Wisconsin officials are gathering public input on how to guide the state’s transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.
Gov. Tony Evers’ administration is developing the state’s first Clean Energy Plan as a guide to meeting his goal of carbon-free electricity generation by 2050 as well as the state’s commitment to cutting at least half of all greenhouse gas emissions by the end of this decade.
“It’s a roadmap for how we’re going to get there,” said Maria Redmond, director of the state’s office of Sustainability and Clean Energy and author of the plan.
While utilities have announced plans to retire three of the state’s six remaining coal-fired power plants by 2025 and replace much of that capacity with solar and wind power, regulators have to ensure electric service is reliable and affordable.
And in spite of the growing market for electric vehicles, the transportation sector is likely to remain the largest source of heat-trapping gases for years to come.
“We’re not going to be able to flip a switch,” Redmond said. “But what can we do now? What levers can we pull? What can we support now within the framework we have available?”
Redmond said the plan must also prioritize environmental justice, “ensuring that everyone can benefit from these promising technology innovations.”
Online meetings
The state has scheduled four online meetings later in October to update the public on the rationale for the plan and hear what people want to see included.
“We’re thinking about certain strategies but we haven’t settled on them,” Redmond said. “We’re making sure we’re heading in the right direction and people have a voice in the process.”
The bill is intended to address ambiguity in state statutes over who is considered a public utility, which has allowed utilities to refuse to connect leased systems to the grid.
Topics include economic and environmental justice; infrastructure and industry; transit and transportation; and clean energy and energy efficiency.
While the plan, called for in a 2019 executive order, will not carry the force of law, Redmond said it will be an actionable framework.
“We’ll measure ourselves along the way — Are we actually reducing emissions? — and make sure we are actually making progress,” she said. “And if we’re not, make adjustments.”
The 10th such solar project considered by Wisconsin regulators, the project highlights the tensions brewing as Wisconsin utilities seek to replace coal-fired power with clean energy.
While acknowledging the transition will not be easy, Redmond points out it has the potential to create jobs and economic growth in addition to reducing pollution. And she notes that of the roughly $19 billion Wisconsin spends each year on energy, about $14 billion leaves the state.
“It’s a culture change. Some things are disruptive,” Redmond said. “When you look at how much we’re spending … How can we generate that in the state?”
Photos: From tree to yard to table, the journey of local black walnuts