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Solar Installer for Wausau and Marathon County, WI

Updated October 2026. Northwind Solar, a worker-owned solar installer based in Amherst, has completed 141 projects in Marathon County since 2008. That includes 70 in Wausau, 19 in Mosinee, 4 in Kronenwetter and 3 in Weston. We design, permit, install and service solar and battery systems for homes, farms, businesses and public buildings in Wausau, Weston, Rib Mountain, Rothschild, Schofield, Mosinee and Kronenwetter. Our Amherst headquarters is about an hour from Wausau via I-39 and US-10.

Marathon County is also where we have installed the most solar capacity: about 4,500 kW, more than any other county we serve.

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Rooftop solar panels on a brick ranch home installed by Northwind Solar
How battery backup works in Central Wisconsin: diagram

What kinds of solar projects do you build around Wausau?

Marathon County looks different from our home county. Our 141 projects here add up to about 4,500 kW. Portage County has more than twice as many Northwind projects but less total capacity. The reason is the project mix: the Wausau area blends homes with larger farm, business and public systems.

What we see most often:

  • Homes in Wausau, Weston, Rothschild and Schofield. Mostly roof mounts on city and subdivision lots. Wausau alone accounts for 70 of our Marathon County projects.
  • Rural acreage around Rib Mountain, Kronenwetter and Mosinee. A ground mount makes sense when the roof is shaded or faces the wrong way, and it is easier to clear after a big snow.
  • Farms and businesses. Dairy barns, machine sheds and shop buildings often have large open roofs and daytime loads that line up with solar production.
  • Battery backup. Wind and ice storms can take down rural lines. A battery can keep a well pump, furnace and freezer running.

Market context: EnergySage's October 2026 local data for Wausau shows an average quoted system of 11.81 kW at about $3.31 per watt before incentives, with an estimated payback of 14.65 years. EnergySage does not publish the assumptions behind this estimate, so treat it as a rough benchmark, not a promise. Those are marketplace averages, not Northwind prices. Your number depends on your roof, your electric use and the equipment you choose. Ask us for a free estimate to see yours.

monitoring ap

Which utility will my Wausau-area solar system connect to?

Most homes and businesses in Wausau, Schofield, Rothschild and Mosinee are on Wisconsin Public Service (WPS). WPS's tariff also lists Rib Mountain and Kronenwetter among the communities it serves. WPS is the utility we work with most: 494 Northwind projects are WPS customers.

Some rural homes and farms belong to electric co-ops. Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative covers parts of Marathon County, and Clark Electric Cooperative's territory has reached into the county's west side since 1937. The Village of Stratford has its own municipal utility, Stratford Water & Electric.

UtilityWhat to know
WPSTariff includes a net energy billing rider (PG-4) for qualifying customer-owned systems.
Central Wisconsin Electric CooperativeAs of October 2026, not on Focus on Energy's participating-utility list. Ask the co-op about its own programs.
Clark Electric Cooperative, Stratford Water & ElectricBoth are Focus on Energy participating utilities.

For 2026, Focus on Energy pays $600 per kW, up to $2,400, for qualifying home systems purchased and installed in 2026. The Public Service Commission is still reviewing net metering, so rules for new customers could change. See our incentives page and net metering explainer.

Sources: WPS municipalities served; WPS tariff index; Focus on Energy participating utilities; PSC rebate announcement; RENEW Wisconsin; EnergySage Wausau data; USDA REAP final rule (Federal Register).

Built for Marathon County conditions

These are the four things Wausau-area owners most often ask us to plan for.

Farm and business roofs

Machine sheds, barns and shop buildings often have wide roofs and steady daytime use. Focus on Energy's 2026 business rebate pays $600 per kW up to $2,400, then $50 per kW above that, up to $25,000. Farms should also check USDA's new REAP rules before planning a project.

Snow and cold

Cold weather does not hurt solar panels; they actually run more efficiently when it's cold. Snow is the real issue. We plan tilt and placement so snow can slide off, and expect low output in December and January with the most production in spring and summer.

Backup when lines go down

143 of our projects include battery storage. We install Tesla Powerwall 3, FranklinWH aPower S and aPower 2, and Enphase IQ Battery 10C. On a rural road, a battery can keep the well pump, furnace fan and freezer going until power comes back. Learn about solar plus storage.

Help with systems others installed

If the company that installed your system has closed or stopped returning calls, we can help. We service and repair systems another company put in, including inverters, monitoring and wiring, and we can add a battery to an existing array. In WPS territory, adding a battery can change your interconnection and net-metering terms, so we check that before you buy. Start with our service request form.

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How a Wausau-area solar project works

Step 1 – Request a free estimate

Use our estimate form or call 715-630-6451. Have a recent electric bill handy so we can size the system to your actual use.

Step 2 – Site visit and design

We look at your roof, shade and any open ground (common on rural Marathon County lots), then design a roof or ground mount and show you expected production.

Step 3 – Permits and interconnection

We handle local permits and the interconnection application with WPS or your electric co-op.

Step 4 – Installation and approval

Our crew installs the panels, inverter and any battery. WPS or your co-op approves the connection before the system is turned on.

Step 5 – Monitoring and service

You can watch production in an app, and our service team is a phone call away if something needs attention.

Frequently Asked questions

Does Northwind Solar install solar in Wausau even though it is based in Amherst?

Yes. Northwind Solar has completed 141 projects in Marathon County since 2008, including 70 in Wausau, 19 in Mosinee, 4 in Kronenwetter and 3 in Weston. Our Amherst headquarters is about an hour from Wausau via I-39 and US-10, and we serve 18 counties across central and northern Wisconsin.

How much do solar panels cost in Wausau?

It depends on system size, roof or ground mount, and whether you add a battery. For market context, EnergySage's October 2026 data for Wausau shows an average of about $3.31 per watt before incentives for an 11.81 kW system. That is a marketplace average, not a Northwind price. We give free, itemized estimates.

Is there still a federal tax credit for home solar in Wausau?

No. The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit does not apply to home solar installed after December 31, 2025. In 2026, Focus on Energy pays $600 per kW, up to $2,400, for qualifying home systems. Applicants agree not to claim the federal homeowner credit for the same system. Business and farm rules differ, so check our incentives page.

Can I put solar on my farm near Wausau and use a USDA REAP grant?

Possibly, but the rules just changed. USDA's final rule (published October 1, 2026, effective October 16) says the project must be finished 12 to 24 months before you apply, with 12 months of production data. Ground-mounted solar on certified cropland is not eligible, and neither is any system with a component made in a country the federal government names as a foreign adversary. A roof-mounted array on a barn or shed, or a ground mount on non-crop land, may fit better. Ask us to walk through your site before you plan around a grant.

Do solar panels work in a Wausau winter?

Yes. Panels produce power on cold, clear days and run more efficiently in the cold. Snow cover is what stops production, and it usually slides off a tilted array within days of a storm. Expect your lowest output in December and January and your highest from late spring through summer.

I'm a Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative member. Can I still go solar?

Yes. Sixty Northwind projects are Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative customers, so we know the co-op's interconnection process. One difference: as of October 2026, the co-op is not on Focus on Energy's participating-utility list, so the Focus solar rebate may not apply. Ask the co-op about its own programs before you sign.

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