Oct. 12, 2025
VERNON COUNTY, Wis. — The Vernon County Energy District (VCED) hosted its inaugural Solar Tour on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, offering residents a hands-on look at solar installations across the region. Held from 9 a.m. to noon, the educational event showcased a range of systems—from utility-scale arrays to self-installed off-grid setups—highlighting how solar power is being used to meet diverse energy needs.
Participants learned the differences between grid-tied and off-grid systems and explored how solar energy supports homes, farms, businesses, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and appliances such as refrigerators, stoves and freezers.
kW roof mounted solar generation
Installation methods on display included ground mounts, roof mounts, ballasted systems, adjustable and fixed racks, homemade designs, and vertical racking along agricultural fence lines.
“We are thrilled to present this inaugural Solar Tour to our community,” said Al Buss, VCED president. “It’s an incredible chance to see firsthand how our neighbors are embracing solar power and to understand the many innovative ways it’s being integrated into homes, businesses and farmland. Our aim is to show what’s possible.”
Tour stops included:
- Village of Viola Utility: A utility-scale solar system with battery storage that improves reliability and reduces costs for the village.
- Buss Farm: A 28.8 kW self-installed, off-grid vertical array using bifacial panels in a U-shaped configuration to capture sunlight throughout the day. The system powers an all-electric home, including EV charging, heating and cooling.
- Hickory Hill Motel: A 21.6 kW system installed in 2024 with support from a USDA REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) grant, which covered half of the $70,000 cost.
- Kroska Home: A 4.7 kW system installed in 2025 powers an underground residence and outdoor heat pump.
- Wonderstate Coffee Roaster and Food Enterprise Center: A ground-mounted, ballasted system supporting local food and beverage operations.
- Sleepy Hollow Ford: The county’s largest commercial solar installation at 145 kW, covering the dealership’s annual electricity needs. During the tour, staff demonstrated the system’s monitoring software.
panels arranged in a U shape catch the rising and setting sun on the East and West sides and
the panels on the North side of this arrangement catch the midday sun. Using battery storage
this off-grid system meets 100% of the power needs for this all electric family home including EV
charging, heating, and cooling – Vernon County Energy District photo
Lunch was catered by Noble Rind. Organizers included Jon Passi, Robert Ribbens, Alan Buss and Andy Marshall.
VCED promotes energy independence and resilience in Vernon County through education, outreach and community initiatives. More information is available at www.vced.energy.
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