Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corp., will advance the 5-megawatt Ledgeview Solar Project with Alliant Energy after the utility received approval to partner on the project from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
The 32-acre project in eastern Fond du Lac County will further Mercury Marine’s sustainability initiatives and the region’s growing commitment to renewable energy. It’s the first project to receive approval under the Alliant Energy Renewable Energy Partner tariff.
“We’re excited to have received regulatory approval for this project and advance our commitment to a more sustainable future,” said John Buelow, Mercury Marine president. “Our investment in this solar infrastructure, combined with our other solar investments, will provide clean, renewable energy and propel us toward our goal to derive 50 percent of our electricity usage from renewable sources by the end of 2030.”
The project, which is expected to be operational next spring, will include more than 12,000 solar panels generating enough electricity to power approximately 1,300 homes annually, enough to offset approximately 10 percent of the electricity Mercury uses on its Fond du Lac campus. The array will be located on privately owned land south of Highway 23, just east of County Road UU.
Madison-based OneEnergy Renewables broke ground on the project earlier this year.
“This is an exciting opportunity to assist Mercury Marine in cost-effectively receiving the benefits of safe, reliable, clean energy,” said Barbara Tormaschy, senior vice president of sustainability and regulatory strategy for Alliant Energy. “We appreciate the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s ruling on this project and their recognition of the benefits projects like Ledgeview Solar can bring to customers like Mercury Marine.”
