The Town of La Pointe received a Wisconsin Energy Innovation Grant Program (EIGP) award in April 2024 to partially fund a solar photovoltaic plus battery storage system, aka microgrid, at their Emergency Services Building (EMC). The EIGP is funded by the Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), State Energy Program (SEP) funds that were awarded as a grant through the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE).
The system will be integrated with their existing propane backup generator and have the capability to provide full-building power during a grid outage. The project will begin construction in the spring of 2025. The EMC project will include 37.4 kW of solar PV and 63.6 kWh of battery storage. It will offset nearly all the energy use on an annual basis and save the Town approximately $6,850 annually in reduced utility bills. Besides the EIGP grant, Wisconsin's Focus on Energy will provide additional capital as well as the Elective Pay tax credit, made available to municipalities through the Federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The $288,773 project will also upgrade an existing solar PV system at the La Pointe Town Hall with the goal of reducing electro-magnetic interference from the existing system which is disrupting radio communications for essential services.
A short video was produced by Wisconsin Conservation Voters that highlights the importance of this project to the residence of Madeline Island, and its reliance on Federal support to make projects like this happen. Click the button above to watch.
The system will be integrated with their existing propane backup generator and have the capability to provide full-building power during a grid outage. The project will begin construction in the spring of 2025. The EMC project will include 37.4 kW of solar PV and 63.6 kWh of battery storage. It will offset nearly all the energy use on an annual basis and save the Town approximately $6,850 annually in reduced utility bills. Besides the EIGP grant, Wisconsin's Focus on Energy will provide additional capital as well as the Elective Pay tax credit, made available to municipalities through the Federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The $288,773 project will also upgrade an existing solar PV system at the La Pointe Town Hall with the goal of reducing electro-magnetic interference from the existing system which is disrupting radio communications for essential services.
A short video was produced by Wisconsin Conservation Voters that highlights the importance of this project to the residence of Madeline Island, and its reliance on Federal support to make projects like this happen. Click the button above to watch.