2025 Solar Group Buy Leaves Central Wisconsin Brighter

Group Buy Results: Savings, Sustainability, and Solar Growth in 2025

After months of community effort, education, and partnership, the 2025 Grow Solar Central Wisconsin Group Buy Program has officially wrapped up, and the results are something for us all to celebrate!

As the trusted local installer, Northwind Solar is proud to have worked alongside the City of Stevens Point, and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) to help homeowners, businesses, and nonprofits in Marathon, Lincoln, Portage, Wausahara, Waupaca, and Wood Counties go solar affordably through the program.

What is a Solar Group Buy?

Solar Group Buy programs bring neighbors together to learn about solar energy and leverage collective buying power to secure lower installation prices. By educating the community, aggregating demand, and streamlining the process, these programs make solar more affordable and help entire communities save on solar together. When federal incentives for renewable energy projects are unpredictable, organizing solar group buy programs is a way for communities to create their own incentives.

2025 Success: Milestones and Big Savings

This year’s group buy program empowered families and businesses to go solar together, making the most of bulk purchasing power to unlock the best possible rates, at a time when electricity costs across Wisconsin continue to climb. By joining forces, participants turned to clean solar energy as a way to take control of their energy future, lock in long-term savings, and protect themselves from unpredictable utility rate hikes.

A Brighter, Cleaner, More Affordable Future: Making an Impact

Grow Solar participants are making a meaningful difference for their own households, businesses, and our entire region by investing in solar for their properties.

Gow Solar 2025 Installs resulted in $79,661 in ANNUAL energy savings!

Grow Solar 2025 installations will generate a combined $79,661 in annual energy savings for all 41 participating households and businesses. Over 25 years, the total combined energy savings among all participants is projected to be nearly $2 million.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration via MREA

This program resulted in 465,456 kWh annually

This year’s Grow Solar program installations will produce a combined 465,456 kWh of clean electricity each year, enough to power an average Wisconsin home for more than 60 years!*

*Based on average annual household electricity use in Wisconsin.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration via MREA

Solar not only saves money, it helps save the planet!

The first year of solar production through this program will provide the following environmental benefits:

Avoid the CO₂ emissions produced by burning 207 tons of coal annually
Offset as much CO₂ as would be sequestered by 7,255 trees grown for ten years
Prevent 372 metric tons of CO₂ emissions each year—the equivalent of 139 trips between New York and LA

Source: EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator via MREA

What Our Program Partners are Saying:

“Northwind has proven to be a capable and reliable partner over several past programs, and their performance in the face of major changes to the solar landscape this year was admirable. They were able to thread the needle of helping as many customers go solar as possible, while also working within challenging new deadlines. We know our program participants are in good hands with Northwind!” — Jeff Schnieder, MREA Solar Program Coordinator

Customer Perspective:

Our team puts customer success, communication, and trust first. Hear from one of our program participants:

“It’s been almost a year since our solar system was installed by Northwind. One of the things that stands out most about our project is the professionalism of the entire team from Northwind. Our questions were answered promptly and always with a tone of respect and appreciation. The installation crew was polite, on time, and gave us regular updates about their progress. The project was completed on time and at the price we contracted. True professionals. The Solar Central Wisconsin Group Buy program and Northwind Renewable Energy have our highest recommendation.” – Greg & Amanda Friese, Stevens Point, Grow Solar Central Wisconsin Group Buy Participants

Curious how solar can work for your property?

While this group buy has officially wrapped up, our mission continues. Interested in exploring solar for your own home or business? Request a consultation today to see how solar can work for you.

For a full background and program details, read our 2025 Program Launch Blog Post.

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