The first utility-scale renewable energy project in southeast Wisconsin went into service in December, capable of generating enough electricity to power around 60,000 homes.

The 200-megawatt Paris Solar Park in Kenosha County was one of the two major renewable energy projects in the state that came online in 2024, with two more expected to come online in 2025.

The other solar project to come online this year was Alliant Energy’s 200-megawatt solar project in Grant County, which can provide enough energy to power more than 50,000 homes. That capped off Alliant’s buildout of 12 large-scale solar projects totaling 1,089 megawatts.

Both the Paris and Grant County projects have battery components that are expected to come online in 2025, the utilities behind the projects said.

In 2025, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin anticipates the Darien Solar Energy Center in Walworth and Rock counties and the Apple River Solar Project in Polk County to come online.

The commission also has applications for six additional solar projects — four with a battery component — and one wind project under review, according to an agency spokesperson. If approved, those projects would provide an estimated 1,027 megawatts of generating capacity and 190 megawatts of storage.

In December, utility regulators also approved the largest solar project in state history, expected to generate more than 1,300 megawatts, enough to power more than 200,000 homes.

RENEW Wisconsin Policy Director Andrew Kell said 2024 was a good year for renewable energy in the state but more is needed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

A 2022 report from RENEW Wisconsin and Clean Wisconsin estimated that Wisconsin would need a total capacity of 31,000 megawatts of solar, 21,000 megawatts of wind and 7,000 megawatts of battery storage by 2050 to achieve net zero emissions.

“We have made some major steps now to move in that direction,” Kell said. “We still have a long way to go.”

The Paris Solar Park features nearly 500,000 solar panels that can move to track the sun throughout the day and capture solar energy on both sides.

Brendan Conway, a spokesperson for We Energies, the project’s majority owner, said absorbing solar energy from both sides comes in especially handy in the winter when days are shorter and there’s snow on the ground.

“The sun bounces off the snow, reflects right back on the backside of those panels and that’s generating even extra solar power,” he said. “Even though we might have less sun in the wintertime because the days themselves are shorter, when you reflect the daylight off of snow, we can actually get in some cases about the same amount that we’d get on a sunny summer day.”

The Paris solar farm is also co-owned by Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas and Electric.

Meanwhile, the Grant County Solar Project site features more than 430,000 solar panels and features nearly 350 acres of native pollinator habitat. Alliant Energy estimates the site will generate $30 million in new shared revenue for the county and town of Potosi over the life of the project. 

In a statement, Alliant CEO Lisa Barton called the project a “milestone” for the utility’s “journey toward a cleaner, more reliable and cost-effective future.”

“Together, with our customers, local communities and construction partners, we are making Wisconsin’s energy future brighter than ever,” Barton said.

The Apple River Solar Project in Polk County is expected to come online in 2025 to supply power to Xcel Energy.

Construction on the 100-megawatt project started in November. When fully up and running, it is expected to provide enough electricity to power an estimated 26,000 homes annually. 

Developers say Apple River is expected to generate more than $36 million in economic impact throughout its first 20 years of operation.

“We are excited to see this project begin as it underscores our dedication to delivering clean, reliable and affordable energy to our customers,” Karl Hoesly, president of Xcel Energy-Wisconsin and Michigan, said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Alliant Energy said via email that the utility has a community solar garden coming online in 2025, along with a research solar campus and battery storage in Grant and Wood counties.

The Darien Solar Energy Center in Walworth and Rock counties is also expected to come online, with We Energies as the majority owner and Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas & Electric as co-owners. 

It will be a 250-megawatt facility, able to generate enough power for roughly 50,000 homes. Conway said the project also features a battery storage component that’s expected to come into service in 2026.

Conway also said WEC Energy Group, the parent company of We Energies and WPS, has renewable energy projects expected to come online each year through 2028, and that some years could see more than one of the company’s projects go into service. 

Over the next 20 years, he said the transition toward renewables is estimated to save customers around $2 billion.

“It’s an exciting time for our customers,” he said. “It’s also an exciting time because these projects are being done largely by Wisconsin workers.”