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    1. Distributed Energy

    Alliant Energy to Improve Energy Reliability in Wisconsin Village with new Microgrid

    Nov. 2, 2021
    The power grid will have islanding capability
    Alliant Energy's Sauk City solar microgrid project. Photo courtesy Alliant Energy
    Alliant Energy's Sauk City solar microgrid project. Photo courtesy Alliant Energy

    Alliant Energy will set up a community-based microgrid system, which will ensure enhanced energy reliability for the residents of the Village of Boaz in Richland County, Wisconsin.

    What the utility called a "first-of-its-kind project" will build a small-scale power grid with islanding capability, which will enable it to be disconnected from the traditional grid and be operated independently in case of any kind of service disruption.

    “At Alliant Energy, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve reliability and deploy cutting edge technical solutions to our customers,” said Mike Bremel, director of Engineering and Customer Solutions at Alliant Energy. “This innovative project is one of several research pilot projects Alliant Energy is implementing as we continue to develop our renewable energy portfolio and energy storage solutions.”

     The project will deliver improved reliability for about 120 customers in the Village of Boaz. The site is located along County Road E in the Dayton Township, Richland County. Project development and initial site construction will start in autumn and the microgrid equipment installation will take place in spring 2022.

     “This infrastructure upgrade ensures local community members and businesses will have access to safe and reliable power while providing Alliant Energy operational experience and knowledge that may be applied to future development and research,” said Mike Bremel. “From an engineering standpoint, we are excited for this investment in new energy solutions that will shape the transition to more local, resilient and reliable renewable power production for generations to come.” 

    The utility called this project a part of its Clean Energy Blueprint planning. Last year, Alliant built a solar microgrid, the $200,000 Sauk city project, near a state park in Wisconsin. 

    Alliant Energy provides regulated service to 975,000 electric customers in Iowa and Wisconsin. 

    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.