Clean Wisconsin is helping chart a new path forward in discussions about clean energy that are too often littered with misinformation and distrust. Last fall, we began an engagement project, in partnership with the Great Plains Institute and US Solar, centered around a potential 50-megawatt solar project in Bristol, Wisconsin.
When projects like this are proposed, they are often met with surprise, anger, and fear from the local community. Residents may feel like they are losing control of their local landscape, and that can create resentment and fuel strong opposition to clean energy projects. Developers and residents often find themselves gearing up for a polarized fight in these situations, but in Bristol, we tried something new.
Clean Wisconsin and our partners sought to work with the local community by soliciting feedback from residents before the permit application was even submitted. This early engagement meant that community members could influence design elements and community benefits in ways that may not have been possible if they were engaged on a typical timeline, after the permit is submitted. Our team was uniquely well suited to help facilitate this engagement by drawing on our green infrastructure, renewable energy, water quality, and stakeholder engagement expertise. That expertise allowed us to share clear information about the potential positive impacts of transitioning the land from crop rotation to a solar farm.
Effectively communicating those potential benefits required in-person engagement through canvassing and workshops. With mailers, social media ads, and door knocking, we turned people out to each of our three workshops. These gatherings created space for learning, dialogue, and connection. Attendees received information about solar development and the potential benefits for storm water management and water quality improvements at an impaired lake nearby. Residents were also able to connect with each other about their concerns and hopes for the solar farm.
Participants largely entered the meeting opposed to new solar developments. But over the course of each meeting, their perspective broadened — even in small ways. In one instance, a neighbor shared their concern about the current land use and the spreading of municipal bio-solids near their private well. That neighbor seemed open to solar as a preferred land use— one that could better protect their water. Interactions like that didn’t necessarily convert opposition to support, but they did reduce hostility and increase understanding.
Despite the generally emotional nature of the meetings, many participants still appreciated the opportunity to give useful feedback on the project. They shared preferences for fencing, access roads, and plantings around the site. Attendees also shared ideas for possible community benefits like donations to local organizations or the fire department.
The next step in the process is for US Solar to incorporate feedback into the application as the siting and permitting process moves forward through the local government. Clean Wisconsin brought its breadth of skill and expertise to help move this project forward in a way that feels a bit more like collaboration and less like domination. We believe thoughtful, consequential community engagement is essential to ensure clean energy projects provide a win-win-win for local communities, the climate, and the environment.
