Leaders announce 'largest solar energy system in Milwaukee’s history;' will power 460 homes

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and officials with the City of Milwaukee’s Environmental Collaboration Office on Tuesday, March3 announced plans to build "the largest solar energy system in Milwaukee’s history." The eight-acre project will be located on a city-owned parcel near Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.

"Today, I'm pleased to announce that we're working with We Energies to build the largest solar project in the City of Milwaukee," said Mayor Barrett.

The project, on the edges of an old landfill, will provide enough energy to light up more than 460 homes.

"This secure site is a closed city landfill that is not useful for other forms of development," said Mayor Barrett. "This 2.25-megawatt project will cover about eight acres of the land you see behind me and feature over 7,000 solar panels."

"At no cost to the City of Milwaukee taxpayer, We Energies will build and maintain a vast solar array," said Milwaukee Alderman Scott Spiker.

The project is part of a larger plan to allow for 25% of the city's power to come from green sources by 2025.

"We need to be creative, we need to be proactive, and we need to be aggressive, and so, we are dead serious about reaching that goal," said Mayor Barrett.

By the end of 2020, We Energies officials said the goal is to generate roughly 15 megawatts.

"And we're not done," said Brendan Conway, We Energies spokesman. "That is the first start. We're going to do up to 35 megawatts."

Construction was scheduled to begin by the end of July 2020, with a goal of completion by late fall.