Chris Hubbuch | Wisconsin State Journal
Despite protests from neighbors, Wisconsin regulators approved a large solar farm in southeast Dane County.
Thursday’s 2-0 vote by the Public Service Commission allowed Invenergy to construct the Koshkonong Solar Energy Center, which is located on approximately 2,400 acres west-of-Cambridge.
The 465-megawatt solar plus-storage facility will generate enough energy to power approximately a third of the county’s homes.
Koshkonong, the 12th largest solar project approved by Commission, is the first of its type in Dane County. It contains the largest battery storage component approved in Wisconsin.
Madison Gas and Electric and We Energies, three utilities, are looking to purchase the project at $649 million. This is to help them replace coal-fired power plant with carbon-free energy.
This case is just a reflection of where we are at the transition, said Ellen Nowak. This will be more for the state and its residents.
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Rebecca Valcq (PSC Chair) stated that the commission has an obligation ensure that the state has adequate generation resources. These resources have to be built in someone’s backyard.
It rises up to the level of BANANA — build absolutely everything anywhere near anything, Valcq claimed. We don’t have this luxury. We face a transition, which has been announced.
After opposition claimed that Tyler Huebner, commissioner for Koshkonong, had acted in bias when he advocated for the project before joining it, he resigned.
Greg Nemet, a professor in the UW-Madisons La Follette School of Public Affairs and a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was one of two lead authors of a report on how to slow climate change. It was released Monday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The project has been met with fierce opposition by neighbors, Christiana, the Cambridge School district, and the village of Cambridge, as well as activists who have opposed other utility projects in southern Wisconsin.
They claim the industrial-scale project is going to forever alter the rural landscape in Cambridge and landlock their bedroom community, which has very little land for new housing. They are concerned about the risks of living near a 165-megawatt lithiumion battery array. However, they argue that there are cheaper ways to reduce carbon emissions.
Supporters included the Sierra Club, Clean Wisconsin, and Dane County sustainability organizations. They argued that the project was necessary to make the quick transition to clean energy that climate scientists believe is necessary to slow down climate change.
According to the International Energy Agency, this will require the world to quadruple its current pace of solar and wind development. This will translate into four projects of the same size as Koshkonong each day for the next ten years.
Environmentalists claim that solar panels are less harmful than the alternatives and that the project will reduce runoff and improve water purity.
Opponents claim that the project will be beneficial to a few landowners at the expense their neighbors views and property value, while wasting prime farmland.
Dennis Lund, who has agreed that he will lease approximately 500 acres of his land for solar panel production, said that farmers need the income in order to be profitable and not have to sell their land.
He said, “We feel like we’re in a zoo” for the glorification by those who like to see what we do.” They don’t care whether we survive or fail.
Opponents also challenged lease agreements between developers and farmers, arguing that they violate a provision in state constitution that restricts long term leases on farmland.
The challenge was dismissed by the commission, who claimed it was based on a misreading the 174-year old document and failed to take into account existing laws and court rulings.
COVID-19 proved that it was possible to do a lot from home. It turns out that people love it. This could prove to be helpful in the efforts to reduce heat-trapping gas emissions.
The commission failed to consider the potential value of the project to ratepayers. This question will be raised when the commission decides whether to allow utilities to purchase the plant.
Opponents accuse the utilities company and the developer of using a legal loophole for regulatory oversight. The commission however rejected that argument.
Invenergy, an unregulated company, is not required to justify the cost or need for a project. MGE and other utilities which pass the costs on to ratepayers with interest are held to a higher standard.
Invenergy insists that the site-and-acquire method used in most utility-scale projects approved to date is in compliance with the law.
Art of the Everyday – A recap of March in photos taken by Wisconsin State Journal photographers
Walking along the shoreline on Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wis. Wednesday, March 16, 2022, is a great way to enjoy the warmest temperatures of 2019. JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
Yvette Pino of Madison, an Army veteran and curator at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum of Veteran Art, shows printmaking demonstrations from the window at the museum on Capitol Square, Madison, Wis., Wednesday March 16, 2022. The event is part the Southern Graphics Council International’s annual conference. There will be printmaking demonstrations Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. A special exhibit, “Wisconsin Was there: Sharing the Legacies Of Printmakers Who Served In the Military”, will display prints made by veterans who have a connection with Wisconsin. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOINAL
AMBER ARNOLD
Odin, a 5-monthold puppy, looks inside when he was playing at Duncan’s Dog Daycare Madison, Wis., Monday March 21, 2022. KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JONNAL
As he photographs fog over Lake Monona Terrace, Madison, Wis. on Wednesday, March 30, 20,22, Sam Koblenski (right) holds an umbrella in his hand for his son Ian. The pair were on spring break and had taken photographs of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture throughout Madison. KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOINAL
John Berner is a Chazen museum of art preparator on the campus of UW Madison. He installs elements of Suspended Landscapings, a large scale fabric piece by Amanda McCavour, in the museums Paige Court, Madison, Wis., Wednesday March 2, 2022. The machine-embroidered and stitched work, which commemorates the museum’s 50th anniversary, incorporates native plant specimens from the Wisconsin State Herbarium. The 60 panels of semi-transparent panels that make up the site-specific piece are on display until mid September. JOHN HART. STATE JOURNAL.
JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
Callie Stanley navigates through an obstacle at Madison College Challenge Course, Madison, Wis. Monday, March 21, 2022. Janesville’s Craig High School softball squad used the Challenge Course before the start to their season. KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF (STATE JOURNAL)
Students with UW-Madison encourage shorts and tshirts as they avoid sloppy conditions during a training run on Vilas Drive in Madison. Monday, February 28, 2022. JOHN HART (STATE JOURNAL)
JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
Jane Kroesen from Tucson, Ariz. walks under an umbrella along Century Ave., Middleton, Wis. Tuesday, March 22, 20,22. Kroesen was visiting family in the area and said she was actually enjoying it, as rain is rare in the desert southwest. JOHN HART (STATE JOURNAL)
JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
A pedestrian is silhouetted by the neon wall at Madison Public Library’s central Branch in Madison, Wis. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF (STATE JOURNAL)
Mel Chin discusses his spider sculpture, “Cabinet of Craving”, at his exhibit “Mel Chin” at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison, Wis. on Thursday, March 17, 2022. STATE JOURNAL, AMBER ARNOLD
AMBER ARNOLD
John Jaeggi of Brooklyn, Wisconsin and Roland Sahli of Switzerland are left, judging rindless swiss at the World Championship Cheese Contest held at Monona Terrace in Madison. Tuesday, March 1, 20,22. STATE JOURNAL, AMBER ARNOLD
AMBER ARNOLD
Scott Amera and his 1-year-old granddaughter Ellie Amera walk out of the barn that was damaged by a tornado on their farm. The tornado struck Saturday night in the town of Dunkirk. Tuesday, March 8, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOINAL
AMBER ARNOLD
Jennifer Angus is an insect artist and professor of Design Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She spoke about her exhibit “Jennifer Angus” at the Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, Spring Green, Wis. on Thursday, March 24, 2022. STATE JOURNAL, AMBER ARNOLD
AMBER ARNOLD
Epic employees moved into the new Mystery Building at the Storybook Campus, Verona, Wis. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. STATE JOURNAL, AMBER ARNOLD
AMBER ARNOLD
Becky Rabensdorf, left, and Kristina Wisenhunt, top, use the German Wheel at Madison Circus Space in Madison (Wis.), Friday, March 11, 20,22. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOINAL
AMBER ARNOLD
Maddy Ahlborn (11) of Middleton Co-op scores as Rachel Jasinski (12), her teammate, tries to score against D.C. Everest Co-op’s Dru Sabatke (23) et goalie Claire Calmes (31) during the second period in a WIAA girls hockey state semifinal match at Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis., Thursday March 3, 2022. STATE JOURNAL, AMBER ARNOLD
AMBER ARNOLD
Wisconsin’s guard Brad Davison (34) intercepts an Aljaz Kunc pass (5) pass during the second half in Wisconsin’s 54-49 loss in the 2022 NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball tournament in Milwaukee (Wisconsin), Sunday, March 20, 2022. JOHN HART (STATE JOURNAL)
JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
Dex Tishler (30, Gibraltar High School) faces Randolph defenders to the ball in a WIAA Division 5 boys basketball tournament semifinal at Kohl Center Madison, Wis. on Friday, March 18, 2022. KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JONNAL
Hudson’s Brecken Meadow gets into trouble fighting for the puck with Edgewood’s Paul Sergenian (7/7), and J.J. Wiebusch (6/6) during the third period, Division 1 State Boys Hockey Championship at the Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis., Saturday March 5, 2022. KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOINAL
Chris Vogt, Wisconsin’s center, falls into a row photograph during the first half of the 2022 NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball tournament against Iowa State. This was Sunday, March 20, 2022. JOHN Hart, STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
Randolphs Sam Grieger, left and Travis Alvin, right, hug as they leave the court during the Division 5 WIAA boys’ state basketball championship game. They defeated Bangor 65-51 at Madison’s Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Saturday, March 19, 2022. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOINAL
AMBER ARNOLD
After the Badger’s win over Purdue by 70-67 at the Kohl Center, Madison, Wis. on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Chucky Hepburn (23), is embraced and embraced by his teammates Chris Vogt and Ben Carlson. KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JONNAL
Kenny Garth, Westosha Central, presents the sectional plaque after their win over Oregon at the WIAA Division 2 boys basketball sectional final at Watertown High School, Watertown, Wis. on Saturday, March 12, 2022. KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
Madison Edgewood fans cheer when the team is introduced before their WIAA Division 1 state semifinal hockey match against Notre Dame de la Baie Academy at Alliant Energy Center Madison, Wis. on Friday, March 4, 2022. JOHN HART (STATE JOURNAL)
JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
Zach Kochendorfer of Hudson celebrates Edgewood’s win in the Division 1 State Boys Hockey Championship at the Alliant Energy Center Madison, Wis., Saturday March 5, 2022. KAYLA WOLF STATE JOURNAL
KAYLA WOLF STATE JOINAL
The last three participants in the 2022 Badger State Spelling Bee are Maadhav Karun (left), Maya Jadhav (center) and Aiden Wijeyakulasuriya (right). They competed during the event at Madison College’s Mitby Theater in Madison, Wis. on Saturday, March 26, 2022. JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin’s Brad Davison (34) reacts when time is up during Wisconsin’s 54-50 second round loss against Iowa State in the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Mens Basketball Tournament in Milwaukee, Wis. Sunday, March 20,2022. JOHN Hart, STATE JOURNAL
JOHN HART STATE JOURNAL
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