Milwaukee’s largest solar installation comes online | Projects Weekly
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This week on Projects Weekly, a capped landfill on the outskirts of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is now home to the city’s largest solar installation. The solar world is also going through a financing spree, with 38 Degrees North, Generate Capital, Jupiter Power, and EDF Power Solutions North America all securing funds for upcoming projects. FlexGen has also partnered with Lightshift to supply EMS products for a suite of 16 energy storage projects. in Massachusetts, Northern Sun has begun construction on a duo of new community solar projects for GeoFire Solar. Keep reading for all the details!
38 Degrees North secures $260 million credit with Apterra for community solar
Community solar and distributed renewables platform 38 Degrees North has closed on a $260 million credit facility with Apterra Infrastructure Capital, supporting community solar across New York and Illinois.
Ryan Bennett, partner at 38 Degrees North, says New York and Illinois “continue to be among the most active community solar programs in the country.” As both states continue to bring community solar online, Bennett and the team say they hope to strike while the iron is hot.
“As project queues lengthen, developers with permitted, ready-to-build pipelines and the capital to finance them are best positioned to convert that backlog into operating assets,” says Ryan Bennett, partner at 38 Degrees North. “Combined with the HoldCo facility we announced with EIG last month, we have secured strong financial backing from highly sophisticated institutional capital partners. We are exceptionally well positioned to advance on the significant growth opportunity ahead.”
Bright spot: The transaction follows 38 Degrees North’s closing of a holding company facility with, which the firm announced in August 2026. The company has raised more than $1.7 billion in capital as of September 2026, and continues to expand its portfolio in community solar and distributed generation across the U.S.
“The strong demand this facility attracted underscores the depth of institutional interest in well-structured community solar credit with developers who demonstrate consistent execution,” says Apterra co-CEO Ralph Cho. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with 38DN as the company advances its growth strategy.”
Generate Capital closes $117 Million community solar financing with MUFG
Energy investment firm Generate Capital has closed on a $117 million term debt facility with MUFG, aiming to financing a portfolio of 18 community solar projects across Illinois and New York.
The transaction is Generate’s first community solar financing with MUFG, and further expands its network of institutional financing partners. The debt facility will cover 114 MWdc worth of solar across the two states, and supports Generate’s community solar infrastructure investments.
“The closing of this facility with MUFG further expands our financing partner network and provides additional capital to support the continued growth of our community solar platform,” says Ed Bossange, chief capital formation officer at Generate Capital. “Combined with the significant financing activity we completed during the first half of the year, this transaction reflects the strength of our platform and our ability to attract capital from leading institutions across a diverse range of infrastructure solutions.”
Bright spot: The transaction builds on “significant capital formation momentum” for Generate, which the company has built throughout 2026. The company says it has closed on approximately $1.4 billion in financing commitments during the first half of the year alone, including the closure of a 104 MW community solar portfolio.
The company says Generate’s recent activity in the financing world “reflects continued institutional demand for high-quality infrastructure assets with long-term contracted cash flows.”
“We are pleased to partner with Generate on this financing and support the continued growth of its community solar platform,” says MUFG managing director Fred Zelaya. “Generate has built a strong track record of developing and operating high-quality distributed energy assets, and this transaction reflects our shared commitment to financing critical infrastructure that delivers reliable, affordable power to communities across the country.”
Milwaukee officials cut ribbon on city’s biggest solar project
A landfill near Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport is now home to the Cream City’s largest solar installation, set to fully power 80 city buildings with renewable energy.
The 6.85 MW installation was developed by the city in conjunction with SunVest and We Energies. SunVest engineered and built the new solar array under We Energies’s state-approved Renewable Pathway Program, and the Wisconsin-based utility firm will own the site going forward.
The new site immediately triples the city’s total solar installation, expanding on a 4.6 MW solar farm that SunVest built on the property in 2021.
“With the completion of this project, 80 city buildings are now powered by 100% renewable energy,” says Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. Most of those buildings are fire stations, libraries and police stations.
Bright spot: The new solar installation breathes new life into one of the city’s capped landfills, leaving the team to work around engineering demands that “most solar projects never encounter.” Despite the rare design requirements and a lack of ability to anchor the array into the ground, the firms say the project’s specifications meet and exceed all standards.
“This was a fun yet challenging site for the company,” says senior project manager Dave Mason. “We designed a ballasted racking system for the project — the panels are held in place by weight rather than being anchored into the ground, which let us build the array on top of the landfill without ever compromising the cap underneath it.”
FlexGen partners with Lightshift Energy for 16 battery projects
Battery and energy management system (EMS) provider FlexGen Power Systems has partnered with energy storage developer Lightshift Energy to expand a partnership across a suite of 16 battery projects across Massachusetts, Virginia, and Vermont.
The partnership will supply EMS products to each of the battery projects, allowing their charge and discharge periods to be more accurate than ever. Six projects are already complete as of Sept. 16, 2026, delivering about 25 MW / 85 MWh to the grid. The companies say the remaining ten projects will deliver more than 55 MW / 200 MWh, and are already under construction.
“Across New England and the PJM region, growing energy demand is driving utilities to explore solutions to strengthen their local grids while reducing costs for residents,” says Joe Leavitt, CTO of Lightshift Energy. “Our work with FlexGen has created a strong model for the deployment of battery storage assets across sites with various technologies and unique needs.
“As we expand our portfolio, we look forward to building on that successful track record as we continue to help utility partners meet growing demand, manage costs for the communities they serve, and strengthen grid reliability and resilience.”
Bright spot: Lightshift has consistently chosen FlexGen and its HybridOS for additional battery projects since the partnership formed in 2024. The projects between the two companies have spanned a number of “diverse use cases” between utility customers.
FlexGen and Lightshift officials say the companies plan to continue growing their combined project portfolio through sites like Danville II, an 11 MW project with Danville Utilities. The site will act as a grid peak shaving asset, and further the city of Danville, Virginia’s commitment to reducing energy costs for residents.
Jupiter Power secures $1.4 billion for ten battery projects
Jupiter Power has closed on $1.4 billion in financing across four separate transactions, the company says, working to support a portfolio of ten utility-scale battery projects across Texas and Michigan.
In total, the projects will deliver 1.5 GW / 3.6 GWh of capacity across the two states. The transactions needed to fund the sites included senior secured project debt, tax equity bridge loans, and an investment-grade U.S. private placement, according to Jupiter Power representatives.
“These financings are collectively a testament to the depth and diversity of our capital markets relationships and our execution capabilities,” says Jesse Campbell, the company’s CFO. “With strong, steady growth and a deep project pipeline, Jupiter is building one of the most robust energy storage platforms in the country.”
The transactions bring total financings for the company to more than $3 billion since its inception in 2017. In terms of installations, the company currently has about 5.6 GW / 19.7 GWh of projects either in operation, in construction, or under contract. Additionally, the firm says it has 23 GW of projects in development across a number of major U.S. markets.
Bright spot: In July 2026, the firm closed on its largest project financing to date, a $536 million senior secured facility consisting of several smaller subtransactions. That financing will fund a trio of Texas projects, in the form of Tidwell Prairie II, Bee Branch and Barton Branch.
“HSBC is pleased to support Jupiter Power’s growth, including as a lender on its recent project financing and as a placement agent on its inaugural private placement,” says Paul Snow, head of renewables in the Americas at HSBC. “We value our ongoing relationship, and the role energy storage can play in supporting grid resilience.”
Northern Sun begins construction on solar and storage portfolio for GeoFire Solar
Floridian solar developer Northern Sun has broken ground on its latest project, a duo of solar and storage projects for GeoFire Solar in Swansea, Massachusetts.
Totaling 11.5 MWdc of solar and a 10 MWh battery storage component, the two community solar projects are part of the state’s SMART 3.0 solar incentive program. Both projects utilize DC batteries rather than AC units, bringing down the number of electrical conversions needed to take place for the power to serve the community, and therefore losing less power through conversions.
“Getting a DC-coupled battery project right means collaborating closely with all stakeholders and regulators before you break ground,” says Chris Balogh, VP and co-founder of Northern Sun Energy. “At Swansea, we engaged AHJs and third-party reviewers well ahead of permit submission, coordinating Emergency Response Plans and site-specific hazard analyses with local fire departments and independent safety reviewers early on.
“This proactive communication and cooperation ensure that the system meets a high bar for safety from day one.”
Bright spot: The Jinko DC battery configuration requires rigorous testing and oversight to ensure fire code compliance and overall safety. Northern Sun was able to address these requirements by working in tandem with equipment integrators and engineers from the design phase, with the team working to resolve battery siting and DC-coupling decisions, among other issues.
“Northern Sun has been a fantastic partner for these projects,” says Zach Grabill, president of GeoFire Solar. “They’re proactive and thorough in everything they do, and committed to timeliness and professionalism. I couldn’t imagine a better partner to work with.”
EDF secures financing for Utah Solar 1 Energy
EDF Power Solutions North America has closed on financing for its Utah Solar 1 Energy project, located in western Utah’s Millard County.
The 394 MWdc project will now move into full construction, and is set to come online by mid-2027, according to company officials.
The project is supported by a 30 year power purchase agreement from the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA). With officials estimating the project will serve customers of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).
“Reaching financial close on Utah Solar 1 reflects strong market confidence in this asset and marks a major milestone for our team,” says Amy Lloyd, CFO of EDF Power Solutions North America. “We appreciate the commitment of SCPPA, LADWP and our financial partners as we advance into construction. In addition to generating clean power, this development delivers meaningful economic benefits for Millard County and funding for Utah public schools through our work with the Utah Trust Lands Administration.”
Bright spot: During peak construction activity, the project is expected to employ more than 400 workers from the western Utah area. Additionally, the site projects to generate more than $40 million in local tax revenue, and an additional $27 million in lease revenue for the Utah Trust Lands Administration.
