Sauk County solar program reaches first benchmark

The Grow Solar Sauk County program has achieved the first of several goals, resulting in more savings for participants.

Under the program, local residents may purchase solar-powered features. As more people participate, the overall price drops even further.

Through August, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association will provide free, public, hour-long educational sessions called Solar Power Hours via webinar to show people how solar energy works. Those who are interested should sign up at sauk.growsolar.org.

Hillpoint resident Gary Kaun said he attended a meeting in spring 2018 to find out about solar power. He decided to move forward with it, and the project helped him receive a rebate from Focus on Energy. Kaun said his electric bill was 62 percent less in 2019 and 68 percent less in 2020, compared to bills from 2017.

According to the program, solar arrays from the 2018 effort have produced about 490,000 kilowatt hours in the first year of operating, saving the average participant $1,042 in electric bills in the first year alone. This has also translated to less coal being burned. This use of solar is believed to have reduced coal consumption by nearly 400,000 pounds in the first year.

The program is administered by MREA at no cost to Sauk County. It is supported locally by Sauk County Land Resources and Environment , UW-Madison Extension, One Heart Inc. and Powered Up Baraboo.