Thank you!

Thank you for your support of RENEW Wisconsin! 

In 2019, we hit a turning point: the costs of renewable energy are competing with fossil fuels and starting to win. A new energy future is upon us if we can seize it.

More than ever, Wisconsin homes, businesses, and nonprofits are installing solar.  Utility-scale solar power is expanding rapidly and wind energy is coming back to the Badger State. With a new business model, biogas is starting to find new markets.  Electric vehicles and energy storage are charging ahead and hold the promise to further clean up and transform our energy system.

At RENEW Wisconsin, we’ve grown our team to capture these opportunities and drive progress towards our vision of a cleaner, stronger, healthier, and more vibrant Wisconsin, powered by renewable energy.

We are proud of our work and grateful for your support. With Wisconsin currently powered by 11% renewable electricity, there is a lot of work ahead of us to accomplish our clean energy future!

What’s next…

In 2020 and beyond, we will advocate, educate, and collaborate to:

• Make big strides toward increased renewable energy production by supporting high-quality utility-scale solar and wind projects
• Spread the benefits of clean energy throughout Wisconsin with better policies for distributed generation and effectively implementing our Solar for Good and MadiSUN programs
• Push for pilots of electric vehicles, energy storage, and biogas to create best practices and get these markets to the scale we need in Wisconsin
• Build a “chorus of voices” from key stakeholders and bipartisan leaders to ramp up the clean energy transition now underway
• Create jobs in these growing industries all across Wisconsin, and work with partners to educate youth about opportunities to make a positive difference with a career in clean energy

Your support will help us jump-start our efforts in 2020 as we build on this year’s progress.  Together, we can accelerate homegrown, healthy, and smart renewable energy in Wisconsin!

Tyler Huebner • Executive Director

2019 HIGHLIGHTS

• RENEW hosted our 8th Annual Renewable Energy Summit in January, bringing together over 400 renewable energy industry experts, utility leaders, government officials, students and advocates with welcoming remarks by the newly elected Governor Tony Evers.
• RENEW facilitated two Wind Energy Education events in Monroe, WI to answer questions from local residents about wind energy and wind projects being proposed in Lafayette and Green Counties. In September, the 65 MW Sugar River Wind Farm was approved by Green County.
• With RENEW Wisconsin support and local advocacy, the Richland County Zoning and Land Information Committee unanimously approved a brand new, nearly 50 megawatt solar farm.
• In July, Governor Evers signed the State Budget designating up to $10 million of Volkswagen Settlement funding for electric vehicle charging stations.
• RENEW’s UW-Energy Analysis and Policy intern, William Dean, completed and reported on a research project that analyzed the intersections of utility-scale solar PV and agricultural land use.
• In September, the RENEW team led a bike tour of renewable energy installations in the Fox Cities at our annual Ride with RENEW fundraiser.
• The Wisconsin Public Service Commission approved two solar projects, Badger Hollow (300 MW) and Two Creeks (150 MW) that will lead to a five-fold expansion of solar energy in Wisconsin. The Badger Hollow Solar Farm project in Iowa County will likely become the largest solar electric plant in the Midwest when completed.
• RENEW partnered with Wisconsin Clean Cities and 16 stakeholder organizations to educate legislators and their staff about advancements in electric and clean vehicles during a day-long event in the State Capitol.
• RENEW helped form the Wisconsin Solar Coalition to oppose a We Energies proposal that would have added a monthly surcharge to their customers who make power for their own use with solar panels or other renewable energy systems. In July, RENEW successfully negotiated an agreement that removed the solar surcharge proposal!

2019 IMPACT

FINANCIALS

Our financial performance has enabled us to grow our staff from three employees to eight employees in the past five years, establish an endowed internship focused on energy, analysis, and policy from the University of Wisconsin, and strengthen RENEW Wisconsin’s ability to drive our mission of leading and accelerating renewable energy! Your support allows us continue growing and advancing a stronger, healthier, and more vibrant Wisconsin powered by renewable energy.