Menomonee Falls Harley-Davidson completed a record-breaking project with We Energies in November: the largest single rooftop solar panel system in Wisconsin.
Harley-Davidson's project is part of Energies' overall project is to use solar energy to provide clean energy to all We Energies customers. The focus is to reduce emissions and to provide clean energy to all of its customers, said We Energies spokesperson Brendan Conway.
This project, part of We Energies' Solar Now pilot program, put nearly 8,400 solar panels on the roof at Harley-Davidson’s Pilgrim road powertrain operations facility, said Conway.
The panels can produce 2.25 megawatts — enough energy to power more than 400 homes — according to the company blog.
"It is a new record," Conway said.
Conway said the goal is to add renewable energy that may eventually replace traditional energy such as coal and gas. Right now, solar energy will be added into the energy mix, said Conway.
“The Solar Now program is an important part of our generation reshaping for a clean energy future,” said Kevin Fletcher — president and CEO of WEC Energy Group, our parent corporation on the company blog. “We are committed to cutting greenhouse gases and investing in cost-effective, zero-carbon, renewable generation.”
Solar Now has energized 11 projects and currently has another six under construction, together totaling more than 15 megawatts, Conway said.
"That’s enough energy to power more than 3,000 Wisconsin homes," he said.
Under the Solar Now program, We Energies partners with large businesses, nonprofit and government customers to host solar panels. We Energies leases space for the panels on roofs and unused land, according to the company blog.
"Our customers count on us to provide heat on the coldest days of the year, air conditioning on those hot summer days and reliable power for their remote work meetings and at-home school sessions," added Conway.
'Reducing emissions is essential'
Conway said the goal of the project is to make the company's electric generation fleet net carbon neutral by 2050 and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 55% by 2025 and 70% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels.
He said that the baseline 2005 carbon dioxide level was at 35 million metric tons and that in 2019, that level had decreased by 40%, to 21 million metric tons.
“Reducing emissions is essential to building a bright, sustainable future,” said Tom Metcalfe, president of We Energies, in a released statement. “Projects like this provide clean, renewable energy and are an important part of our commitment to make our electric generation fleet net carbon neutral by 2050. We are proud to work with Harley-Davidson on this historic project.”
We energies completed sites under the Solar Now program (some consisting of multiple projects) are with the New Berlin, University Lake, Port Washington-Saukville, Random Lake and Northland Pines school districts, Washington County and the village of Saukville.
Projects are under construction in the cities of Milwaukee, Delafield and Racine, University of Wisconsin -Parkside, Regal Ware in West Bend and Boldt in Greenville.
Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KozlowiczCathy.
