Happy Holidays from Legacy Solar Co-op
Legacy Solar Co-op Team, 12/20/19
However you celebrate, we wish you well during this holiday season and year-end and we look forward to engaging with you next year!
And we also want to thank you. Whether you’ve recently become a member, purchased bonds or solar renewable energy credits (RECs) or are simply following our progress online, we thank you for your involvement! With our collective efforts, solar energy generates a green future for Wisconsin and pays back those who helped fund projects in the first place. If you’re interested in helping support the next round of projects, visit our projects update page, or contact us.
Project Updates
Legacy Solar Co-op Team, 12/20/19
Legacy Solar Co-op’s solar bond program provides financing to help pay for up-front costs. The following projects are well on their way, but some still need your support to be completed.
A few ways to get involved:
- Purchase solar bonds: Available in increments of $250, help support this project by purchasing bonds and earn between 4-6% interest yearly. Only LSC members are eligible to buy bonds. Join today!
- Become a tax sponsor: Provide the major sponsorship needed to make these projects happen. If you are interested or have questions, please reach out to us by contacting info@legacysolarcoop.org.
Some of our current projects:
- Lakeview Lutheran Church (Madison) — A congregation serving Madison for over 150 years. We provided a solar assessment for this roughly 20-30 kW project.
- Solon Springs School District (Solon Springs)— Located in Douglas County (northwest Wisconsin), this school district will soon benefit from a solar array with up to 100 kW capacity. Early winter delayed project completion into 2020, but we eagerly anticipation spring solar power for Solon Springs. Read more
2019 Annual Meeting
The purpose of the co-op annual meeting is 3-fold:
- Meeting is required by Chapter 185 governing Wisconsin Cooperatives (quorum is at least 10% of membership);
- Find out what’s been up with your Co-op in 2019 and what is in store for 2020 (and join the discussion!);
- Vote for Board Members and any other motions or resolutions from the business meeting.
The meeting took place at Madison Brassworks in the Bea Christensen Room (214 Waubesa Street, Madison) starting at 6:00 PM, food at 6:30 and business meeting at 7:00.
Thank you to everyone who attended! It was great to see so many friendly faces and to get a chance to talk with other members.
Project Updates
Legacy Solar Co-op Team, 10/10/19
First Unitarian Society Rooftop
The First Unitarian Society in Madison is hosting a ribbon-cutting on October 13 (at 12:30pm) to commemorate their new rooftop solar system (installed by Full Spectrum Solar), which, combined with energy-efficiency measures, will reduce their electricity demand from the grid by more than half. Read more about this project.
Blackhawk Church Fitchburg‘s system was switched on in September – Installation by H&H Electric.
- Humane Society of Burnett County (HSBC) launched their new system with a ribbon cutting on September 29, the largest solar array in Burnett County! Installation by Carlson Electric. Read more.
- Solon Springs School District is being installed in October. Installation by Carlson Electric.
- St. John’s Lutheran Church in Oregon voted overwhelmingly to install within the next six months.
Oregon Ice Arena Ribbon Cutting Celebrates a Project Completed
Legacy Solar Co-op Team, 8/1/19
On June 20, Legacy Solar Co-op, member installer Full Spectrum Solar and Renew Wisconsin helped Oregon Ice Arena celebrate the completion of its rooftop solar array. For over a month, the arena has been generating about 25% of its energy from its rooftop solar array. The irony of it is that energy from the sun powers the heat pumps in the building, which help keep the ice as close to freezing as possible. The mere existence of the 560 panels means less sun exposure and helps the arena save dramatically on cooling costs during peak demand.
Spring is a Time for Action
By the Legacy Solar Co-op Team, 4/25/19
Spring is a time for action. To get out there and do something. More sunshine means we can tackle that list of projects we’ve avoided all winter, right?
Sorta.
Unfortunately the list of things we could do is far longer than the list of things we can do. And just like you, Legacy Solar Co-op has a project list that’s longer than our current resources allows us to tackle. It’s not that we don’t want to execute. Helping solar projects come to life is a beautiful thing we never tire of seeing. Our list is long because it’s filled with worthy projects that aren’t getting the love they deserve.
We have to act quickly to change that. Tax incentives and previously awarded grants have to be used before they sunset.
The Co-op is owned by some of the most committed and generous people we’ve ever met, and you all have helped us do some amazing things in the past. So what about 2019 and 2020?
That’s up to you!
Green initiatives and concern for the climate are in the news a lot these days. It’s easy to feel like the problem is so big, there’s nothing we can really do. But there is…today. Right now we have several projects that need LSC’s financing to make their solar projects happen.
For example, if we had $200,000 in bonds, we could make at least 4 more deserving community projects happen this year. And if we had 5 more people willing to invest as project tax sponsors, we could help two school districts, two faith organizations and one nonprofit helping disconnected youth – go green and save money beginning this year!
Solar Project at Memorial United Church of Christ (UCC), Fitchburg
What can you do?
- Become a member of Legacy Solar Co-op and start talking about making solar a bigger part of our energy mix in Wisconsin. Need help? Talk to us about working with your organization or group.
- Buy solar bonds. Do good and make a modest return. The money you invest goes to putting solar on roofs and sites in Wisconsin.
- Talk to friends or family about becoming a member and investing in solar bonds. The more you invest, the higher your return.
- Consider becoming a Tax Sponsor and partner with a worthy organization eager to make a difference but needing help to make it happen. Take advantage of tax credits and depreciation write-offs. Email us today if you’re interested in this option.
It’s Spring. Time to celebrate the return of the sun, warmth and the beautiful eco-system that makes Wisconsin so special. Please consider taking a few moments to help us make more of our to-do list happen. Your involvement today means that we are helping to ensure many more beautiful Spring days in the future.
Plus, we promise it will take less time than cleaning out the gutters!
Your Bond Purchase Makes Solar in Wisconsin More Attainable
Jackie Harrison-Jewell, 2/25/19
When was the last time investing made you feel really good? Sure, investing in bonds is a smart thing to do with your money. It’s generally secure and often pays better, more consistent interest than other investments. But do you really know where your money is going? What it’s doing? Do you feel like you’re making a difference?
Investing in Legacy Solar Co-op’s Slice of Sun bond program is different. With LSC’s bonds you know exactly what your money is doing. All funds raised by the sale of Slice of Sun bonds finance Wisconsin-based solar, installed by local vendors and contractors, with local, primarily nonprofit clients, including city and county government institutions, service organizations and faith-based communities.
Contact us if you want to buy a slice of sun for your community.
This year investing in our co-op will help groups like these:
- A very popular youth skills training non-profit is looking to secure financing for their 100 kilowatt (!!) project for their new location here in Madison.
- Three Madison-area churches are vying for support for their solar projects this spring. We’ll give more details once we have tax sponsors lined up.
- Three agricultural businesses through the Wisconsin Farmers Union are looking for support for their projects — you could earn 4-6% and help these businesses grow solar for their operations!
- Two school districts up in northern Wisconsin are looking for material support through the Legacy Solar Co-op. We need to sell a lot of bonds to help them!
- One housing development complex in northern Wisconsin is looking for a tax financing solution and considering LSC’s model for part of their development costs.
- More than one other Wisconsin VFW has voiced interest in building on our success with the Truax-Longmire Post #8483 solar project by adopting projects of their own!
Project Update 1/28/19
Legacy Solar Co-op’s solar bond program provides part of the financing to pay for up-front costs in the first year of the project’s development. The following projects are well on their way, but still need your support to be completed. Here are a few ways you can get involved:
- Purchase solar bonds: Available in increments of $250, you can help support this project by purchasing bonds and earn between 4-6% interest yearly.
- Become a tax sponsor: Provide the major sponsorship needed to make these projects come to fruition. If you are interested or have questions, please reach out to us by contacting info@legacysolarcoop.org.
Here are some project developments in January, 2019:
- Blackhawk Church (Fitchburg) — Blackhawk is one church that meets in multiple locations. They are in the process of adding a location in Fitchburg. We are currently completing the RFP process for vendor selection, then will start to fundraise. This project will consist of a rooftop array (up to 100 kW) and possible charging stations
- Operation Fresh Start (Madison)— Operation Fresh Start “provides a path forward for disconnected youth in Dane County, ages 16-24, through education, mentoring, and employment training.” We are looking for a tax sponsor and then will start fundraising in February. This project will have the capacity of up to 100 kW.
- First Unitarian Society (Shorewood Hills)— A Unitarian Universalist congregation in occupying a building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. We are looking for a tax sponsor and then will start fundraising in February.
- Abinooji Aki (Hayward) — An organization created to assist in the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) tribe in their efforts to combat alcohol and drug abuse. We provided preliminary estimates; this is likely a Q3 project.
- AmericInn Hayward (Hayward)— provided preliminary estimates; this is likely a Q3 project.
- Redeemer City Church (Fitchburg)— A church located in southwest Madison / Fitchburg that has been around since 2014. We provided preliminary estimates and are looking for a tax sponsor. This is likely a Q3 project.
- Lakeview Lutheran Church (Madison) — A congregation that has been serving Madison for over 150 years. We provided a solar assessment for this project, which will have a capacity of roughly 20-30 kW.
- Solon Springs School District (Solon Springs)— Located in Douglas County (northwest Wisconsin), this school district will soon benefit from a solar array with the capacity of up to 100 kW. We are beginning the RFP process for vendor selection, working on roof improvements, and will do further fundraising in March.
Stay tuned for updates! Check out other LSC projects
