Alliant Energy Plans A Solar Lab At Its Madison Headquarters

A Wisconsin power company that generates most of its electricity from coal or natural gas says it plans to spend $5 million on solar energy at its Madison headquarters.

Alliant Energy officials said they’re putting up more than 1,000 solar panels on top of or outside its Madison offices. The panels will power things like electric vehicle charging stations, cafe tables and an energy storage system. The company is calling it a solar lab to see how solar energy can be optimized in the Midwest. The project comes as some green-minded state homeowners aren’t waiting for utility-generated solar, but Alliant spokesman Scott Reigstad said many customers do ask for advice.

“We’ve already helped over 1,600 customers in our service area install their own energy generation, so a lot of what’s driving this is customers,” he said.

Alliant’s announcement comes just a week after the company revealed plans to buy solar energy from a South Korean firm that hopes to install 7,500 solar panels at an Alliant-owned landfill in the Town of Beloit.