Altoona's Energy Action Plan Sees Results
City of Altoona earns 2025 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award for efforts 'beyond basic energy-saving measures'
Altoona City Council passed the Altoona Energy Action Plan in 2023 — a project two years in the making — and it's making a positive impact. Altoona was one of 11 recipients of this year’s Energy Efficiency Excellence Awards by Focus On Energy, and the only community from the Chippewa Valley to earn the recognition.
In a ceremony held at Altoona City Hall at the end of June, State Senator Jeff Smith and Commissioner Marcus Hawkins were present to see officials accept the award. Notable energy projects in Altoona included various upgrades – city water pumps are now more energy efficient, as are new city building lights – and its recent designation as a SolSmart community.
Those projects alone are saving Altoona taxpayers about $29,000 a year on their energy bills – which equates to about 392,000 pounds of CO2 saved from entering the atmosphere. More tangibly, that’s enough energy to power 30 homes a year.
“These recipients exemplify innovation and leadership in energy efficiency, going beyond basic energy-saving measures to implement impactful and sustainable solutions,” Focus on Energy Program Director Erin Soman said.
In a community survey which garnered 64 responses, Altoona residents noted several barriers potentially preventing them from investing in renewable energy resources. The top two most significant barriers? Lack of knowledge and cost.
Altoona’s Energy Action Plan details four key energy priorities: Making home and businesses more energy efficient; reducing impacts of climate change; saving money on energy bills, and supporting energy burdened and under-resourced households.
The achieved SolSmart designation – one goal noted in Altoona’s Energy Action Plan – means Altoona has met several of the requirements, including best practices for energy efficiency in a number of categories: permitting and inspection, planning and zoning, government operations, Community engagement, and market development.
In previous years, Chippewa Valley businesses, communities, and organizations have also earned the award (Bloomer’s PMI Manufacturing and UW-Stout were awarded in 2024); notably, of this year’s 11 recipients, four are from Milwaukee.
Learn more about the City of Altoona's energy-saving efforts at www.ci.altoona.wi.us.
