Electricity providers Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) and We Energies just brought Wisconsin’s largest solar farm – and one of the largest of its kind in the US Midwest – online.

The 300 megawatt (MW) Badger Hollow Solar Farm spans around 3,500 acres and was brought online in 150 MW phases. The second phase is newly powered up, and the first phase came online in December 2021. Its generating capacity is equal to powering around 90,000 homes.

Wisconsin’s largest solar farm, which features 830,000 bifacial solar panels on trackers, is in Iowa County, west of Madison. In winter, the sun reflects off the snow onto the rear panels.

We Energies owns 100 MW and MGE owns 50 MW of Badger Hollow’s second phase. We Energies’ sister company, Wisconsin Public Service, owns 100 MW, and MGE owns 50 MW of the first phase.

Jeff Keebler, MGE chairman, president, and CEO, said, “Wisconsin utilities have a long history of working together, and I appreciate the partnership with We Energies to make this project a great success.”

The vast majority of solar installations in the state are utility-scale. The Solar Energy Industries Association ranked Wisconsin 25th among states for solar capacity as of Q3 2023; it’s expected to add 3,781 MW of solar over the next five years and jump to 12th place.

Read more: The US is getting its first vertical agrivoltaics system

Photo: MGE

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