Community Solar Builds Opportunity

The Wisconsin legislature is currently considering a bill to launch a community solar program that will create jobs, workforce equity, and real savings for families. Community solar works. I know this because I’ve seen it firsthand.

LiveWire Construction, a union-owned, construction and electrical contractor, has been an active participant in Illinois’ flagship community solar program, Illinois Shines. Since the program began in 2022, the company has experienced extraordinary growth. LiveWire has delivered more than 40 megawatts of community solar projects across the State of Illinois, both as a subcontractor and as a full Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) partner. Over the past few years, the company’s revenue has doubled. LiveWire now employs nearly 200 employees and is working on another 50 MW of community solar projects in backlog going through 2027.

That growth did not happen by accident. Community solar made it possible.

Like many small businesses, LiveWire started modestly, quite literally out of the founder and CEO’s basement. Over time, the company built a reputation as a reliable union electrical subcontractor for many projects in and around the Chicagoland area. From hospitals and schools to casinos and transportation, LiveWire has helped improve the infrastructure of the greater Chicagoland area. However, it was community solar that enabled LiveWire to scale up its resources invest in its workforce across the entire State of Illinois, expand its capabilities, and sign its first two contracts as a turnkey EPC. Those opportunities translated directly into stable, well-paying union jobs throughout the State of Illinois, long-term career paths for its workforce, and sustained business investment.

The story doesn’t end with a company’s balance sheet. The projects being built deliver real benefits to working families. Community solar helps families, small businesses, schools, and nonprofits reduce their utility bills. At the same time, these projects create pathways into the trades for a diverse and equitable workforce, strengthening local economies rather than outsourcing jobs from out of state.

Community solar has the potential to create new construction activity, workforce development opportunities, and meaningful consumer savings. For union contractors, small and diverse businesses, and skilled tradespeople across the state, it would mean a chance to grow locally, just as LiveWire has in Illinois. For residents, it would mean access to clean energy and lower energy costs without upfront barriers.

I encourage legislators, Democrats and Republicans alike, to support community solar in Wisconsin. The future is renewable energy, and community solar is the pathway to bring its benefits to ratepayers, families, and local contractors in Wisconsin.