Share Your Support Sinnissippi Solar

Share Your Support Sinnissippi Solar

by | Nov 5, 2026 | Public Service Commission, Renewables, Solar

Public comments are open now through November 9 for Sinnissippi Solar, a 100 Megawatt (MW) solar project. If approved, the solar project will be located in Jefferson County and is planned for completion in 2029. Projects like this have a wide range of local and statewide benefits. Show your support for this project and tell the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) why this solar project is vital for Wisconsin!

You can use the listed benefits below to craft your message.

Sinnissippi Solar isn’t just about the clean energy it will produce. The 100 MW facility in Jefferson County has many benefits.

  • Economic Growth: Sinnissippi Solar is expected to create 192 temporary construction jobs, as well as several long-term local jobs for operations and maintenance. Due to associated economic stimulus related to the development of this project, Sinnissippi Solar is expected to contribute $69.3 million in statewide economic output, $41.9 million of which will occur in Jefferson County. Landowners will also benefit from consistent lease payments during the project’s 30-year lifespan.
  • Community Benefits: Once in service, Sinnissippi Solar will contribute more than $15 million in utility-aid payments over 30 years. Local governments will receive $500,000 annually, with $283,333 for Jefferson County and $216,666 for the Towns of Watertown, Ixonia, and Concord.
  • Emissions Reductions: Sinnissippi Solar will reduce emissions from energy production by about 315 million pounds of CO2 in the first year of operations. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, this is the equivalent of taking more than 31,000 vehicles off the road for a full year. Additionally, non-GHG emissions reductions will result in health, economic, and environmental benefits. Wisconsin can expect more than $690,000 in economic benefits associated with public health improvements in Sinnissippi Solar’s first year of operations alone.

Submit your comments today and tell the PSC you support the approval of Sinnissippi Solar!

TAKE ACTION
Let’s Get Down to Business!

Let’s Get Down to Business!

by | Nov 4, 2026 | RENEW Wisconsin, Renewables

Now that the dust has settled on this year’s election cycle, it’s time to get to work to ensure Governor-elect Crowley delivers on the promises made on the campaign trail. This means taking direct climate action that creates jobs, ensuring any data centers built are powered by renewables, and expanding clean energy development to protect Wisconsinites from high energy prices.

With the state legislature behind Crowley, we have an opportunity to lay a strong foundation for the clean energy future we talk about so often. This doesn’t mean the path ahead will be a walk in the park.

It may feel like the wind is at our backs, but as we pursue legislation and policy that is favorable to clean energy, we cannot let perfection be the enemy of progress. We must also remember that as we build our clean energy future, the expansion of renewable energy must be equitable and benefit all Wisconsinites.

At RENEW Wisconsin, we are hoping to see an all-of-the-above approach to renewable energy take shape through legislation and policy. We want to see Integrated Resource Planning put into practice so we can meet our future energy needs with minimal cost to utility customers. We want to see Community Solar and Plug-in Solar legalized so that more people can benefit from lower utility bills through solar. We want to see Net Metering legislation that ensures people will continue to see a good return on their investment in rooftop solar.

None of this will happen overnight. There will be many competing interests at our state’s Capitol over the next couple of years, but with the help of our partners and support of people like you, we can capitalize on this moment. It’s time to begin the work of building an economy we can all afford.

HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN
The High Price of Leaving MISO: Wisconsin Cannot Afford to Go It Alone

The High Price of Leaving MISO: Wisconsin Cannot Afford to Go It Alone

by | Oct 9, 2026 | Advocacy, Transmission

There is something appealing about Wisconsin taking control of its own energy future. We are an independent-minded state. We believe in self-reliance, local accountability, and keeping decisions close to the people who live with their consequences. These are good instincts. But independence is not the same as isolation, and when it comes to electricity, the difference can be extraordinarily expensive.

Consider what would happen if Wisconsin’s five investor-owned electric utilities and American Transmission Company (ATC) left the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). The idea might be presented as a way to escape regional bureaucracy, regain control over transmission planning, or reduce costs. Yet before celebrating such a departure, Wisconsin residents should ask: How much is the bill?

The answer is not simple, but the potential costs are substantial.

Leaving Does Not Mean Walking Away from the Bill

MISO is the regional organization that coordinates wholesale electricity markets and transmission operations across much of the Midwest. Its members benefit from access to a broad electricity market, shared reliability resources, and coordinated transmission planning.

They also share financial obligations.

Over the years, MISO has approved major transmission investments intended to strengthen reliability, reduce congestion, and connect electricity generation across state lines. These investments include Multi-Value Projects (MVPs), whose costs are allocated across participating areas under established rules.

Those financial commitments do not necessarily disappear when a transmission owner withdraws.

Under MISO’s federally approved tariff, withdrawing transmission owners can remain responsible for some outstanding obligations. The exact costs would depend on the projects involved, applicable agreements, and regulatory determinations.

This matters for Wisconsin because ATC owns and operates much of our state’s high-voltage transmission infrastructure. If ATC withdrew alongside Wisconsin’s investor-owned utilities, the financial consequences would extend well beyond ordinary administrative expenses.

For preliminary analysis, policymakers might examine scenarios involving $250 million, $750 million, or $1.5 billion in withdrawal-related obligations. These figures are illustrative stress tests, not actual estimates of what Wisconsin would owe.

The distinction matters. We should not invent an exit penalty simply to make a political argument. We should insist on calculating the actual costs before anyone proposes putting Wisconsinites on the hook.

Who Ultimately Pays?

Utility costs tend to find their way into household and business electricity bills. With this in mind, suppose Wisconsin were to pay $750 million in withdrawal-related obligations. Divided evenly among approximately 2.8 million electric utility customers, that represents roughly $268 per customer.

This is just an illustration, not a prediction of actual bill increases. Real costs would depend on regulatory decisions, financing, customer classes, and the entities legally responsible.

Still, the math shows how significant the financial risk could be. And these costs don’t include the build-out of new services to replace the ones MISO currently provides for our state.

Ultimately, we would pay to leave one system and then pay again to participate in or build another. That alone is not necessarily an argument against every possible withdrawal from MISO. But it is a powerful enough reason to demand evidence that shows how a replacement would actually cost less.

The More Expensive Problem May Come After We Leave

MISO’s greatest economic contribution is not eliminating the cost of operating the electric grid. It is that regional cooperation lets utilities manage those costs across a larger system.

Wisconsin utilities can purchase electricity from generators throughout the region rather than relying exclusively on resources within our borders. Operating reserves can be shared. Transmission investments can be coordinated. Electricity can move more easily to where it is most needed.

These arrangements create economic efficiencies that would be difficult to reproduce on our own.

In its 2025 Value Proposition, MISO estimated that its operations generated approximately $7.6 billion in annual net benefits across its regional footprint. That is MISO’s own systemwide estimate, not a calculation of Wisconsin’s individual savings.

Leaving MISO would not automatically mean losing every regional economic benefit. Another market structure might preserve some or many of them. But Wisconsin would have to demonstrate that its alternative could deliver.

We Cannot Escape the Geography of Electricity

Our transmission lines connect with neighboring states. Our power plants operate within a larger interconnected system. Our industries depend on reliable electricity during periods when weather, demand, or equipment failures can strain available resources.

Regional cooperation becomes particularly valuable as Wisconsin expands renewable energy.

Wind and solar generation vary with weather and time of day. Being a part of a larger market allows electricity production from different locations and technologies to complement one another. Transmission connections help balance these resources.

Wisconsin also faces growing electricity demand from manufacturing, data centers, and other economic development.

Meeting those needs will require careful investment in generation, storage, and transmission. Leaving MISO would make it more difficult for Wisconsin to meet its energy needs.

The Price of Going It Alone

Wisconsin should pursue greater energy security. We should produce more affordable electricity within our borders, expand renewable generation, strengthen our transmission infrastructure, and reduce unnecessary dependence on imported fossil fuels.

But energy independence does not require abandoning regional cooperation.

In fact, a strong regional electricity market can make Wisconsin’s own investments more valuable, our system more resilient, and our energy economy more competitive.

Leaving MISO could expose Wisconsin to substantial outstanding financial obligations, additional transition expenses, and the possibility of higher long-term electricity costs. The precise amounts remain undetermined, which is exactly why an independent analysis must precede any serious proposal.

The common good demands something more practical: an electricity system that serves Wisconsin families, protects businesses, supports economic growth, and delivers reliable power at a reasonable cost.

Until someone can demonstrate that leaving would save money without compromising reliability, walking away would be a gamble Wisconsin has little reason to take.

And as with so many decisions about our energy future, the people who would ultimately bear the consequences are the people least able to afford another unnecessary expense.

Why RENEW is Suing the USDA

Why RENEW is Suing the USDA

by | Sep 28, 2026 | Advocacy, REAP, Renewables

In response to the United States Department of Agriculture’s decision to cut solar out of the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). On behalf of our members, RENEW has joined a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for the harmful actions it has taken. We are one of several plaintiffs, represented by Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) with Earthjustice as co-counsel.

This is the first of several efforts by RENEW to represent the legal interests of our members as we expand the ways in which we are fighting against policies that restrict Americans from accessing or owning renewable energy.

The lawsuit, filed today, challenges the USDA’s new eligibility rules that block solar projects from REAP. Created in 2002, this program has received funding for more than two decades with a goal of helping farmers and rural small businesses save money through investments in energy efficiency and achieve self-reliance through renewable energy, with solar being one of the best options to accomplish this goal. 

The USDA’s updated criteria effectively cut solar from a bipartisan program built by Congress. As a result, cash-strapped rural communities have been denied access to affordable, reliable, and environmentally beneficial solar power during a period when energy prices have reached historic highs.

Making matters worse, the USDA has also decided to apply this new policy retroactively, affecting applications submitted under the USDA’s old rules. REAP applications can take months to prepare, and many applicants have already spent tens of thousands of dollars on equipment, engineering, and other costs that did and still should qualify for reimbursement. This abrupt, retroactive policy change leaves many holding expenses they likely cannot afford.

The lawsuit we’ve joined asks the court to:

  1. Invalidate USDA’s new anti-solar eligibility criteria.
  2. Order USDA to process REAP applications under the rules that were in place when USDA received them.

As finances get tighter and margins thinner, we cannot pull the rug out from the people who grow our food. REAP is supposed to help farmers keep their energy costs low. It is our hope that we can reverse this decision by the Trump Administration to protect farmers and rural business owners from the direct financial harm this rule change will cause.

Action Alert: Pairing Batteries With Solar Should Be Easy

Action Alert: Pairing Batteries With Solar Should Be Easy

by | Sep 25, 2026 | Action Alert, Advocacy, Renewables

This Action Alert might seem similar to one we sent earlier this month. We are, in fact, working to make it easier to pair batteries with residential solar across multiple utility territories!

Batteries are a great option for energy resiliency as they provide power during grid service outages. As they become more cost-effective, more people are hoping to pair them with solar. Unfortunately, utilities have been throwing hurdles in the way, preventing customers from storing and using the energy they create with their own rooftop solar array.

In WPS’ current rate case before the PSC, RENEW has addressed this issue head-on and is asking the PSC to step in and regulate utility interconnection practices.

When installing a solar array, utilities often factor in the size of a rooftop solar array when they determine the cost to connect the system to the electrical grid. WPS adds the capacity of batteries intended to store energy at home (non-exporting) to the solar capacity in order to increase these costs and also make it so customers can’t benefit from net metering.

This utility practice has effectively blocked all non-exporting batteries from being installed in WPS’ service territory. To solve this, we need the PSC to officially tell WPS to stop this unreasonable practice and allow customers to install batteries that they can pair with their rooftop solar arrays.

Join us in telling the PSC to regulate WPS and require the utility to allow customers to pair batteries with their own rooftop solar. The deadline to file public comments with the PSC is October 5th.

TAKE ACTION

Sample comment:

WPS is blocking customers from adding batteries to their solar systems, but the PSC can remove this unreasonable hurdle and enable customers to invest in their own energy resilience. Certified, non-exporting batteries help customers store their own solar power for when the grid goes down.

Yet WPS has made it impossible for customers to add these batteries by increasing interconnection costs and pushing solar customers out of net metering. I urge the PSC to do the right thing and allow customers to add batteries to their rooftop solar!

Action Alert: Tell the PSC Pairing Batteries With Rooftop Solar Should Be Easy

Action Alert: Tell the PSC Pairing Batteries With Rooftop Solar Should Be Easy

by | Sep 11, 2026 | Action Alert, Advocacy, Renewables

As batteries have become more cost-effective, they have also become more in demand, in part, for the energy resiliency they provide during grid service outages. But as more homeowners and businesses attempt to add batteries to their solar systems, utilities have been throwing hurdles in the way, preventing customers from storing and using the energy they create with their own rooftop solar array.

In WE Energies’ current rate case before the PSC, RENEW has addressed this issue head-on and is asking the PSC to step in and regulate utility interconnection practices. 

When installing a solar array, utilities often factor in the size of a rooftop solar array when they determine the cost to connect the system to the electrical grid. WE Energies adds the capacity of batteries intended to store energy at home (non-exporting) to the solar capacity in order to increase these costs and also make it so customers can’t benefit from net metering.

This utility practice has effectively blocked all non-exporting batteries from being installed in WE Energies’ service territory. To solve this, we need the PSC to officially tell WE Energies to stop this unreasonable practice and allow customers to install batteries that they can pair with their rooftop solar arrays.

Join us in telling the PSC to regulate WE Energies and require the utility to allow customers to pair batteries with their own rooftop solar. The deadline to file public comments with the PSC is September 18.

*The deadline has passed for this comment period

Meet RENEW Wisconsin’s Newest Board Officers!

Meet RENEW Wisconsin’s Newest Board Officers!

by | Sep 9, 2026 | RENEW Wisconsin, Renewables, Solar, Utilities

Every fiscal year, the RENEW Wisconsin Board of Directors starts things off with a vote to determine who among them will take on the additional responsibility of leading the board. Last week, the Board of Directors held its first meeting of the year, where, among other things, members voted on its leadership team for the 2026-27 fiscal year, selecting the following members for officer positions: Isaiah Ness (President), Mackenzie Mindel (Vice President), Eric Callisto (Treasurer), and Matt Dannenberg (Secretary).

Thank you to our outgoing officers, Josh Arnold (President) and Josh Stolzenburg (Treasurer). Josh Arnold continues to serve on the RENEW Board as an at-large member, while Josh Stolzenburg steps down from the board after two terms and remains engaged with RENEW as an Individual member. We can’t thank them enough for all the time, effort, and knowledge they have shared with us over the years.

Our officers play a vital role in guiding the organization, and our volunteer board members dedicate their personal time to help RENEW succeed. The expertise and passion of our board members, especially our officers, are a big part of how we are able to pursue our mission so effectively.

Meet RENEW Wisconsin’s Newest Board Members!

Meet RENEW Wisconsin’s Newest Board Members!

by | Sep 2, 2026 | RENEW Wisconsin, Renewables, Solar, Utilities

This August, the RENEW Wisconsin board of directors voted to fill two vacant mid-term seats. Joining our board are Barrett Lione-Seaton, Business Development Lead and Partner at Midwest Solar Power, and Matt Dannenberg, Head of Partnerships at Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy. Each of them brings their own unique background and perspectives to the board, helping to make sure RENEW Wisconsin is guided by a diverse group of professionals invested in our mission.

With our vacant seats filled, we will not have full elections this year. In 2027, we will return to our regular voting schedule and have competitive elections for all RENEW members to participate in.

Meet Our Newly Appointed Board Members

Barrett Lione-Seaton

Barrett brings a uniquely broad perspective to the renewable industry shaped by a geology degree, careers in craft brewing and food manufacturing, and life experience across six countries. He first connected with solar in 2020 through a non-profit he helps lead, driven by a passion for energy access and environmental impact. That work led him to join Midwest Solar Power in 2022, where he now applies his background in systems thinking, finance, and construction to help the company grow while staying true to its commitment to employees, community, and customers.

Matt Dannenberg

Matt Dannenberg is a proud citizen of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. He most recently served as Head of Tribal Engagement here at the Alliance, where he led relationship-building efforts with Tribal Nations and partners to advance Tribal energy sovereignty. He now serves as Head of Partnerships, stewarding the Alliance’s external collaborations and strengthening national coalitions that support self-determined clean energy development in Tribal communities.

Matt’s career began with a passion for meteorology, which evolved into a commitment to climate advocacy, community organizing, and public service. He spent eight years at Wisconsin Conservation Voters, where he launched the Wisconsin Native Vote campaign — an initiative that continues to mobilize Indigenous citizens across Wisconsin to vote and advocate for the protection of their natural resources.

In 2020, Matt joined the Biden campaign and was subsequently appointed to serve in the Biden–Harris Administration. He began in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, then served at the U.S. Department of Energy as Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). He concluded his federal service as Senior Tribal Liaison in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, strengthening government-to-government relationships with Tribal Nations.

Matt and his spouse, Emma, are the proud parents of a young son and daughter, who inspire his continued commitment to building a more sustainable and equitable future.

Third-Party Solar in Wisconsin

Third-Party Solar in Wisconsin

by | Aug 25, 2026 | RENEW Wisconsin, Renewables, Solar, Utilities

Third-party solar, also known as third-party ownership, legislation is lagging behind in Wisconsin, and it is impacting Wisconsinites’ ability to afford a clean and reliable energy future.

The term “third-party solar” generally refers to solar installations that are financed through one of two non-traditional means. Under the first method, a solar installer covers the upfront costs of an installation on a customer’s property. The customer can begin using the clean energy right away, and they pay for the use of the equipment over time through a lease agreement. Under this model, they are “leasing” the solar equipment, allowing them to install solar while spreading out the upfront cost over time. By removing the hurdle of shouldering the entire cost upfront, solar becomes more accessible to the many ordinary energy consumers who want to invest in renewable energy.

The second method is a power purchase agreement (PPA), which is a financing arrangement where someone agrees to host the solar system on their property while the third-party provider continues to own, operate, and maintain the system. The customer buys the electricity produced by the system from the installer, and the installer benefits from tax credits. Together, the electricity sales and the tax-credit savings create a profit margin for the installer, and the customer has the opportunity to purchase clean electricity generated on-site without upfront installation costs.

Despite the opportunities both of these models present for people to expand renewable energy development and increase access to clean energy, the legal status of these options is in somewhat of a grey area, with different parties having opposing understandings of what is and is not allowed under Wisconsin law.

Wisconsin, like many other states, uses a public utilities system that functions as a regulated monopoly. Utility companies in Wisconsin are granted a monopoly over a specified territory and are regulated by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) in exchange. The goal of this structure is to protect people from bearing the cost of duplicative infrastructure while using regulation to ensure minimum service standards and reliability. However, as created through the Wisconsin Statutes, the current system of regulation does not leave a clear pathway for third-party solar development. 

The main issue is the lack of clarification on whether third-party solar providers are “public utilities,” as defined in Wis. Stat. § 196.01(5)(a). Under the status quo, third-party solar owners apply for interconnection with an electric utility, and the utility may reject the application and designate the third-party solar projects as public utilities, in which case the customer cannot interconnect their system without an appeal to the PSC. Entities that qualify as public utilities may not operate without PSC regulation or without meeting all the requirements necessary to operate as a public utility in Wisconsin. Multiple third-party solar providers have petitioned the PSC for a declaratory ruling stating that the providers do not meet the statutory definition of a public utility; however, the PSC has avoided issuing such rulings. PSC regulation, with a system-by-system review, is not an option for third-party solar solutions because it eliminates projects’ economic feasibility due to the length and expense of PSC proceedings. Legislation is needed to clarify that third-party solar providers are not public utilities and need not be subject to the PSC’s regulation.

Surrounding states have taken this step, including Illinois and Minnesota. I have seen the benefits of this first-hand; my undergraduate institution in Illinois was able to pursue and install solar arrays on-site through a PPA when they would not have otherwise been able to justify the upfront cost of a solar installation. I was personally involved in a project to expand the on-campus renewable infrastructure to include battery storage, providing the school revenue for the grid-stabilization services that batteries provide. This is only one of countless examples of the real-life benefits provided by third-party solar arrangements – benefits that Wisconsinites are missing out on due to a lack of clarification from the legislature and the PSC. 

No matter how many people wish for a cleaner and more affordable energy future, the legal hurdles to renewable development have to be removed for change to become economically feasible. Wisconsin’s regulation of third-party solar needs to catch up to the present day in order to make this future possible.

Anna Shoup was one of RENEW’s 2026 summer law clerks. She graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with degrees in Environmental Science and Philosophy. Anna is currently a rising 2L at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School, pursuing environmental or energy law. It is her hope to work for an environmental non-profit or government agency after graduation, and to use her career to help create a more renewable future.