Vista Sands Solar Featured in World Economic Forum Case Study

The World Economic Forum has spotlighted Vista Sands Solar as a model for responsible renewables development. Doral Renewables’ project in Portage County, Wisconsin, is a 1.3 GW (1,315.6 MWac) installation representing more than $1 billion in investment, and it will be the largest solar project in the state. When it entered permitting in early 2024, it faced local concerns about its proximity to the Buena Vista State Wildlife Area, critical habitat for the endangered prairie chicken. Questions about land use, environmental integrity, and community impact put approval at risk.

To strengthen the regulatory case, Doral partnered with Quantum Energy to quantify the project’s public health, ecological, and economic co-benefits beyond traditional emissions metrics. Using the TotalView Energy Platform, Quantum projected that Vista Sands would save 2,485 disability-adjusted life years and deliver $630 million in health and ecosystem benefits in its first year alone. When regulators proposed reducing the project by 365 MW, Quantum’s modeling showed the cut would eliminate 631 of those DALYs and $136 million in first-year benefits. That evidence was instrumental in keeping the project at full scale. In December 2024, Wisconsin regulators approved Vista Sands and praised the project’s community engagement and the quality of its supporting data.

Read the full case study