Vista Sands solar project to transform Wisconsin’s energy landscape

A recent impact report shows how a 1.3 GW photovoltaic and 300 MW battery energy storage project under development by Doral Renewables could provide significant benefits in Wisconsin.

The report from consulting firm Quantum Energy details the expected local and regional annual environmental, health and economic benefits of the proposed Vista Sands Solar project awaiting approval by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. The report, commissioned by Doral Renewables, and filed as part of its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity application for project approval, evaluates the potential grid-level reductions in emissions to air, soil and water as well as the corresponding public health, ecosystem and economic impacts if Vista Sands’ full project capacity is brought onto the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) grid.

Proposed for Portage County, Vista Sands represents a significant opportunity for the state of Wisconsin to achieve its net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2050 while also delivering cost-efficient, reliable and environmentally responsible electricity. If approved, the project would be the largest of its kind in Wisconsin, generating enough clean power to energize approximately 200,000 average Wisconsin homes. With no fuel costs, the electricity from solar farms can also be sold at a fixed price over 30 years, avoiding the price fluctuations often found with fossil fuels.

The report from Quantum Energy, a data science and analytics firm funded by the National Science Foundation, utilizes a new impact quantification tool: The TotalView Energy Platform. The tool provides novel and comprehensive insights into grid mix changes and resulting net impacts caused by a new project within an electricity service area by simulating hourly grid-level changes in energy generation and air pollutant emissions, validated against data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The TotalView analysis of Vista Sands’ 1.3 GW solar project demonstrates that the project is expected to achieve improved public health outcomes, enhanced ecosystem quality and biodiversity, and substantial economic gains in the project’s first year of operation.

Renewable power produced by Vista Sands would result in approximately 1,216 GWh less natural gas generation and 950 GWh less coal generation on the MISO regional grid, while adding 2,296 GWh of renewable electricity – meaning 94% of the electricity generated by Vista Sands would displace fossil fuel generation.

The analysis also projects that Vista Sands would avert 3,260 metric tons of soil acidification emissions, along with a significant decrease in other air, land, and water pollutants. Using the leading life cycle assessment metric of Potentially Disappeared Fraction of Species, the report from Quantum Energy projects that Vista Sands would save the equivalent of over five species due to overall emissions avoidance in year one of operations. These soil benefits are in addition to those resulting from Vista Sands’ proposed vegetation management plan. 

“Vista Sands will mark a significant and immediate step toward mitigating the threat of a shifting climate in Wisconsin and nationwide by decreasing reliance on traditional energy sources like coal and natural gas,” said Jon Baker, VP of development for Doral Renewables and Vista Sands project manager. “This meaningfully reduces the amount of harmful pollutants in our air, water and soil that impact human health.”

The combined public health and ecosystem benefits are projected to produce approximately $630 million in economic gains in the first year, primarily attributed to the reduction in healthcare costs and ecosystem preservation services.

“The Vista Sands Solar project is poised to reduce a substantial amount of emissions, reducing the amount of particulates, cancerous and non-cancerous chemicals and compounds ending up in our lungs, soil and water supply,” said Daniel Howard, Ph.D., Quantum Energy CEO and cofounder. “In a state like Wisconsin where a large portion of electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, the net benefits of a project like Vista Sands Solar stand to significantly improve the health of communities, ecosystems and the economy.”

In addition to the data released by Quantum Energy, Strategic Economic Research’s economic impact report for Vista Sands estimates that the project would be a major jobs generator in the region, adding approximately 500 jobs during the construction phase and about 50 permanent jobs thereafter. The project would contribute significantly to the regional economy through capital investments totaling over $1 billion in the first year and approximately $6.5 million more in annual utility aid paid to county and municipal governments.