Community and commercial solar projects completed with help from Legacy Solar Cooperative.

General Beverage Northwest, Inc. Chippewa Falls Building

General Beer Northwest, Inc.

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LOCATION: Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 243 kW   |   COMPLETION DATE: October 2018
SOLAR CONTRACTOR:
Midwest Solar Power

 

 

General Beverage Companies (GB) is one of the largest wholesale distributors of wine, distilled spirits, beer and non-alcoholic beverages in Wisconsin. It is the only beverage wholesaler in the state to honor their union employee contracts and fair pay, family-supporting wages and construction contracts.  In Chippewa County, GB Northwest has 50 employees, and they’ve set an even higher bar, as responsible, corporate stewards of the Wisconsin environment. Read more

2018

VFW Post 8483 (Truax Longmire)

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LOCATION: Madison, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 40 kW   |   COMPLETED: December 2018
SOLAR CONTRACTOR:
Midwest Solar Power

 

 

 

The mission of VFW’s across the country are to provide support and a sense of community to veterans of all ages, however chapters across the country are receiving less funding to provide this support. In response, the Truax-Longmire VFW Post 8483 (one of two VFWs in Madison) organized and made plans to improve the environment and lower its operating expenses by producing most of its energy onsite. Read more

City of Beaver Dam

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LOCATION: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 106.3 kW   |   COMPLETION DATE: October 2018
SOLAR CONTRACTOR:
North Wind Renewable Energy

 

 

The City of Beaver Dam hired Legacy Solar Co-op to work with (member) North Wind Renewable Energy Cooperative and (member) E3 Lighting to construct a sizable solar array on the city hall and perform over $31,000 in LED lighting retrofits for the City this fall. The city had announced their hope in a July 27, 2018 article.

The system consists of Teir one Hawha QCells 345 watt modules, totaling 106.3 kW, and are expected to save the city more than $4,000/year in energy costs. This project was planned as part of the city’s plan to generate 25% of its energy renewably by 2025 along with its partnership with the Office of Energy Innovation as an “Energy Independent Community”.

How was this project possible? Read about our consulting services.

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Solar Consulting

Make your solar vision a reality with expert help. At Legacy Solar Co-op, we specialize in supporting organizations and businesses through every step of the solar installation process, ensuring that your project is successful and sustainable. From research to financing, we’ve got you covered. We dedicated to helping you make informed choices about solar energy, connecting you with reliable vendors, and exploring funding opportunities to make your project affordable. Learn more about our solar consulting services today.

Slice of Sun Solar Bonds

Legacy Solar Co-op sells Slice-of-Sun Solar Bonds to any member who would like to support a Solar Legacy project like this one, and earn interest on their bonds purchased through the co-op. Ready to get involved?

Learn About Solar Bonds
Ribbon Cutting of Solar Project at Memorial United Church of Christ (UCC)

Memorial United Church of Christ

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LOCATION: Fitchburg, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 21.6 kW   |   COMPLETION DATE: July 2018

SOLAR CONTRACTOR:
Midwest Solar Power

Memorial United Church of Christ is a progressive, inclusive, multi-generational UCC church in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. LSC and Midwest Solar Power partnered to install a 20 kilowatt solar array that will meet approximately 90% of the church’s total electricity needs over the course of the year.

The high level of concern for the environment was demonstrated by the unanimous approval of the Memorial United Church of Christ congregation to add solar to our building in Fitchburg.  Legacy Coop and Solar Connections helped us study our energy needs, size the system and explore alternative financing.  The system has exceeded our expectations, meeting more than 90% of our electric energy needs. Financial support from Renew Wisconsin’s  Solar for Good  program and Focus On Energy was also critical to making our solar project a success.

– Dean Baumgardner, Trustee
Read more

Willow Creek Ranch (photo courtesy of North Wind Renewable Energy)2018

Willow Creek Ranch

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LOCATION: Coon Valley, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 29.4 kW   |   COMPLETION DATE: May 2018

SOLAR CONTRACTOR:
North Wind Renewable Energy Co-op

FINANCING PROVIDED BY:
WI Farmers Union Logo

 

 

Willow Creek Ranch, a certified organic farm run by the Ofte family for the past four generations that provides free-range beef, poultry and pork products. Located in Coon Valley in Wisconsin’s Driftless Region, animals on the farm are raised by natural ranching, a way to give animals as free a range as possible. The ranch also offers eco-vacations, a way to get the true farm experience.  Read more

Steve and Beth Israel solar panels

Beth Israel Center

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* LSC Member

LOCATION: Madison, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 65 kW   |   COMPLETION DATE: December 2017

SOLAR CONTRACTOR: Sunvest

We installed a 65 kW solar array that is producing nearly half of the electricity consumed by our synagogue. By significantly reducing our carbon footprint, this project affirms our commitment to the traditional teaching of Tikkun Olam — the notion that we are responsible for “repair of the world.” Undoubtedly, the long-term economics of solar are such that investments like these are highly favorable. With Legacy Solar Coop’s help, we were able to structure the financing so that, in the near term, we could satisfy our fiscally conservative constraints. Throughout the process, Kurt Reinhold guided us through many aspects of the financing and was exceedingly generous with his time.

– Steve Goldstein, Board of Directors and Member, Beth Israel

A traditional, egalitarian synagogue in Madison, Wisconsin, Member Beth Israel Center is a vibrant and diverse community of 260 families — a caring, spiritual home that is alive with celebration, learning, prayer and a commitment to tikkun olam.

Read more

Fitchburg City Hall - photo courtesy of Arch Electric

City of Fitchburg

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LOCATION: Fitchburg, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 362KW   |   COMPLETION DATE: November 2017

SOLAR CONTRACTOR:
Arch Electric Logo

See energy usage

The City of Fitchburg is committed to renewable energy, having installed solar panels on the roofs of their buildings starting in 2009. LSC provided site assessments, City staff support, financial cost and benefit projections, RFP support, and public meeting testimony for the solar project that led to adding almost 1,000 panels (362 kW) to the West Fire Station, City Hall, Public Works Maintenance Facility and the Fitchburg Public Library. The project added about 452,000 kWh of renewable electricity. Read more

Breitenmoser Family Farm

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* LSC Member

LOCATION: Merrill, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 19.8 kW   |   COMPLETION DATE: November 2017

SOLAR CONTRACTOR:
North Wind Renewable Energy Co-op

Member Breitenmoser Family Farm, located in Merrill, is owned and operated by Hans Jr. and Katie Breitenmoser and has been in operation for the last two generations. The Breitenmosers are strong supporters of renewable agriculture in family run farms and rural communities, this not being their first solar installation. They also supported the TB Scott Library project as bondholders and are members of the Wisconsin Farmers Union.

“As we work to influence policy regarding distributed generation in the State of WI, we have to find creative ways to fund solar. Legacy Solar Co-op helps fill that need and provides a means by which more people can enjoy the benefits of a renewable future.”
– Hans Breitenmoser

Read more

General Beverage Rooftop

General Beverage Companies Headquarters

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LOCATION: Fitchburg, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 143 kW   |   COMPLETION DATE: October 2017

SOLAR CONTRACTOR:
Midwest Solar Power

General Beverage Companies (GB) is one of the largest wholesale distributors of wine, distilled spirits, beer and non-alcoholic beverages in Wisconsin, servicing over 11,400 licensed beverage retailers throughout Wisconsin. The company is headquartered in Fitchburg and also has locations in Barron, Chippewa Falls, La Crosse, Little Chute, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, and Stevens Point. LSC worked with GB to start generating 18-20% of their power from solar. Read more

St. Joseph's Convent (The School Sisters of St. Francis) Rooftop

School Sisters of St Francis of St Joseph Convent

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* LSC Member

LOCATION: Milwaukee, Wisconsin   |   CAPACITY: 375 kW   |   COMPLETION DATE: January 2018

SOLAR CONTRACTOR:
Arch Electric Logo

 

“This solar energy project will enable us to lessen our energy consumption and to invest in our care of the Earth. It is very much in keeping with the way that our province is living out our Congregational Direction by joining with others to raise a common voice for the good of all creation.”

– Sister Carol Rigali, School Sisters of St. Francis (Arch Electric, 7/19/17)

 

The School Sisters of St. Francis of St. Joseph Convent is an international community of Catholic sisters who unite with others to build a just and peaceful world. Founded in 1874, the organization has more than 1,000 sisters, associates, staff, donors and volunteers actively working to address the needs of those who are poor and marginalized by society. Their sites are located in the United States, Europe, Latin America and India. The School Sisters of St. Francis in Milwaukee is one of nine sponsored or co-sponsored sites in the U.S. Read more