The City of Sun Prairie unveiled its recent designation as a SolSmart Platinum community on Wednesday, April 10.
A press conference was held at the Westside Community Services Building, where attendees included supportive residents and local elected officials, such as City Council President Theresa McIlroy and state Sen. Melissa Agard.
Speakers at the event included:
Jake King, City Communications and Diversity StrategistDr. Rose Daily, City Sustainability CoordinatorKathy Kuntz, Director of the Dane County Office of Energy & Climate ChangeAaron Oppenheimer, City Administrator
Sun Prairie becomes only the second city in the country to achieve Platinum status, the other being Fremont, CA.
First launched in 2016, SolSmart is a national program lead by American solar energy experts and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office.
The organization helps local governments achieve best practices for expanding and promoting solar energy use. They provide no-cost technical assistance in the process and award communities with platinum, gold, silver and bronze designations to recognize their efforts.
In recent years, Sun Prairie has made strides to move the city's operations in a more sustainable direction and made it easier for residents to do the same for themselves.
"This recognition would not be possible without the commitment and talent of our dedicated staff and the unwavering support of our city council. Their commitment to sustainability has been instrumental in achieving this milestone," Dr. Daily said.
The Sun Prairie City Council created the community's first Task Force on Sustainability in May, 2020. The task force was compromised of city council representatives, city staff and Sun Prairie residents.
The team's work culminated in ' A Vision for a Sustainable Sun Prairie ' in 2021. The report has since helped shape the city's journey to promote sustainability and equitably empower residents to do the same.
The council created the city's first standing Sustainability Committee that same year. The committee has met routinely over past three years to continue to the original task force's work, relying on active citizen participation.
In addition to this, the city has revisited it's zoning laws in recent years to make it easier for homeowners to install their own solar power systems.
Sun Prairie also integrated SolarAPP+ in Jan., 2024. The mobile application allows residents to apply for, and receive permits for residential rooftop photovoltaic and battery systems. The automation helps expedite the process, makes it easier for residents to understand and ensures code compliance.
As the municipality moves into the future, its leadership continues to take sustainability efforts seriously.
Plans for the new Public Utilities Facility and the upcoming Public Library expansion incorporate solar energy as well a geothermal heating and cooling.
"Sustainability is a value for us," Oppenheimer said, "that doesn't change as we go along and reach milestones. We continue to live by our values, and so we're going to continue to make progress.
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