Renewable Energy
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Wisconsin is making progress closing coal plants. What’s next for those sites?
The number of large coal-burning power plants in Wisconsin has been cut nearly in half over the last two decades, and three more are expected to come offline by 2026.
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Wisconsin trails most of its neighbors on EV charging stations, requiring careful planning from travelers
Verona resident Libby Belden and her husband chose to buy an electric vehicle almost a year ago. But as Green Bay Packers season ticket holders, they’ve run into hurdles trying to attend games at Lambeau Field. Belden has tickets to two regular season games each season and a preseason game. Since buying an electric SUV,…
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Wisconsin’s largest solar park is now fully operational, featuring 830K panels
The largest solar project in Wisconsin history is now fully operational in Iowa County, its developers announced Thursday. The second phase of the Badger Hollow Solar Park began powering homes and businesses last month. The first phase came online in December 2021. Badger Hollow is a partnership of We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service and Madison…
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Superior’s mayor wants utility regulators to revisit their approval of a $700M gas plant
The mayor of Superior is asking Wisconsin utility regulators to revisit their approval of a roughly $700 million natural gas plant that’s planned to be built in the city. In a letter filed on Jan. 2, Superior Mayor Jim Paine asked the Public Service Commission, or PSC, to conduct a new review of the proposed…
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Wisconsin trails Illinois, Minnesota on solar adoption. Advocates say policy changes could help turn the tide
Wisconsin is lagging behind some of its neighbors in terms of adoption of solar energy, but advocates say a few policy changes could help turn the tide. A state-by-state map of the United States from the Solar Energy Industries Association shows Wisconsin had the second-fewest solar installations among its neighboring states — trailing only Iowa.…
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As utilities close coal-burning plants, debate shifts to role of natural gas in energy future
Utilities say a proposed 625-megawatt power plant in Superior will cut carbon emissions by about 1 million tons each year. But it will do so not by using renewable energy, but by burning natural gas. That has made the proposed Nemadji Trail Energy Center the subject of a yearslong battle, as environmental groups and others…
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GOP bill would pull farmland tax credits from farmers hosting solar power installations
Farm fields with solar power installations would no longer qualify for state tax credits under a new Republican bill. One GOP lawmaker claims it’s about protecting farmland from being used for “nonsense” renewable energy projects. The legislation, introduced by state Rep. Ellen Schutt, R-Clinton, and state Sen. Cory Tomczyk, R-Mosinee, is brief. With two sentences,…
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Wisconsin Democrats unveil legislative package aimed at climate change
Wisconsin Democrats are proposing a package of bills aimed at addressing climate change, but the plans don’t have buy-in from Republicans who run the state Legislature. The 20 bills focus on infrastructure and jobs, with programs also aimed at bringing in farmers and supporting income communities that research shows are disproportionately affected by extreme weather…
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Public Service Commission rejects utility’s proposed changes to residential solar reimbursement
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin last week rejected a proposal by Madison Gas & Electric that would have changed how the utility reimburses residential solar owners for energy they put back into the grid. State regulators are expected to make a decision on a different utility’s proposal to change solar reimbursement later this week.…
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Wisconsin’s largest utility moves up plans to stop using coal as a fuel source
The parent company of We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service announced in an earnings call Tuesday it plans to eliminate coal as an energy source by the end of 2032, three years earlier than it had originally planned. Officials said coal will be used only as a backup fuel source beginning in 2030. Along with…