Contact: Kelley A. Welf
651-644-3400 x13
kwelf@windonthewires.org
Wind Industry Applauds Wisconsin’s Early Achievement of RPS Goal
MADISON, WISC. (June 12, 2014) – Today, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin announced that Wisconsin utilities have achieved the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard of 10% by 2015, nearly two years ahead of schedule.
“Wind on the Wires congratulates Wisconsin’s utilities for achieving their RPS goal early,” said Wind on the Wires Executive Director Beth Soholt. “Best of all, they were able to successfully achieve this goal with only a very limited impact on ratepayers.” The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin last estimated the cost of implementing the RPS at just a 1% total increase in rates.
The Renewable Portfolio Standard in Wisconsin has driven economic development and capital investment in Wisconsin, while hedging against the pending Environmental Protection Agency power plant regulations and volatile fossil fuel costs. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reports that more than $1.3 billion of capital has been invested in the state from the wind industry, and landowners receive land lease payments of more than $2 million per year.
According to AWEA, in the Upper Midwest, wind energy has provided more than 80% of all new electric generating capacity from 2011-2013. In Wisconsin, however, wind provides just 2.4% of the state’s electricity needs compared to 27.4% in Iowa and 15.7% in Minnesota. Yet, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory data, Wisconsin has enough wind power to meet four times the state’s electricity needs.
“Wisconsin has the lowest RPS in the country, and given the success of the 10% by 2015 standard, it’s time to increase it further to spur more economic growth and further reduce carbon emissions,” said Soholt. “Wind power costs have dropped 43% in just four years, and the states with the most wind energy are actually saving money on their electric bills. Wisconsin should take advantage of this opportunity to invest further in wind energy, which is the cleanest source of low-cost utility-scale electricity production available today.”
