Sun Prairie Solar Resources

Welcome to the City of Sun Prairie's solar resource page. Sun Prairie is seeking ways to enhance the amount of solar energy installed in its community by breaking down barriers related to the zoning ordinance, cost, and permitting times. This webpage represents a collection of solar resources and information for the community. In August of 2007, the first recorded residential solar PV system was installed in Sun Prairie. As of November 2023, Sun Prairie residents and businesses have installed over 290 residential solar PV systems, with a combined rated capacity of over 1,970 kW. Similarly, the City of Sun Prairie has installed three solar PV systems on its municipal facilities (City Hall, Westside Community Services, & the Wastewater Treatment Plant), with additional municipal systems coming online in 2024 and 2025. For more information about the basics of solar energy, your solar options, and questions to ask solar professionals, read the Residential Consumer Guide to Solar Power and visit the Department of Energy's Homeowner's Guide to Going Solar.

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SolSmart Platinum Designation

First in the Midwest and second in the nation!

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In April of 2024, Sun Prairie became the first municipality in the Midwest and the second in the nation to earn a SolSmart Platinum designation by implementing best practices to make solar more accessible and equitable for all. SolSmart is a national program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office with a mission to reduce solar soft costs and help local governments across the United States expand the use of solar energy in its jurisdictions.

Sun Prairie has undertaken various initiatives to earn this prestigious recognition, with notable projects including:

  • Amending Title 17 - Zoning ordinance to eliminate barriers for solar PV deployment.
  • Launching SolarAPP+ to streamline permitting for specific solar installations.
  • Establishing a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Dane County to install solar PV on low-income Habitat homes.
  • Publishing a solar resources webpage.
  • Purchasing renewable energy credits from WPPI Energy to offset municipal energy use.
  • Installing solar PV on a municipal facility.

Sun Prairie is honored to be a Platinum Solsmart Designated Community and is committed to furthering its solar energy objectives, fostering a more sustainable community for everyone.

Solar PV Permitting

The City of Sun Prairie began tracking solar PV installations and permits in 2007. Between 2007 and 2018, the City issued anywhere from 0 to 10 permits annually. It wasn't until the year 2019 that the City experienced its first big jump in permits and issued a total of 39 solar PV permits, which is a five fold increase from the year prior. Since then, the City has continued to issue a high volume of solar PV permits annually with 53 permits being issued in 2023. In 2020, the City issued 72 solar PV permits which is its highest issuance to date. Since 2007, residential PV installations have been inspected on average in 2 days or less upon notification of an inspection request. Prior to implementing SolarAPP+, the City's average turnaround time for approving solar PV permits was 9.7 business days. Now, permitting approval is instant thanks to SolarAPP+.

More information on solar PV permitting

Solar Permit Graph

Last updated: March 4, 2024