Manitowoc's solar garden is now live and transmitting power. MPU general manager Troy Adams says that this is the first community garden with no up front cost in the state According to federal data and MPU research, the solar energy will save users around $9 a month Adams says that the panels are built on an old city dump that cannot be commercialized(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)Public utility leaders are calling the Manitowoc Solar Garden the first of its kind."With this project there is no up front cost and you get the benefit of a lower rate from day one, said Manitowoc Public Utilities general manager Troy Adams.Adams says that the 1500 kilowatt garden went live last week."It's taking the things we've learned and then coming up with another structure to eliminate that barrier to entry for most people, he said.Adams adds that the state allowed the pilot project before any other community."I guess we asked, he joked.Here's how it could benefit youThe city says by joining the pilot project and using solar, you'll get credits to put toward the rest of your energy bill. Based on federal data for the average home, savings would be about $9 dollars a month.Public utilities chief innovation officer, Andy Onesti says 200 people have already signed up to share in the solar."I love doing new things, said Onesti. Being able to do a solar project like this, this is our first large scale solar project and it's just exciting to be involved in seeing the new stuff happening."For now, space is limited with about 10% of available power left to be claimed by anyone in the community."The other piece is just to be part of the community, right. it is a project that everybody's doing and it's kind of neat to be part of a community project."Again, this is just a pilot project, with limited users for now, but the city says they hope to expand if it goes well.For those who are signed up, they'll get about 75% of their power from the garden for the next 20 years.