groSolar and CMS Energy Begin Operations of a New Solar Farm in Flambeau, WI to Provide Power to Dairyland Power Cooperative

Flambeau Solar Project (Photo: Business Wire)

WHITE RIVER JCT., Vt, & COLUMBIA, Md.--()--groSolar, CMS Energy, Dairyland Power Cooperative, and Price Electric Cooperative, are pleased to announce the commercial operation of the 3.4-megawatt (MW DC) Flambeau Solar project in Flambeau, Wisconsin. The Flambeau Solar Project features single-axis trackers that track the sun from east to west throughout the day, greatly increasing the efficiency of the project. Throughout the design and construction of the project, groSolar utilized numerous local contractors and small businesses to assist in the development of the project.

The Flambeau Solar Project will produce approximately 5,000-megawatt hours (MWh) of clean, renewable energy in its first year of operation; enough electricity to power more than 600 homes. The project also provides significant environmental benefits including a carbon offset approximately equivalent to planting more than 90,000 trees or taking more than 700 cars off the road each year1.

A project dedication, hosted by groSolar, is scheduled for August 3rd and will welcome partners from CMS Energy, Dairyland Power Cooperative, Price Electric Cooperative, and local stakeholders. “CMS Energy is pleased to support the development of new solar energy in the Midwest,” said Richard Mukhtar, Executive Manager – CMS Enterprises for CMS Energy, which owns the Flambeau Solar project. “We look forward to seeing this solar power plant create energy that will power homes reliably and sustainably.”

“The Flambeau project is an excellent example of a public-private partnership that is delivering clean, renewable, low cost energy to Price Electric and the Dairyland Power Cooperative system,” said Myles Burnsed, groSolar Vice President of Business Development, who led the origination and development of this project. In addition to providing valuable clean, renewable energy to residents of Price County, the project has also helped the community’s younger residents learn about solar energy; earlier this summer, students from the Phillips Middle School visited the project and learned about the importance of renewable energy from groSolar’s CEO Jamie Resor.

1 According to US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculations.

About CMS Energy

CMS Energy is a Michigan-based company that owns and operates independent power generation businesses through CMS Enterprises and has an electric and natural gas utility, Consumers Energy.

About Dairyland Power Cooperative

Headquartered in La Crosse, Wis., Dairyland provides the wholesale electrical requirements for 24 distribution cooperatives and 17 municipal utilities. These cooperatives and municipals, in turn, supply the energy needs of more than a half-million people in the four-state service area. Today, the cooperative’s generating resources include coal, natural gas, hydro, wind, solar and biogas. www.DairylandPower.com.

About Price Electric Cooperative

Price Electric Cooperative is an electric power distribution cooperative headquartered in Phillips, Wis. Price Electric is proud to supply electric services to 9,118 member-owners at rural properties in its nine-county service area. PEC serves all rural areas of Price County, as well as portions of Ashland, Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor and Vilas Counties. www.price-electric.com

About groSolar

groSolar is a leading developer and turnkey solar engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm serving the 500kw to 30 MW market. With over 2,200 installations across North America, groSolar’s experience spans a broad spectrum of applications. These include applications atop brownfields/landfills, commercial, educational, municipal, and other institutional facilities. groSolar provides a one stop source for all your solar project needs including on-going operations and maintenance. groSolar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EDF Renewable Energy. Learn more at www.grosolar.com.

Contacts

groSolar
Maribeth Sawchuk - Director of Marketing & Communications
802.359.6538
maribeth.sawchuk@grosolar.com
or
Consumers Energy/CMS Energy
Brian Wheeler - Senior Public Information Director
517.740.1545
Brian.Wheeler@cmsenergy.com

Contacts

groSolar
Maribeth Sawchuk - Director of Marketing & Communications
802.359.6538
maribeth.sawchuk@grosolar.com
or
Consumers Energy/CMS Energy
Brian Wheeler - Senior Public Information Director
517.740.1545
Brian.Wheeler@cmsenergy.com