SUPERIOR — Gov. Tony Evers toured the Superior Water, Light & Power solar garden Tuesday, April 28, during which he touted the importance of renewable energy statewide.
“They made it very clear that one of the main reasons they did this big array of solar is that there was a lot of people that wanted it in the city,” Evers said. “A lot of people are taking advantage of it. At the end of the day, this is really important to see solar across the state, solar and wind and anything that we can do that isn’t ‘drill, baby, drill.’”
The solar garden was
built in 2023
next to Heritage Park and currently has 71 residential and 15 commercial subscribers, according to SWL&P President Rob Sandstrom. Each subscriber gets a power credit for the solar energy that is produced. Sandstrom said it’s possible to get that credit to cover 100% of energy costs for a home or business.
“We have some customers that are close,” he said.
Another 70 customers are on a waiting list to subscribe.
Gov. Tony Evers answers a question after touring SWL&P’s solar garden in Superior on April 28.
Jed Carlson / Duluth Media Group
Consisting of 1,300 individual panels, the solar garden produces enough electricity to power 115 homes a year, Sandstrom said. Half of the electricity provided by Superior Water, Light & Power is now from renewable sources, according to Sandstrom.
“We heard from our customers they wanted a local renewable power option for their service, and not all of them had access,” Sandstrom said.
Some were renters; others didn’t have a roof that would support solar panels. Some couldn’t provide maintenance.
Evers, a member of the U.S. Climate Alliance, wants electricity powering Wisconsin to be 100% carbon free by 2050. Work toward that goal will involve more solar projects, he said, as well as a focus on energy efficiency. Nuclear energy could also play a huge role, the governor said.
“The good news in Wisconsin, we still value energy like this — from the sun and from the wind — and we’re working hard to make sure that we have as much opportunities for this in the state,” Evers said.
Gov. Tony Evers, right, talks with Rob Sandstrom, president of Superior Water, Light & Power, before a tour of the utility’s solar garden in Superior.
Jed Carlson / Duluth Media Group
Maria Lockwood covers news in Douglas County, Wisconsin, for the Superior Telegram.
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