Hi John,
The new Maplewood Middle School sits in Menasha nestled between the northern shores of Lake Winnebago and the Fox River, serving about 700 students. Coming this fall, students will step into the largest net-zero middle school in the country – producing as much energy as it consumes.
This project was only possible because of the Inflation Reduction Act – the federal legislation that will fund 30 percent of the investment. The school district worked with Miron Construction to install solar panels, geothermal, and battery storage, which will save them $160,000 per year in energy bills – the cost of two teachers.
This clean energy investment is creating a clean environment for the middle school students, supporting 300 good paying jobs for the project, and will allow the school district to reinvest the money they’re saving to benefit their students.
There are at least 134 projects just like this one currently in the works around the state, spurring $8.6 billion in private investment and nearly 7,400 jobs, but the federal funding is at risk.
Republicans in Congress are attempting to shoehorn in the most anti-environmental bill in U.S. history by July 4. The bill would benefit corporate polluters and fossil fuel executives by stalling clean energy projects like this that benefit our communities. Many school districts, local governments, nonprofits, and organizations rely on this 30 percent tax credit to move forward with big investments like solar installations, geothermal, and more.
