Vernon Electric Cooperative’s new Bluff Prairie Community Solar Farm, developed by OneEnergy, LLC, is a local community-based solar solution built right here in our area. Now, as a Vernon Electric member, you can own fully maintained solar panel subscriptions in Vernon Electric’s new community solar farm. Without changing your home or property, you can save money with local clean energy that’s easy, accessible, and affordable!

Frequently Asked Questions

The address of the array is: 
E2263 WI-82
De Soto, WI 54624

Red Mount

 

There are 3,276 solar panels located at the site. 

1,966 of those panels are designated to community solar for VEC Members. Additionally 550 panels of the 1,966 are designed for income eligible members with a high energy burden. 

Vernon Electric Cooperative, Coulee Cap and the Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation partnered together to create Energize Wisconsin. The partnership created the opportunity to offer free access to community solar benefits to households that qualify for energy assistance and have a high energy burden. Couleecap will become a subscriber and will auto-enroll members who qualify. 

The community solar portion of the array consists of approximately 900 kW (kilowatts)
 

When you purchase from the Bluff Prairie Community Solar, it is important to understand you are not purchasing a specific panel. Rather the output produced by the panels. The member will not be responsible for maintenance of their subscription. 

Each month, the total output produced by the community solar array is calculated and divided amongst members who have subscribed. 

The price of each subscription is $50.00. This will be billed on an annual basis. 

How many subscriptions a member can purchase is determined by their kWh usage from the previous three years. For example, if you consumed 9,000 kWh last year, you may be eligible to purchase 9 subscriptions. 

Members will have the opportunity to subscribe each each. If a member no longer wishes to subscribe they will be allowed to opt-out. 

We estimate each panel will produce 960 kWh per year. 

During the summer months (June, July, August) members will receive a rate of 7 cents per kWh

All other months, members will receive a rate of 5.2 cents per kWh

The first year savings is projected to be $56.00 per subscription. This equates to a 12% return on investment.