City celebrates new solar powered utility garage
By Joe Bachman
Editor
STEVENS POINT — City and county leaders celebrated the new utility garage at the Wastewater Department on Tuesday afternoon, which contains the largest solar array in Stevens Point.
“Some of the features that this building has are pretty astonishing.” said Mayor Mike Wiza.
The facility holds a 130 kilowatt solar array to help top one of the many energy-saving features of the utility garage. It contains 380 solar modules that delivers DC electricity with two converters.
“Solar is a great example of local government leading the way,” said Doug Stingle of Northwind Renewable Energy. “Perhaps most importantly, facing changing climate that is influenced heavily by burning fossil fuels. Clean solar power is a real and tangible way for local government to lead us into a bright future.”
Between utilizing natural light and lighting timers, the facility leads the way for future energy-efficient buildings in the area.
“I’d like to think of Stevens Point as being very conservation-oriented,” said Wiza. “Always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint, increase efficiencies, and taking care of our planet. And this is one of the ways we’re going to be leading by example.”
The new facility is located across from the Wastewater Treatment plant at 300 Bliss Ave.