Wisconsin utility Alliant Energy has energized three solar projects totaling 250 MWac.
The projects are part of Alliant Energy’s Clean Energy Blueprint. Burns & McDonnell performed the engineering, procurement, and construction work on the projects, and will now move on to six additional solar projects within Alliant Energy’s blueprint. The Wood County (150 MWac), Bear Creek (50 MWac), and North Rock (50 MWac) projects are now energized.
Burns & McDonnell detailed challenges that faced the initial suite of projects, including the threat of additional tariffs on solar modules imported from Southeast Asia.
Last March, the Department of Commerce initiated an investigation into whether modules imported from four countries — Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam — were circumventing duties against China. The Auxin Solar tariff petition brought imports, and the broader solar industry, to a halt as buyers feared the potential of retroactive penalties.
To combat the risk, Alliant Energy moved forward with the projects.
Burns & McDonnell said the utility took “a series of proactive steps” including the procurement of 1.5 million bifacial modules in advance of a ruling in the tariff investigation. Trina Solar supplied the modules and was later identified by the Commerce Department as circumventing tari
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