Alliant Energy and the University of Wisconsin–Madison will partner on a solar and agricultural research project to be established on university owned land just west of Lake Kegonsa.

The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System has approved a request from UW–Madison to enter into a lease agreement with Alliant Energy and proceed with the development of the solar and agricultural research project at their Kegonsa Research Campus.

“The project builds on UW–Madison’s legacy of environmental stewardship in some really interesting ways,” said Chancellor Rebecca Blank. “It advances clean energy, cultivates innovative research and creates new opportunities for learning. It gives our students and faculty the opportunity to study soil, water, plant and animal interactions when a solar array is integrated with agricultural land, which will help our understanding of the costs and benefits associated with siting solar energy in Wisconsin and beyond.”

Alliant Energy will design, construct, own, operate and maintain the 2.25-megawatt solar and agricultural research project. At maximum output, the project is expected to generate enough energy to power more than 450 homes. UW–Madison will receive renewable energy credits generated by the solar project, which will provide proof that power was generated from a
renewable energy resource, distributed to the electric grid and that the University is entitled to its attributes.