Last week, Wisconsin legislators introduced Assembly Bill 840 in response to the development of data centers across our state. We certainly agree that the development of such large, energy-dependent facilities should be done thoughtfully and with minimal impact on our communities. We are, however, concerned that this bill also seeks to hinder the development of renewable energy.
At a time when energy prices are already rising, we cannot reduce our options to address what will likely be a staggering increase in energy demand. This specific piece of the bill will make it that much more difficult to keep prices low for consumers while increasing our dependence on imported energy with volatile pricing.
Not only will this harm our ability to keep the cost of energy in check, it will also set us off course when it comes to meeting our clean energy goals. The restriction on renewable energy in this bill will basically guarantee that data centers will be powered by natural gas. We cannot go down a path that both increases costs for Wisconsinites and accelerates climate change.
RENEW Wisconsin urges legislators to reconsider this aspect of the bill to ensure that all the tools to meet our energy needs remain available as we navigate the evolving landscape of data center development.