TRENTON — Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services made a commitment to solar energy, unveiling the Trenton Solar Array at Truttmann Field on Thursday, Sept. 20.

The project began during COVID, but supply chain and other issues delayed it.

The land was donated by Tim and Christine Truttmann, and had been in their family for generations.

“They really were hoping that this land could be used from a sustainability project that would be something that would live long beyond their years here,” Pierce Pepin President and CEO Nate Boettcher said.

The project was built in conjunction with West CAP and funded by Wisconsin’s Office of Energy Innovation.

“The goal was to create a seamless, simple way for low-income Wisconsinites to receive the benefits of solar without a huge upfront cost and without a lot of paperwork,” Joe Pater of the Office of Energy Innovation said. “And I think we’ve achieved that.”

The panels can change their tilt automatically to receive more of the sunlight depending where the sun is hitting and are bifacial to pick up sun that hits the bottom of the panels.

Gov. Tony Evers in celebration of National Clean Energy Week visited the solar array, located at 2335 County Road K, on Monday, Sept. 23 as part of a tour to highlight initiatives across the state to bolster clean energy and sustainability.
Last month, Gov. Evers announced the release of the second Clean Energy Plan Progress Report. The progress report showcases Wisconsin’s progress towards minimizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the implementation of clean energy sources while working to create thousands of new jobs and lowering energy bills and prices for working families across Wisconsin.