In case you haven’t heard, the solar electric industry has transformed in our lifetime. In just fifteen years the price of photovoltaic panels has dropped 90% in the U.S. According to an NREL study, between 2010 and 2024 the installed cost of solar arrays dropped in all instances. For example:
At this point solar panels that use sunshine—a fuel available everywhere – is the lowest cost way to generate electricity here in Wisconsin, across the US and across the globe. Solar is also faster to build than fossil fuel alternatives, which is important in a moment when AI is increasing the demand for electricity everywhere. (The cost of batteries and wind power are dropping too – which means we’ve got all the ingredients to achieve our clean energy future vision).
Of course, the enthusiasm for solar power is not universal. President Trump’s administration has been aggressive in cutting federal support for wind and solar, preferring more expensive (and slower to build) fossil fuel options. Indeed, some of the conservative talking points might give you the impression that solar is still a niche solution, expensive and appropriate only in very sunny locations. The reality is that the US added 50 GW of solar power in 2024—more than has been added for any generation source in 20 years—reinforcing that solar works and that it is the low-cost option.
To increase public awareness of the good news around solar energy, Bill McKibben is organizing Sun Day, a national celebration of solar power. There are dozens of Sun Day events across Wisconsin, including a handful here in Dane County. There are opportunities to join others in celebrating the remarkable success of solar power, to tour facilities with solar and even to engage policy makers. (In addition to the Sun Day website, check out this list of Wisconsin activities.)
I’m enthusiastic about solar power for several reasons. First, like McKibben, I’m dazzled by the solar success story; it is amazing that the cheapest way to generate electricity is one that does not require ongoing fuel costs or generate on-site emissions.
I also celebrate solar because it is a clean energy solution that is contagious. Research shows that the best predictor of whether a household will install solar is not income but rather if the household can see a solar installation on a neighbor’s house. Essentially when people see solar in their neighborhood it prompts more solar in the area. And you can witness this here in Dane County where there are numerous neighborhoods where one solar installation led to more down the street. From my perspective the contagion is a superpower of solar because it helps us get more done faster.
The other superpower of solar arrays is that when a household or business installs solar it frequently makes that entity more interested in their energy consumption, leading to increased energy efficiency. So solar is also an energy efficiency catalyst, prompting other clean energy measures. I wish I could tell you that other energy efficiency measures—LED light bulbs, insulation, heat pumps—are catalysts too but I have not seen data supporting that. (When I was with Focus on Energy in the mid-2000s we tried to find evidence that households who participated in lighting programs would then go on to install other measres but there was no evidence.) I’m aware only of both global and Wisconsin research showing that solar installations spur increased engagement in utility bills and, subsequently, additional conservation or efficiency actions. (There’s also a lot of anecdotal evidence of this—just ask someone you know who has solar!)
It all adds up—solar costs have dropped dramatically in the last fifteen years, it is now the cheapest utility-scale option and, when installed at customer sites it is both contagious (spreading to neighbors) and customer-sited solar can inspired increased engagement and action on energy efficiency. Of course we want to celebrate Sun Day!
I hope to see you at a Sun Day event locally. And if you are curious about solar installations across Dane County, check out our Clean Energy Map or our solar pages where we provide more information and resources.
Our clean energy future is a little bit closer, thanks to the progress of the solar energy industry. And I think that’s reason to celebrate.
Kathy is the Director of the Dane County’s Office of Energy and Climate Change. In that role she's leading efforts to implement the Climate Action Plan. Prior to coming to Dane County, Kathy led Cool Choices and, prior to that, she led Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program.
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