FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2025
Contact:
Phil Grupe, Sustainability Specialist
(608) 270-4259
phil.grupe@fitchburgwi.gov
City of Fitchburg Achieves Gold SolSmart Designation for Excellence in Solar Leadership
Fitchburg, WI - The City of Fitchburg is proud to announce that it has been upgraded from Bronze to Gold level in the U.S. Department of Energy’s SolSmart program, a national initiative designed to help local governments streamline solar processes, reduce soft costs, and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
Fitchburg was first awarded Bronze designation in 2019, earning special recognition in the Inspection category. Thanks to continued efforts by the Planning and Building Inspection departments over the last 18 months, the City has now advanced all the way to Gold, one of the program’s highest honors.
“With this Gold designation, Fitchburg continues to demonstrate strong leadership in reducing barriers to solar energy adoption and supporting our residents and businesses in transitioning to renewable energy,” said Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta. “This recognition reflects the dedication of staff who consistently work to improve our processes and serve our community.”
The SolSmart program evaluates communities on their permitting, inspections, zoning, planning, and community engagement practices. Fitchburg’s upgraded designation highlights improvements made to streamline solar permitting and inspections, enhance clarity of local ordinances, and expand access to educational resources for residents and installers.
With this achievement, Fitchburg becomes one of only 12 local governments in Wisconsin to reach Gold status or higher. Fitchburg joins Dane County, Madison, McFarland, and Sun Prairie as regional leaders in solar permitting and policy innovation.
About SolSmart
SolSmart is a national designation program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. Since 2016, the program has provided technical assistance and recognition to local governments that remove obstacles to solar energy development and foster robust local solar markets.
For more information, visit www.solsmart.org.
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