Madison solar energy project receives investment from USDA
By Brian Beach 
, Reporter Nebraska Public Media
July 16, 2024, 4 p.m. ·
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A solar energy project in Madison, Nebraska was selected to receive a Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA is providing the developer, Bluestem Energy Solutions, with a loan that is 40% forgiven.
Bluestem Vice President Will Crane said the partially forgivable loan is a big reason why his company is building the solar facility in Madison.
After the facility is built, Bluestem will sell the electricity generated to the City of Madison through a 25-year agreement.
"One of the benefits of this model is a private company takes on the investment through different sources like RUS (Rural Utility Service) and other financing sources, and then simply provides a power price to the to the local community, so they don't have to take on any of the capital expenditure that is required for these projects," Crane said.
Clare Sierawski, who leads energy policy for USDA’s Rural Development mission area, visited Madison Tuesday and said the solar facility could spur economic development and help residents save money.
“Solar and wind is the is now the cheapest form of energy, a lot more affordable than its fossil fuel counterparts, and so it can lower costs for communities,” she said.
Madison Mayor Rob Fite said the investment will help the city’s power grid become more resilient to outages.
“For us, I think maybe the biggest sort of benefit is it’s going to create some stability when it comes to our energy system,” Fite said. “It’s also going to lead to some savings.”
Fite said the project could bring about $1.5 million to the community through tax revenue and economic development.
The project will break ground in early September and is expected to be fully operational by January 2025.
Upon completion, the facility will supply 300-450 homes with solar power and contribute around 10% of the city's total power.
The Madison solar facility is the third clean energy project in Nebraska to receive a PACE investment.
The village of Emerson and Midwest Electric Cooperative Corporation, which is building solar facilities for communities in Grant, Lakeview, Paxton and Wallace, were selected for PACE awards earlier in the year.