Wisconsin Regulators Approve Two BESS Projects

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Late last week, Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:LNT) (Madison Wisconsin) announced that the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) has approved construction of two battery energy storage systems (BESS) that will accompany two solar farms that are among several that Alliant has planned for Wisconsin.

The two solar sites where the BESS will be located are the Grant County and Wood County solar farms. The 150-megawatt (MW) Wood County solar farm near Wisconsin Rapids went into operation late last year. The accompanying BESS will provide up to 75 MW of power when the sun isn't shining. The BESS could potentially begin operating late next year. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for more details on the project.

The Grant County solar farm is presently under construction in Potosi. Construction kicked off in the second half of last year. Once completed, which is expected later this year, the facility will use approximately 750,000 bifacial solar modules on a single-axis tracking system to provide nameplate generation of 200 MW.

But with the PSCW's recent approval, even more is in store for the Grant County site. An accompanying BESS will be able to provide 100 MW of power when needed. The BESS could potentially be completed next year. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the project reports on the Grant County solar farm and BESS.

The Wood County and Grant County developments are part of Alliant's overall strategy to lower its greenhouse gas emissions. The company is aiming to achieve a 50% reduction in emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 and become net-zero by 2050. As part of its strategy, Alliant plans to build 1,100 MW of solar generation in Wisconsin and, according to Industrial Info's GMI Database, already has plans for several sites. Industrial Info is tracking 10 active solar projects in Wisconsin from Alliant. Subscribers can click here for a full list.

The other planned solar farms are smaller than the 200-MW Grant County solar farm. Among those with the highest planned capacity is the Wautoma solar plant, located about 85 miles north of Madison. Construction on the solar farm kicked off last summer, and upon completion, the facility will have a generating capacity of 99 MW. Engineering, procurement and construction firm Burns & McDonnell (Kansas City, Missouri) is expected to wrap up the project in the coming months. Subscribers can click here for the full report.

Several of Alliant's planned Wisconsin solar projects will be rated at 50 MW. Typical is the Beaver Dam photovoltaic project, which is under construction in the town of the same name. Burns & McDonnell kicked off construction at the 350-acre site last year and is expected to complete the project in the near future. Subscribers can click here for more details.

Like the Grant County and Wood County projects, some of the upcoming solar capacity is planned to be accompanied by a BESS. A 50-MW solar farm under construction in Cassville, for example, will have nameplate solar generation of 50 MW when completed later this year. Although perhaps more than a year from beginning construction, a planned BESS at the site could provide 25 MW of power on demand. The BESS could potentially begin operating in 2025. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the project reports on the Cassville solar project and accompanying BESS.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Power Database can click here to view reports for all of the projects discussed in this article and click here for the related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).