Number
191604
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
091066, 131035, 170337, 181742, 190445
Sponsor
ALD. SPIKER
Title
Resolution relating to a lease and service agreement for the construction and operation of a solar photovoltaic system on a City-owned closed landfill at 1600 E College Ave.
Analysis
The City of Milwaukee has established a 25 percent by 2025 renewable energy goal and supports the principles of the Paris Climate Accord. To help achieve those goals, this resolution authorizes the Department of City Development to execute an electric service agreement and lease with the Wisconsin Electric Power Company to construct and operate 2.25 megawatts of solar energy through the Solar Now pilot program offered by the Wisconsin Electric Power Company on a portion of the city-owned closed landfill located at 1600 E College Ave. The project coincidentally supports the energy resilience plan for the Wisconsin Air National Guard 128th Air Refueling Wing, since the most economic route to interconnect the system to Wisconsin Electric Power’s
Distribution System is through facilities on the base. Revenue from the lease is intended to be used to support additional climate action.
Body
Whereas, On December 22, 2009, the Common Council adopted File Number 091066, supporting the “25 x 25” goal, which called for generating 25 percent of the City’s electricity from renewable resources by 2025; and
Whereas, On December 17, 2013, the Common Council adopted File Number 131035, approving and directing implementation of the City's sustainability plan, ReFresh
Milwaukee; and
Whereas, On June 20, 2017, the Common Council adopted File Number 170337, expressing the City’s support for the Paris Climate Accord; and
Whereas, On June 27, 2019, the Common Council adopted File Number 190445 creating a City-County Task Force on Climate and Economic Equity; and
Whereas, The City asserts its interest in having a diversified portfolio of clean energy options and demonstrating immediate action on climate change; and
Whereas, The City also supports a robust and competitive market for rooftop solar installations and rooftop solar installations are an important but not sufficient response to the scale of climate threats; and
Whereas, Utility-scale and ground-based renewable energy projects are necessary to achieve Milwaukee’s renewable energy goals and address climate change; and
Whereas, The executive leadership of the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County,
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and Milwaukee Area Technical College wrote a letter to Wisconsin Electric Power Company in 2018 requesting the utility to create renewable energy options; and
Whereas, In December, 2018, the Wisconsin Electric Power Company received
Wisconsin Public Service Commission approval to offer customers solar energy through two new programs, referred to as Solar Now and the Dedicated Renewable Energy
Resource; and
Whereas, Through their Solar Now program, the Wisconsin Electric Power Company would lease a city-owned land for twenty years to locate a solar energy system that the utility owns and maintains; and
Whereas, In accordance with the Public Service Commission approved Solar Now program, the utility would make annual payments to the City for use of this land, a new
City revenue which can be used to support additional city environmental sustainability priorities; and
Whereas, through the Solar Now program, the City can elect to receive the Renewable
Resource Credits associated with the project as a key metric toward achieving the City of Milwaukee’s 25 percent by 2025 renewable energy goal; and
Whereas, Solar Now is a pilot program and total capacity for all Wisconsin Electric
Power Company customers is 35 megawatts; and
Whereas, Any individual customer under the Solar Now pilot program is capped at 2.25 megawatts; and
Whereas, The Department of City Development and Environmental Collaboration Office have identified the closed landfill at 1600 E College Avenue as a suitable use for the program with no current opportunity costs and high levels of security; and
Whereas, The City cannot build its own renewable energy on this site because it is not physically connected to a City building’s energy load; and
Whereas, power from the system can support an energy resilience plan for the adjacent
128th Air Refueling Wing, since the most economic route to interconnect the system to
Wisconsin Electric Power Company’s Distribution System is through facilities on the base; and
Whereas, The solar energy system coupled with the 128th Air Refueling Wing’s planned
microgrid supports national security in the event of an area-wide power grid failure; now therefore be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the City of Milwaukee is authorized to lease a portion of the property at 1600 E College Ave to Wisconsin
Electric Power Company for solar energy systems pending applicable regulatory approvals from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Federal Aviation
Administration; and be it
Further Resolved, that Wisconsin Electric Power is authorized to conduct final design and engineering for the Solar Now program at 1600 E College Ave; and be it
Further Resolved, that when We Energies completes final engineering and receives appropriate permissions from the Federal Aviation Administration, Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources, and Wisconsin Air National Guard, and after adoption of the 2020/21 CONE values, the proper City officials are authorized to execute a Solar Now energy service agreement and lease agreement for up to 2.25 megawatts of renewable energy in substantially similar form as the attached agreements; and be it
Further Resolved, that Revenue from the lease is intended to be used to support additional climate action.
Requestor
Department of Administration - Environmental Collaboration Office
Drafter
Erick Shambarger
2/3/2020