Evers tours Hodag Solar Park, weighs in on governor’s race

TOWN OF CRESCENT – Governor Tony Evers toured the Hodag Solar Park in the Town of Crescent late last month, using the visit to spotlight the state’s 2026 Clean Energy Plan Progress Report and to weigh in on the race to succeed him.

The Hodag Solar Park, a 7.5-megawatt facility built on 50 acres near Lake Julia, is the Northwoods’ first large-scale solar installation. Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) says the site’s 21,000 bifacial solar panels – mounted on a system that tracks the sun across the sky – generate enough electricity to power more than 2,000 homes. The facility, constructed by developer OneEnergy Renewables, was acquired by WPS in 2022.

“This project is another example of our commitment to delivering affordable, reliable and clean energy to our customers,” WPS President Scott Lauber said in a January 2022 press release announcing the acquisition. “We’re proud to add another source of renewable energy to power homes and businesses in north central Wisconsin.”

The Hodag park is WPS’s third solar project since 2020, joining the 100-megawatt Two Creeks and Badger Hollow solar parks. Parent company WEC Energy Group has said it plans to eliminate coal from its energy mix by the end of 2032 and reach net carbon-neutral electric generation by 2050.

Report highlights progress, federal headwinds

The governor’s Tuesday, Aug. 25 visit coincided with the release of the state’s fourth annual Clean Energy Plan Progress Report, produced by the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy (OSCE). The report reaffirms Wisconsin’s goal of 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2050, a target Evers set in a 2019 executive order.

Among the report’s findings:

Wisconsin utilities reported a 45 percent reduction in CO2 levels in 2024 compared with 2005 levels, according to the Public Service Commission’s draft Strategic Energy Assessment.

The PSC has approved more than 7,300 megawatts of solar and 118 megawatts of wind statewide as of Aug. 2026, with more under review.

The Focus on Energy program, marking its 25th year, has delivered more than $1 billion in net economic benefits statewide.

The report also points to obstruction from the Trump administration as a threat to continued progress, citing pulled-back federal funding for initiatives such as the state’s proposed green bank.

Evers on the race to succeed him

Asked how the state should balance renewable energy development with preserving farmland, Evers said the decision belongs to landowners, not politicians.

“At the end of the day, what happens with farmland is up to the owner of the farmland,” Evers said. “I know there’s pressure for them to do one thing or the other, but [GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany] needs to recognize that farmers can make decisions without asking him.”

Evers stressed that Tiffany continues to ignore what he described as a more pressing issue for the state’s farmers: trade tensions with Canada following new tariffs announced by the Trump administration.

Evers was also asked about Democratic candidate Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who may be unfamiliar to Northwoods voters compared with Tiffany, a Republican who has represented the region in Congress.

“Mr. Crowley has a really important job in the state of Wisconsin. [He runs] the largest county in the state, and he’s been running it well,” Evers said. “He’s someone that works with others – he would never put himself in a position to say, ‘We want to do X’ without talking to the people who are affected. He’s just a different animal than Tiffany is.”

Evers suggested Tiffany has avoided challenging President Donald Trump for political reasons.

“For some reason – I know it’s a Republican area – [Tiffany] feels he needs to not challenge Donald Trump,” Evers said. “I don’t see that in [Crowley]. He’s smart, he’s deliberate in his thinking, he’s done a good job. He’ll be a great governor for Republicans, Democrats and those that aren’t either.”

Asked about the importance of rural participation in the state’s clean energy future, Evers pointed to northern Wisconsin’s role in hydro power and said future development will need to include input from the communities most affected.

“Whenever plants are built and it’s going to impact northern communities, either on-site or in their pocketbooks, that conversation needs to include them,” he said.