6:00-7:00pm: Gather, socialize, and enjoy food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
7:00-8:00pm: Business meeting begins
8:00-8:30pm: Socialize/network
Location: Goodman Center, 149 Waubesa Street (Ironworks Building), Madison, WI 53704, Evjue Room
Regardless of your status as an Annual Member, a Lifetime Member, as a representative of an Institution Member, or even just curious about becoming a member of our cooperative, you are invited to attend and participate in the review of our work in solar since our last member meeting this past December and what lies ahead for us in 2025.
Our 2024 Annual Report will be released in December, 2024. View our 2024 Annual Report.
Based in Baraboo, WI, All Sky Energy has over 20 years of experience in residential and commercial solar sectors, offering the grid-connected, off-grid and battery back-up systems. They joined the co-op in 2019.
We interviewed Lisa Kahlow, who, together with her husband, Keith Kahlow, owns All Sky Energy, to get an in-depth look at their dedication to renewable energy and their customers in the communities they serve.
Tell us a little about your company and how it began. What were the motivations to start your company?
Keith has worked in the electrical field, both in residential and commercial settings, since high school for small shops and also for the union for many years. Keith has over 30 years of experience, has been a Master Electrician for 15 years and continues to stay up to date on the ever-changing codes and industry. In 2010 he made the decision to go out on his own and we started All Sky Energy together. He saw an emerging industry and wanted to have firsthand experience with his clients and seeing projects from start to finish. I worked for my parents and decided in 2013 that I needed to go full time with our solar business. Read more
Eco-Resource Consulting (ERC) is based in Stoughton, WI and provides science-based ecological consulting and sustainable restoration. ERC plans, implements, maintains, and monitors sustainable native plant communities within ground based solar installations. They joined the co-op in 2023.
Each ground mount solar installation has the challenge of what to do to manage the vegetation underneath it. Many options exist, including a weed barrier and crushed rock, simply planting grass, or planting native vegetation that will manage itself over time (with some help) and save time in the process.
We asked Kyle Duquaine from Eco Resource Consulting, how this is done….
Kurt Reinhold and Peter Fiala of Legacy Solar Co-op teamed up with Uplevel University for a podcast outlining how to easily add solar solutions to your home or business with our support. The podcast covers a history of Legacy Solar Co-op, outlines the benefits of going solar, shares options of how to fund your project and highlights some of our solar projects. Finally, as folks are thinking of moving forward, we share steps to get started.
Battery energy storage is needed to support economical and reliable renewable energy, but are we just trading national dependence on dirty fossil fuels for a reliance on limited foreign minerals?
On Friday, March 29 at 12:00pm we invited Patrick Sullivan of Flux XII (one of our newest members), to talk about battery chemistry, what materials are being used in batteries today and frameworks to assess their societal impacts, such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In this webinar, Patrick walked through which battery asset features the chemistry impacts (spoiler, it’s almost everything!), shared some challenges for developing more sustainable grid-scale batteries, and how they are tackling those challenges for long-term global benefits.
6:00-6:45pm: Gather, socialize, and enjoy food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
6:45-7:45pm: Annual Meeting presentation
7:45-8:30pm: Socialize/network
Location: Lau Christensen Room, Brassworks Building, Goodman Center, 214 Waubesa Street, Madison, WI 53704
Regardless of your status as an Annual Member, a Lifetime Member, as a representative of an Institution Member, or even just curious about becoming a member of our cooperative, you are invited to attend and participate in the review of our work in solar since our last member meeting this past December and what lies ahead for us in 2024.
The Couillard Solar Foundation, has not only supported dozens and dozens of nonprofit projects through the Solar for Good and Solar on Schools programs, but over the years it has been continually refining its solar pergola design. Most recently, it installed the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)’s latest addition to its renewable repertoire, their 5-bay solar pavilion that delivers 48.6KW, designed to capture reflected sunlight far more effectively in winter months through the albedo effect while being eligible for IRA tax credits. CSF has installed almost a dozen pergolas in the past several years, including at its headquarters, the Deerfield Fire Department and a variety of locations across the state. Read more
Tell us a little about how solar work began as part of your company? What were the motivations?
Our company president, Charles Smith, is a solar pioneer who, as young as he can remember has always been interested in direct-from-source energy creation for our use. He has found that photovoltaic (PV) solar electrical power has proven to be one of the most viable ways to capture that energy.
When Current Electric first started installing solar, the PV systems were cost-prohibitive, except to early adopters who believed in helping provide options for our energy source or understood long-term investments such as a farmer understands the long-term investment in their land. Those early solar customers found that their systems eventually paid for themselves, and proved to be satisfied with their solar PV systems. Due to rising energy costs and return on investment calculations, those systems have now paid for themselves and continue to produce power and pay on their investment.
Now, more than 20 years later, the tide has turned. The price of the solar modules is down over 1000%, which is 10 times less than the cost our pioneer customers paid for solar. With rising energy prices and decreased system costs, the time to install solar is now. Read more
Amid the 1,000’s of pages of official documents relating to the landmark legislation that was signed into law in August 2022 are a few very important provisions for folks interested in solar. LSC will continue to provide updates as they become available, but here is a quick guide for the solar provisions and a resource for a whole lot more. Tax-Exempt Organizations (TEOs) wanting to do solar can get our help immediately – we provide various solar consulting services to help bring your solar project to life. Read more
2024 LSC Annual MeetingDecember 6, 2024 - 2:37 pm
Member Spotlight: All Sky EnergyNovember 7, 2024 - 5:09 pm
Protected: Member Spotlight: InWave Renewables
/in Member Installers2024 LSC Annual Meeting
/in EventsDate/Time: Thursday, December 12th, 2024
Location: Goodman Center, 149 Waubesa Street (Ironworks Building), Madison, WI 53704, Evjue Room
Regardless of your status as an Annual Member, a Lifetime Member, as a representative of an Institution Member, or even just curious about becoming a member of our cooperative, you are invited to attend and participate in the review of our work in solar since our last member meeting this past December and what lies ahead for us in 2025.
Our 2024 Annual Report will be released in December, 2024. View our 2024 Annual Report.
Read more
Member Spotlight: All Sky Energy
/in Member Installers, NewsBased in Baraboo, WI, All Sky Energy has over 20 years of experience in residential and commercial solar sectors, offering the grid-connected, off-grid and battery back-up systems. They joined the co-op in 2019.
We interviewed Lisa Kahlow, who, together with her husband, Keith Kahlow, owns All Sky Energy, to get an in-depth look at their dedication to renewable energy and their customers in the communities they serve.
Tell us a little about your company and how it began. What were the motivations to start your company?
Keith has worked in the electrical field, both in residential and commercial settings, since high school for small shops and also for the union for many years. Keith has over 30 years of experience, has been a Master Electrician for 15 years and continues to stay up to date on the ever-changing codes and industry. In 2010 he made the decision to go out on his own and we started All Sky Energy together. He saw an emerging industry and wanted to have firsthand experience with his clients and seeing projects from start to finish. I worked for my parents and decided in 2013 that I needed to go full time with our solar business. Read more
Member Spotlight: Eco Resource Consulting
/in Advice/Education, Member InstallersEco-Resource Consulting (ERC) is based in Stoughton, WI and provides science-based ecological consulting and sustainable restoration. ERC plans, implements, maintains, and monitors sustainable native plant communities within ground based solar installations. They joined the co-op in 2023.
Each ground mount solar installation has the challenge of what to do to manage the vegetation underneath it. Many options exist, including a weed barrier and crushed rock, simply planting grass, or planting native vegetation that will manage itself over time (with some help) and save time in the process.
We asked Kyle Duquaine from Eco Resource Consulting, how this is done….
Read more
The Easy Button for Funding Your Solar Project
/in Advice/Education, Case Studies, Commercial, Financing Solar, NewsListen to the podcast
Batteries for the Grid: Why Chemistry Matters
/in Advice/Education, EventsOn Friday, March 29 at 12:00pm we invited Patrick Sullivan of Flux XII (one of our newest members), to talk about battery chemistry, what materials are being used in batteries today and frameworks to assess their societal impacts, such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In this webinar, Patrick walked through which battery asset features the chemistry impacts (spoiler, it’s almost everything!), shared some challenges for developing more sustainable grid-scale batteries, and how they are tackling those challenges for long-term global benefits.
See webinar recording.
Read more
2023 LSC Annual Meeting
/in EventsDate/Time: Wednesday, December 6th
Location: Lau Christensen Room, Brassworks Building, Goodman Center, 214 Waubesa Street, Madison, WI 53704
Regardless of your status as an Annual Member, a Lifetime Member, as a representative of an Institution Member, or even just curious about becoming a member of our cooperative, you are invited to attend and participate in the review of our work in solar since our last member meeting this past December and what lies ahead for us in 2024.
See 2023 Annual Report and 2023 Annual Meeting Presentation.
Read more
Couillard Solar Foundation Solar Pergolas
/in CommercialThe Couillard Solar Foundation, has not only supported dozens and dozens of nonprofit projects through the Solar for Good and Solar on Schools programs, but over the years it has been continually refining its solar pergola design. Most recently, it installed the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)’s latest addition to its renewable repertoire, their 5-bay solar pavilion that delivers 48.6KW, designed to capture reflected sunlight far more effectively in winter months through the albedo effect while being eligible for IRA tax credits. CSF has installed almost a dozen pergolas in the past several years, including at its headquarters, the Deerfield Fire Department and a variety of locations across the state. Read more
Installer Member Feature: Current Electric
/in Member InstallersTell us a little about how solar work began as part of your company? What were the motivations?
Our company president, Charles Smith, is a solar pioneer who, as young as he can remember has always been interested in direct-from-source energy creation for our use. He has found that photovoltaic (PV) solar electrical power has proven to be one of the most viable ways to capture that energy.
When Current Electric first started installing solar, the PV systems were cost-prohibitive, except to early adopters who believed in helping provide options for our energy source or understood long-term investments such as a farmer understands the long-term investment in their land. Those early solar customers found that their systems eventually paid for themselves, and proved to be satisfied with their solar PV systems. Due to rising energy costs and return on investment calculations, those systems have now paid for themselves and continue to produce power and pay on their investment.
Now, more than 20 years later, the tide has turned. The price of the solar modules is down over 1000%, which is 10 times less than the cost our pioneer customers paid for solar. With rising energy prices and decreased system costs, the time to install solar is now. Read more
Inflation Reduction Act Updates
/in Advice/Education, FeaturedAmid the 1,000’s of pages of official documents relating to the landmark legislation that was signed into law in August 2022 are a few very important provisions for folks interested in solar. LSC will continue to provide updates as they become available, but here is a quick guide for the solar provisions and a resource for a whole lot more. Tax-Exempt Organizations (TEOs) wanting to do solar can get our help immediately – we provide various solar consulting services to help bring your solar project to life.
Read more