RENEW Wisconsin is part of a coalition supporting the enactment of a community solar program. The long-awaited legislation will be introduced in the coming days to allow private developers to build and operate solar projects, creating savings for electricity customers participating in the program. 

Community solar is not new — 23 states already have similar programs. In Wisconsin, public utilities have rejected any attempt to allow a non-utility to provide electricity to customers. Here, community solar is an option in limited areas – for customers who were able to sign up in a handful of utility-offered projects or those who happen to be members of an electric cooperative that offers it. 

This proposed legislation aims to change that. With community solar, participants can save money on their electric bill. Many people do not have the funds to install solar panels on their roof or have land with the right sun exposure. From apartment-dwellers to non-profits to schools and small businesses, interest is growing. As is the desire of landowners and farmers to lease their land or businesses to lease their unused roof space or a parking lot for steady extra income from hosting the projects. 

Significant changes have been made to prior efforts on this bill to garner more support. 

Key components of the proposed legislation include: 

• Developers need to secure land to lease for the project, build it, and maintain it
• The projects are limited to a minimum of 3 subscribers, and no subscriber can get more than 40% of the power generated
• The project size must be under 5 megawatts, which equates to about 27 acres 
• The program is set to last 10 years, with a maximum number of projects set at 350
• Customers need to sign up to participate in the program, and still get most of their electricity from the utility and pay the utility facility charges, including a $20 minimum bill requirement
• Projects are required to meet the definition of dual use, such as pollinator habitat, grazing, or other agricultural development
• If electrical updates are needed to accommodate projects, the developers will be required to reimburse the utility for the upgrade 
• The developers are responsible for making sure there are enough subscribers for the energy generated from each project 

The main thing that the utility is responsible for is allowing the projects to be interconnected to the grid and making arrangements to ensure participating customers save on their energy bills thanks to the electricity generated by the community solar projects.

These projects are intentionally community-based and require community approval when approving the site for each project. The bill calls for a 2/3 approval by the local government. With any development, laws govern permitting and zoning requirements. When it comes to larger, utility-scale renewable energy development, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has oversight. For smaller-scale ones like the community solar, approval authority is in the hands of the local government. Adding options for community solar development is not choosing smaller over large-scale, but providing different opportunities and renewable energy benefits to more areas of the state.

Supporting all renewable energy development brings benefits beyond energy. These projects bring private capital to local areas, greater economic investments, and more jobs. Jobs created by these projects include building and road construction, electrical, and maintenance. There’s additional economic opportunity thanks to the dual-use requirement for these projects, which makes sure the land (in many cases, farmland) is still producing crops, grazing opportunities, or even wildlife habitat. 

Constituents in every legislative district would have a chance to benefit from this bill if passed. But with utility opposition, those chances are slim. Unless those who are in support of community solar developments advocate for this bill.

Let’s be clear – a few community solar projects built over the next decade will not ruin public utilities. But having subscribers reduce their bills by a small percentage could benefit many utility customers.

One of the biggest happenings in the state legislature in the first half of this year is the passing of the biennial state budget. The original document, 2025 Senate Bill 45, became Wisconsin Act 15. What started at 1,916 pages was whittled down to a mere 195. Below are a few items that might be of interest to the renewable energy industry.

Nuclear Power Siting Study

The Department of Administration has allocated $500,000 from general-purpose revenue for a nuclear power siting study. This stems from a broader initiative by the legislature to evaluate the feasibility of new nuclear development and potential sites in Wisconsin. Originally, a stand-alone bill, the provision was added to the budget. 

Battery Storage

Under general obligations, bonding authority was modified to include battery storage. This effort signals support for the installation and development of battery energy storage systems to enhance grid reliability, integrate renewable energy systems, and improve energy efficiency. 

Electricity Sales Tax Exemption

Under prior law, Wisconsin residents did not have to pay the sales tax on electricity and natural gas during the winter months, from November to April, to ease the cost of energy. The budget bill changes this exemption to apply to all months and reduce electric bills for residential customers during the summer air-conditioning season as well.  For solar installations, this change could simplify the calculation of savings and costs, as the tax would not be collected at all, rather than having different applicability during certain months.

Electric Vehicle Sales Tax

Directs the transfer of anticipated sales tax collection to the general fund. appropriation of about $28 million per year.

Intervenor Financing

The appropriation of financing for intervenors allows the continuation of third-party participation in Public Service Commission (PSC) proceedings, like utility rate cases. The legislator settled on an appropriation of $542,500 annually. The PSC compensation program provides financial assistance to organizations and individuals who choose to intervene on behalf of an affected group in proceedings before the commission. The Governor’s initial budget request aimed to increase this amount.

Energy Efficiency & Focus on Energy

This provides general support for initiatives to improve energy efficiency in state facilities. Allocates $536,300 annually for energy efficiency and renewable resource programs under the PSC.

Office of Clean Energy and Sustainability

There were cuts to the positions in certain offices, including the OSCE. This was not specifically in the passed budget bill, as it occurred in an omnibus motion during the committee process. 

Integrated Resource Planning

The Governor’s original budget proposal included a provision to adopt IRP for state energy planning. This was removed during the initial sweep of non-fiscal items and policy-focused initiatives to fulfil the obligation of keeping primarily financial matters in the budget. IRP would help evaluate the ability of utilities to meet long-term electricity demand and include plans to integrate clean energy sources into their supply portfolios.

After the shock of earlier executive orders had somewhat subsided, we were lulled by the notion that “only Congress can change the tax code,” and then, it happened. Congress began its work on a reconciliation bill, parts of which would effectively pull the rug from under the solar industry.

But we’re not letting it happen without a fight.

RENEW Wisconsin, like many other organizations, is sharing action alerts and urging members of the industry and the public to contact their members of Congress. The effort is meant to bring the harsh reality into view, so policymakers can understand that gutting the programs and repealing these tax credits immediately will have devastating effects. These effects will be felt by real people, businesses, and local energy production.

Many of our partner organizations, like the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), have organized webinars and call-ins to keep industry participants informed and involved. In-district meetings and a fly-in to D.C. have been organized to meet with elected representatives and advise them on a different course of action.

When the distressing contents of the House bill were voted on and the bill moved to the Senate, a determined group of RENEW Wisconsin members scheduled a meeting with Senator Ron Johnson’s chief of staff.  I, along with Michael Cornell from Ach Solar, Ron Chester from Full Spectrum, Kurt Reinhold from Legacy Solar Co-op, and Michael Reuter from Midwest Solar Power, met with Tom Petri in the Madison district office. The main message conveyed was “don’t pull the rug” out from under our businesses, replicating the same term Senator Johnson used during a recent media interview. During that interview, Johnson indicated he did not want to hurt business.

But there was more — the specific examples relayed to Johnson’s team highlighted how the tax credit helps with the upfront cost of projects and allows nonprofits, farmers, and homeowners to take advantage of solar power and reduce their energy bills. We shared how manufacturing has just started to ramp up and has begun producing materials in the U.S. to help boost local energy production. We also explained that deploying solar is faster, cheaper, and if partnered with battery storage, incredibly reliable.

The tax incentives supporting the industry were not expected to last forever, but the abrupt end to them will impact projects, eliminate prior investment, cut jobs, and delay future development. This affects homeowners, developers, installers, manufacturers, and much more.

While we await final action by the Senate, followed by some form of compromise with the House, we’re tracking developments and urging people to advocate for the industry.

There is a way to phase out the credits, with an intentional transition, without disrupting the established progress. For that, Congress needs to hear from the industry and make the needed changes.

Contact your representatives today!