Dairyland Power purchasing energy from new solar operation

Dairyland Power Cooperative is purchasing the excess energy output from a new 368 kW solar photo­voltaic installation at the City of Galena, Ill. Wastewater Treatment Plant. The facility is interconnected with Jo-Carroll Energy, a Dairyland member cooperative.

The solar units’ production at the wastewater treatment plant is expected to produce sufficient power to satisfy the facility’s energy needs. Dairyland has a power purchase agreement in place with the City of Galena for all energy produced beyond that required to power the wastewater treatment plant.

Eagle Point Solar, based in Dubuque, Iowa, installed the photovoltaic system. The project installation was partially funded by an Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation grant.

“Jo-Carroll Energy is pleased to be collaborating on a local renewable energy project that serves a critical facility in our area, and provides benefits to the environment,” said Michael Hastings, Jo-Carroll Energy CEO.

With headquarters in La Crosse, Wis., Dairyland ­provides wholesale electricity to Jo-Carroll Energy and 24 other member distribution cooperatives and 15 ­municipal utilities in four states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois). Dairyland’s generation resources include coal, ­natural gas, hydro, wind, landfill gas, biomass, solar and ­animal waste.