital Sisters Health System to consider delaying closures of hospitals in western Wisconsin amid fears of care disruption in the region.
In a letter to HSHS President and CEO Damond Boatwright, the Madison Dem highlights local concerns about the health system’s recent announcement that HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls will be closing, along with 19 Prevea Health locations in the area.
“I was disappointed by your abrupt announcement, which will result in the loss of emergency rooms, hospital beds, and critical care units, as well as access to maternal health care, behavioral health care, and dialysis treatments in western Wisconsin,” she wrote.
She argues HSHS must “maintain transparency and communicate clear transition plans” to patients, employees, other care providers in the region, and state and local government entities. The hospital closures are expected to impact around 1,400 positions.
Along with calling on the health system to delay closing the hospitals, Baldwin is also urging its leadership to “consider, in good faith, offers to purchase your facilities and equipment to support the continuation of health care services in the region for the patient populations served by Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s Hospitals.”
Gov. Tony Evers earlier this month met with local leaders in Eau Claire to discuss how impacted communities and the state government can respond to the health system’s move.
See Baldwin’s letter.
Top headlines from the Health Care Report…
— UW Health and other partners announced they will build a new inpatient rehabilitation facility in Fitchburg with 40 private rooms.
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TOP STORIES
How a 95-year-old Wisconsin sawmill used wood chips, bark to sell electricity back to the grid
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TOPICS
AGRIBUSINESS
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CONSTRUCTION
– Ascent mass timber tower secures $98 million refinancing in tough lending market
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EDUCATION
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ENVIRONMENT
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FOOD & BEVERAGE
– Morris Ramen on King Street to close Feb. 24
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POLITICS
– Wisconsin Assembly set to pass a $2 billion tax cut package. But will Evers sign it?
REAL ESTATE
– 600 multifamily homes planned for Germantown site
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RETAIL
– Cermak Fresh Market reopens in Walker’s Point following shutdown by Milwaukee Health Department
SPORTS
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TECHNOLOGY
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TOURISM
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TRANSPORTATION
PRESS RELEASES
See these and other press releases
WMC: Ashley Furniture founder inducted into Manufacturing Hall of Fame
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The Water Council: Scott Beightol of Michael Best to Lead The Water Council Board