Arch Solar and SolarEdge Help City of Edgerton Offset 64% of Municipal Energy Costs
Five-building portfolio demonstrates community stewardship with inverter upgrades and EV charging integration
Arch Solar and SolarEdge Help City of Edgerton Offset 64% of Municipal Energy Costs
Five-building portfolio demonstrates community stewardship with inverter upgrades and EV charging integration
Solar Savings, ROI & Production
- Year 1 Production: 74,000 kWh annually
- Year 1 Utility Savings: $8,880
- Energy Offset: 64% of municipal building consumption
- Payback Period: 10.4 years
- Lifetime Savings: $260,000
- Carbon Reduction: 25.3 metric tons CO₂e annually
Equipment specs
- Inverters: (4) SolarEdge SE10K Inverters + (1) SolarEdge SE17.3K Inverter + (1) SolarEdge SE7.6K Inverter
- Power Optimizers: 127 x SolarEdge Power Optimizers (including 28 P1101 units for City Hall upgrade)
- Modules: 127 Boviet 545W Solar Modules
Installer Insight
Managing five municipal buildings with critical 24/7 operations required careful coordination and minimal downtime. SolarEdge Designer software helped us optimize system stringing for each building's unique layout and shading conditions. The ease of installation and clear monitoring visibility made it possible to deploy across the DPW Garage, Library, Police Department, Water Building, and upgrade City Hall—all while keeping essential city services running.
Harlan Ward
Senior Business Developer, Arch Solar
Comprehensive Municipal Solar Portfolio with Inverter Upgrade and EV Integration
Arch Solar, a leading developer of municipal solar projects in Wisconsin, partnered with the City of Edgerton on a comprehensive clean energy initiative spanning five city buildings. Beyond new solar installations, the project included an inverter upgrade at City Hall's existing system and EV charger installations at the Police Department and DPW buildings, demonstrating an integrated approach to municipal electrification.
HIGHLIGHTS: Multi-building municipal portfolios require flexible inverter sizing, careful coordination around critical operations, and design tools that optimize for varied layouts—all enabled by SolarEdge's scalable product line and Designer software.
The Challenge
Coordinating Solar Across Critical Municipal Operations
The City of Edgerton sought to reduce energy costs, demonstrate long-term community stewardship, and advance its commitment to clean energy as a major milestone in the city's sustainability efforts.
The project faced unique municipal challenges:
- Five Buildings, Five Unique Layouts: New installations at the DPW Garage, Library, Police Department, and Water Building, plus an inverter upgrade at City Hall, each presented distinct layouts, shading issues, and design requirements requiring customized solutions.
- Critical Operations Continuity: These buildings house essential public services—emergency response, public works, water infrastructure, and community resources—that keep Edgerton running and safe. Coordinating construction and scheduling power outages without disrupting operations was essential.
- Cost-Effective Portfolio Management: With limited municipal budgets, the city needed a solution that would deliver strong ROI while maintaining reliable performance across diverse building types and sizes ranging from 7.6 kW to 24 kW.
- System Optimization: Each rooftop required careful string design to maximize production despite varying orientations, shading patterns, and electrical configurations.
The Solution
SolarEdge Designer Software + Flexible Multi-Site Architecture
Arch Solar deployed SolarEdge's flexible inverter portfolio—ranging from 7.6 kW to 17.3 kW units—using SolarEdge Designer software to optimize system stringing and performance for each building's unique conditions.
Key features:
- SolarEdge Designer Optimization: Design software enabled precise system stringing optimization for each building's specific layout, shading conditions, and electrical requirements, maximizing energy production across the portfolio.
- Flexible Inverter Sizing: Six different inverter configurations (ranging from SE7.6K to SE17.3K) matched each building's exact capacity needs without over- or under-sizing, optimizing both performance and budget.
- Inverter Upgrade Integration: City Hall's existing solar system received a modern SE10K inverter upgrade with 28 P1101 power optimizers, extending the life and improving monitoring of the legacy installation.
- ONE for C&I Monitoring Platform: SolarEdge monitoring platform provides consistent, granular monitoring across all five buildings, simplifying operations for city facilities management.
- Integrated EV Charging: Project coordination included EV charger installations at Police Department and DPW buildings, supporting the city's broader electrification goals.
Benefits
Comprehensive Clean Energy Milestone for Growing Community
Key benefits include:
- 64% Energy Offset – Solar covers nearly two-thirds of electricity consumption across five municipal buildings
- $8,880 Annual Savings – Immediate utility bill reduction with $260,000 in lifetime savings projected
- 10.4-Year Payback – Strong ROI on taxpayer investment in sustainability infrastructure
- 74,000 kWh Annual Production – Consistent clean energy across municipal portfolio
- 25.3 Metric Tons CO₂e Avoided Annually – Measurable environmental impact supporting climate goals
- Modernized City Hall System – Inverter upgrade extends life and improves monitoring of existing installation
- EV Infrastructure Ready – Coordinated charger installations at Police and DPW support fleet electrification
Community Impact
This project represents a major milestone in the City of Edgerton's ongoing efforts to improve sustainability and reduce its carbon footprint. By addressing five critical municipal buildings in a single coordinated effort—including both new installations and system upgrades—the city demonstrates comprehensive leadership in clean energy adoption.
The integrated approach, which includes solar installations, inverter modernization, and EV charging infrastructure, positions Edgerton as a model for other small municipalities seeking to reduce operating costs while advancing environmental stewardship. While there are no immediate expansion plans, the city remains open to adding solar at additional public sites in the future.
Environmental Savings
This PV system produces energy equivalent to:
