Number
231608
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
091066, 191604, 221233
Sponsor
ALD. SPIKER, BAUMAN , BROSTOFF, ZAMARRIPA AND DIMITRIJEVIC
Title
Substitute resolution relating to a lease and service agreements for the construction and operation of an additional solar photovoltaic system on a City-owned closed landfill at 1600 E College Ave and an additional site in Racine County that will allow the City to source an estimated 25% of its electric power needs for general city operations from renewable energy.
Analysis
The City of Milwaukee has established a “25 percent by 2025” renewable energy goal and adopted a Climate and Equity Plan. To help achieve those goals, this resolution authorizes the City departments to execute electric service agreements under the Renewable Pathway program with the Wisconsin Electric Power Company to construct and operate up to 11 megawatts of solar energy including approximately 4.6 megawatts on a portion of the city-owned closed landfill located at 1600 E College Ave and an additional 6 megawatts in Racine County. The service agreements with a five-year term authorize the City to purchase a combined 15,300 100-kwh blocks per month (18.36 GWh per year of clean, renewable energy). Combined with the 2.25 MW previously constructed at 1600 E College Avenue, these additional solar energy systems will allow the City to source 25% of their electric power for municipal buildings, streetlights, and streetcar from renewable energy by the year 2025. Additionally, this resolution authorizes the Environmental Collaboration Office to work with the Wisconsin Electric Power Company to develop a proposal to procure 100% of the city’s municipal electric power and the Water Works electric power needs from renewable sources by 2030.
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 June 20, 2023, the Common Council adopted File Number 221233, approving and directing implementation of the City's Climate and Equity Plan after nearly four years of community engagement through the City-County Task Force on Climate and Economic Equity; and
Whereas, On March 3, 2020, the Common Council adopted File Number authorized a lease and service agreement with Wisconsin Electric Power Company to construct 2.25 megawatts of solar energy on a city owned landfill at 1600 E College Ave; 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 Environmental Collaboration Office worked with consultants and the Wisconsin Electric Power Company to develop the Renewable Pathway pilot program that was approved by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission in 2023; and
Whereas the Renewable Pathway program is an on-bill financing method with transparent and regulated pricing for new solar that does not affect the City’s borrowing capacity; and
Whereas, the Renewable Pathway program will facilitate the development of new solar energy systems that would not have been built but for the City’s commitment; and
Whereas, the program is designed to create local jobs in the construction of new solar; and
Whereas, the Climate and Equity Plan’s “Greening the Grid” Chapter outlines direct purchases of renewable energy from our electric utility through the Renewable Pathway program as a recommended strategy to achieve the “25 x 25” goal; 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; 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 or its contractors is approved to conduct final engineering of the additional project; 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, the proper City officials are authorized to execute Renewable Pathway energy service agreements and lease agreement for a total of 15,300 100-kWh blocks per month (estimated 18.36 GWh per year from solar energy systems with total nameplate capacity up to 11MW) of renewable energy in substantially similar form as the attached agreements; and be it
Further Resolved, that the Environmental Collaboration Office is directed to work with Wisconsin Electric Power Company to identify additional locations for further Council consideration that will allow the City and the Milwaukee Water Works to source up to 100% of municipal electric power needs from renewable energy sources by 2030.
Requestor
Department of Administration - Environmental Collaboration Office
Drafter
Erick Shambarger