2021 ANNUAL REPORT

LEADING THE TRANSFORMATION TO WISCONSIN’S RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE THROUGH ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND COLLABORATION. 

Thank you!

Thank you for your support of RENEW Wisconsin!   

2021 marks 30 years of RENEW advancing renewable energy in Wisconsin. Solar and wind energy are now the most economical options for new electricity generation, with significant new projects energized every month! Emerging technologies, heat pumps, electric vehicles, and battery storage allow us to envision a 100% clean energy electrified economy.    

This year our staff worked to clarify third-party financing, expand community solar, and enable solar-powered EV charging and EV direct sales. At the PSC, RENEW supported updates to interconnection rules and fought for fair parallel generation rates. We are now charting a course for reducing emissions in all sectors of the economy through expert analysis of the tools and solutions needed to achieve a zero-carbon Wisconsin.

Renewables now account for 13% of Wisconsin’s electricity sales. We’ve made significant progress in 30 years, but there is still a lot of work ahead of us to achieve our vision of 100% clean energy.

What’s next…

In 2022, we will advocate, educate, and collaborate to:

  • Increase renewable energy production by mobilizing support for high-quality utility-scale solar and wind projects
  • Spread the benefits of clean energy by working for better net metering, expanded Focus on Energy, and more renewable energy finance options
  • Push for the expansion of energy storage, electric vehicles, electrification, and renewable natural gas
  • Build a bipartisan “chorus of voices” with critical stakeholders and elected officials to get this work done now and set us up for continued progress for decades to come   

Your continued support will help us jump-start our efforts in 2022 to build on this year’s momentum. Together, we can accelerate homegrown, healthy, and smart renewable energy in Wisconsin!   

Heather Allen
RENEW Wisconsin Executive Director

2021 HIGHLIGHTS

  • RENEW hosted our 10th Annual Renewable Energy Summit virtually over three days from January 12-14, 2021, with over 400 attendees.
  • In March, RENEW launched EVs for Good, a grant program created to foster the transition to electric vehicles among nonprofits in Wisconsin.
  • In April, the Public Service Commission (PSC) awarded $7 million in Energy Innovation grant funding to advance efficiency, solar + storage, and planning.
  • Also, in April, the PSC approved Alliant Energy’s application to acquire six solar farms with a combined capacity of 675MW, propelling the utility to advance toward its one gigawatt-plus solar commitment.
  • Wisconsin’s solar jobs held steady during 2020, despite national declines, according to the 2020 National Solar Jobs Census released in May.
  • RENEW and our partners successfully negotiated utility rate case settlements with MGE and Xcel Energy to achieve lower fixed charges and incentivize customer investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
  • The PSC opened the Roadmap to Zero Carbon Investigation to guide Wisconsin’s transition to zero-carbon electricity generation by 2050.
  • In July, legislation was introduced to expand the community solar market.
  • In August, RENEW Wisconsin celebrated our 30th Anniversary at Dane County’s new solar shelter near Lussier Family Heritage Center.
  • In September, RENEW Wisconsin hosted its 8th Annual “Ride with RENEW” bike ride fundraiser in Madison and Fitchburg.
  • Also, in September, NextEra Energy energized its Point Beach Solar project, a 100 MW plant in Manitowoc County producing power under contract to WPPI Energy and its member municipal utilities.
  • In October, RENEW and Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum (WCEF) hosted their first-ever Renewable Energy Day at the Capitol in Madison.
  • Legislation was introduced in October that would affirm the legality of leases and other financing structures to access solar power on one’s own property.
  • In November, Congress passed the $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, providing billions of dollars for electric vehicles, microgrids, and shoring up the electric grid.

2021 IMPACT

business members

individual members / donors

monthly sustaining members

petition signatures

meetings with legislators and state agency staff

speaking engagements

people reached through speaking engagements

households signed up for solar through the MadiSun Group Buy

MadiSun Solar for Business grants awarded

MadiSun Backyard Solar grants awarded

MW of Solar for Good projects awarded

FINANCIALS

Our financial performance has enabled us to grow our staff from three employees to eight employees in the past seven 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 to continue growing and advancing a stronger, healthier, and more vibrant Wisconsin powered by renewable energy.

FY 2021 REVENUE

FY 2021 EXPENSES

RENEW WISCONSIN FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE FOR CORE OPERATIONS