PSC Approves New Multifamily Metering Rules

PSC Approves New Multifamily Metering Rules

by | Nov 6, 2025 | Electrification, Public Service Commission, RENEW Wisconsin

On December 1, 2025, new rules from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) will take effect, modernizing how electricity is metered in multifamily housing and mobile home parks. This update represents a major win for clean energy and affordable housing advocates as well as for developers across the state.

RENEW Wisconsin, Clean Wisconsin, Elevate, Dane County, the City of Madison, the Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and many other advocates and developers submitted comments supporting the change. Together, these groups urged the PSC to update outdated language to make it easier to design affordable, energy-efficient, and renewable-ready multi-family housing.

The rule, originally adopted in 1980 to comply with the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) of 1978, had not been substantially revised since 2002. It was intended to promote energy conservation by requiring every dwelling in a multi-unit building or mobile home park to have its own electric meter. While well-intentioned, the rule eventually outgrew the technology of its time. It began to restrict new energy-saving methods such as shared solar, geothermal heating, and high-efficiency heat pumps.

The updated PSC 113.0803 rule now establishes clear standards for when individual meters are not required. Multifamily or mobile home park projects can qualify if:

  • High-efficiency equipment: Tenant-controlled systems meet Focus on Energy or federal efficiency standards, and projected energy use per unit is less than half the statewide average, factoring in onsite renewables.
  • High-efficiency design: Newly constructed buildings meeting advanced performance standards through programs like Focus on Energy automatically qualify.
  • Affordable housing participation: Buildings under contract with local, state, or federal affordable housing programs are eligible.

This rule change will open new opportunities for solar, geothermal, and other clean energy technologies, reduce administrative delays, support affordable housing, and expand Wisconsin’s pathway toward clean economic growth. This change opens up new avenues in our all-of-the-above approach to deploying renewables and ensures everyone in the state can benefit from clean, reliable energy.

The PSC Approves Two New Transmission Projects in Wisconsin

The PSC Approves Two New Transmission Projects in Wisconsin

by | Oct 30, 2025 | Public Service Commission, RENEW Wisconsin, Transmission, Utility Scale

On Thursday, October 30, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) authorized two important transmission projects. These projects are part of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s Long Term Transmission Planning (MISO LRTP) processes. They will be jointly owned and operated by Xcel Energy and American Transmission Company (ATC).

The Western Wisconsin Transmission Connection Project (Western Wisconsin Project) will run through the Eau Claire region, connecting Trempealeau County to Clark County. This transmission project will connect with the separate Grid Forward Central Wisconsin Project (Central Wisconsin Project), which will run from the central part of the state to Columbia County. These two projects are a necessary part of the state’s effort to expand renewable energy production in Wisconsin and the broader Midwest region. Updated and new transmission lines support the modernization and decarbonization of the resources that produce energy for Wisconsin’s homes and businesses.

RENEW participated in the legal proceedings for these transmission projects, in which the PSC considered the applications and found that these projects were in the public’s best interest. RENEW’s expert testimony detailed the need for both the Western and Central Wisconsin Projects from the perspective of renewable energy integration and economic development.

According to Xcel Energy, the Western Wisconsin Project alone will “support the full interconnection of over 43,000 megawatts (MWs) of potential new renewable generation in the upper Midwest.”

According to the Wisconsin Zero Carbon Study, Wisconsin will need to rely on an interconnected grid that works with those of neighboring states such as Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois to integrate renewable energy resources and decarbonize the grid. These two transmission projects will interconnect with another transmission project proposed by Dairyland Power Cooperative, which will be taken up by the PSC later this year. All three of these transmission projects will eventually interconnect with lines in Minnesota. As a result, these projects represent major building blocks for the transmission corridors modeled in the Wisconsin Zero Carbon Study.

As stated by RENEW Policy Director Andrew Kell in his testimony, utility-scale renewable resources will utilize these transmission projects “to support their interconnection and delivery of power to Wisconsin’s homes and businesses. The proposed transmission [projects are key examples] of infrastructure needed for Wisconsin’s clean energy economy.”

RENEW applauds the PSC for authorizing these projects, and we look forward to the many solar, wind, and clean energy storage projects that will be able to deliver clean, reliable energy once these transmission projects are completed.

Fall 2025 Solar for Good Grant Awards

Fall 2025 Solar for Good Grant Awards

by | Oct 28, 2025 | Press Release, RENEW Wisconsin, Solar, Solar for Good

The Solar for Good grant program has awarded over $100,000 in grants and solar panel donations to Wisconsin nonprofit organizations for the Fall 2025 grant round. Thanks to a generous donation from the Couillard Solar Foundation, the 11 nonprofits will install 911 panels for nearly 500 kilowatts of solar electricity, leading to more than $1.87 million in renewable energy investments in Wisconsin. These grants are the second round delivered this year. An additional 15 nonprofits received grants this spring.

The following organizations have been awarded Fall 2025 Solar for Good grants to install new solar energy systems:

Mondovi Public Library – library, Mondovi
Elroy Public Library – library, Elroy
Prairie Unitarian Universalist Society – place of worship, Madison
Alma Public Library – library, Alma
Independence Public Library – library, Independence
Social Justice Center – community center, Madison
Wonewoc Area Lions Club – community service, Wonewoc
Wonewoc Area Fire Department – community service, Wonewoc
Sunny Side Development – affordable housing, Madison
Luther Park Bible Camp – place of worship and recreation, Chetek
Hope Village — affordable housing, Chippewa Falls

The grant recipients from the Fall 2025 grant round are a diverse range of organizations, representing affordable housing organizations, schools, and houses of worship. Each organization’s solar project will have a significant impact on their budget and will allow them to focus more funds on their missions.

“We’re always excited to see the wide variety of grantees who are making the decision to use a clean energy resource like solar power,” said Jackie Harrison-Jewell, Executive Director of the Couillard Solar Foundation. “With the withdrawal of grant support for many clean energy projects and nonprofits this year, as well as the shuttering of tax credits for solar investment in the coming months, it’s especially heartening to see these Wisconsin nonprofits really commit to supporting their communities by reducing their energy use, reducing their utility bills, and helping to make Wisconsin a healthier place to live and work. We want to welcome all of our 2025 grant recipients to the growing community of solar-powered nonprofits we have in our state.”

Through the assistance from Solar for Good grants, these 10 projects will accelerate Wisconsin’s transition to solar energy, facilitating the expansion of environmental stewardship and energy savings. As Solar for Good looks ahead to future grant rounds, the program remains committed to supporting nonprofits and houses of worship across the state of Wisconsin by supporting organizations in their efforts to contribute to a positive environmental impact, enhance economic advancement in Wisconsin, and strengthen their ability to aid the communities they serve.

PSC Approves Badger Hollow Wind, Whitewater Solar

PSC Approves Badger Hollow Wind, Whitewater Solar

by | Sep 26, 2025 | Public Service Commission, RENEW Wisconsin, Solar, Utility Scale, Wind

On Thursday, September 25, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) approved two utility-scale clean energy projects. Collectively, Badger Hollow Wind (Iowa and Grant Counties) and Whitewater Solar (Jefferson and Walworth Counties) add up to 298 Megawatts (MW) of clean energy!

Badger Hollow Wind

Starting with Badger Hollow Wind—the first 100+ MW project in more than a decade at 118 MW—is a major step forward in Wisconsin’s clean energy future. To meet our net-zero goals, we need to install about 21 Gigawatts of wind energy by 2050.

In taking up the Badger Hollow Wind application, the PSC addressed several issues. In their decision, they considered the requirements of Wisconsin’s wind siting rules and determined that the wind project is in full compliance with sound, shadow flicker, decommissioning, and more.

The PSC also noted public confusion about primary and alternative turbine sites, which are a required part of the process, and limited the wind project to no more than 19 wind turbine sites for the purposes of public clarity. They also applauded the use of an Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ADLS) to reduce blinking lights at night. While the Federal Aviation Administration requires blinking lights to avoid aviation incidents, ADLS will greatly reduce the frequency of blinking, and this will mark the first use of this new technology in Wisconsin!

Expanding the state’s portfolio of wind energy is essential to ensuring we have reliable, clean energy round-the-clock, but that’s not all the project will accomplish. In the testimony RENEW filed with the PSC to support this project, we highlighted several local and statewide benefits.

Benefits of Badger Hollow Wind:

Economic Growth: Badger Hollow Wind will create hundreds of jobs during construction, as well as good-paying, long-term operations and maintenance positions. The project is expected to produce $3.2 million in additional economic activity in Wisconsin.

Community Benefits: Once in service, Badger Hollow Wind will contribute more than $500,000 in utility-aid payments each year. Over $300,000 of this will go to Grant and Iowa Counties, and over $200,000 of this will go to the towns of Clifton, Eden, Linden, Mifflin, and Wingville.

Landowner Engagement: Invenergy has been a good partner to landowners, respecting their property rights and regularly checking in with them to ensure their relationships are positive. Payments to landowners help farmers directly, but Invenergy intends to go the extra mile by building access roads to turbines that farmers can use for their operations.

Whitewater Solar

Whitewater Solar, unlike Badger Hollow Wind, is one of many solar projects to get approved over the last few years, but we’re excited all the same. The 180 MW project takes us another leap forward toward meeting our clean energy goals.

Just as we did with Badger Hollow Wind, RENEW filed testimony with the PSC to show how Whitewater Solar will benefit the state and the communities the project will call home.

During the open meeting, the PSC dove into proposed modifications and conditions to the solar project. Along with standard conditions, the PSC approved additional requirements that address concerns specific to the Whitewater Solar project. In particular, the PSC will require conditions related to the location used for temporary storage of construction equipment, a filing of signed Joint Development Agreements with local governments, and a landowner complaint process to make it easier for the developer to work with local residents before commencing construction.

Benefits of Whitewater Solar:

Economic Growth: Whitewater Solar will create hundreds of jobs during construction, as well as good-paying, long-term operations and maintenance positions. It is expected that this project will produce $259 million in additional economic activity in Wisconsin.

Community Benefits: Once in service, Whitewater Solar will contribute more than $900,000 in utility-aid payments each year. These payments will go to Jefferson and Walworth Counties, the City of Whitewater, and the Towns of Whitewater and LaGrange. Utility-aid payments produce additional revenue for local governments to use to fix roads and support local municipal services, all without creating an additional tax burden for residents.

Collectively, these two projects will reduce emissions by 543,000 tons of CO2 in their first year of operation, which would otherwise come from fossil fuel generators if these projects were never built. This means cleaner air and water, along with mitigating climate change. If you expand that over the lifetime of each of these projects, that would lead to millions of tons of CO2 that we don’t send into our atmosphere. These projects will also lead to reductions in particulate matter and ozone pollution, which means healthier outcomes and reduced healthcare costs for Wisconsin residents. Those who suffer from asthma or have heart conditions are particularly at risk when it comes to air pollution.

Thanks to everyone who helped get these projects across the finish line. Comments from the public, testimony from our partners, and the work on the ground in communities across the state are needed for every project. Through our collective action, we make our clean energy future a reality.

The Urgency of Climate Change and Why Renewable Energy Is Wisconsin’s Path Forward

The Urgency of Climate Change and Why Renewable Energy Is Wisconsin’s Path Forward

by | Sep 24, 2025 | Advocacy, Community, RENEW Wisconsin

Climate change is no longer a distant warning — it is here and it is reshaping our landscapes, weather patterns, and communities. Wisconsin has already begun to feel the effects, through more frequent flooding along our rivers, dangerous heat waves that strain vulnerable populations, and shifting agricultural seasons that threaten one of our state’s proudest traditions – farming. Left unchecked, climate change will accelerate these threats, driving up costs for families and businesses while destabilizing the ecosystems that sustain us.

But there is a solution within reach, and Wisconsin has the opportunity to lead: a rapid transition to renewable energy. We have the tools, we just need to be bold enough to move forward.

The Dangers We Face

Scientists are clear that continued reliance on fossil fuels is driving higher global temperatures. For Wisconsin, that translates to:

  • More volatile weather: Intense storms that damage infrastructure, cause power outages, and threaten public safety.
  • Rising health risks: Air pollution worsens respiratory illnesses, while extreme heat threatens seniors, children, and outdoor workers.
  • Economic disruption: Crop losses from unpredictable seasons, higher insurance premiums due to extreme weather, and costly repairs to public infrastructure.

The longer we delay addressing these dangers, the more expensive and disruptive they become. Every year of inaction compounds the risks and the cost. The good news is that the solution is affordable, efficient, and reliable.

Renewable Energy Is the Key

Wisconsin already has the tools we need to chart a safer, stronger path forward. Wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal, and hydropower are proven, affordable, and increasingly accessible. Transitioning to renewable energy addresses climate change head-on while delivering real, local benefits:

  • Cleaner air and healthier communities by reducing emissions from coal and gas.
  • Energy independence — when we produce energy in Wisconsin, it keeps our energy dollars here at home instead of sending them out of state for fossil fuels.
  • Strong local economies through job creation in construction, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance — industries that can’t be outsourced.
  • Stable energy costs because renewable resources, unlike fossil fuels, aren’t subject to global market swings.

Every new solar array on a school, every wind turbine in a farm field, and every biogas digester on a dairy farm reduces our reliance on polluting fuels while building a more resilient local economy.

Wisconsin’s Opportunity

Our state is uniquely positioned to lead. With strong agricultural roots, an innovative workforce, and communities that value stewardship, Wisconsin can demonstrate how clean energy strengthens both economy and environment. RENEW Wisconsin is working every day to expand renewable projects across the state — partnering with businesses, schools, tribes, farmers, and local governments to accelerate the transition.

But the pace matters. To safeguard our children’s future, we must move faster. This means modernizing policies, supporting community solar, expanding access to financing, and ensuring equity so that every family can share in the benefits of clean energy.

A Call to Action

Climate change is the defining challenge of our generation. But it is also the greatest opportunity to reimagine how Wisconsin powers itself — cleaner, stronger, and more resilient. By choosing renewable energy today, we protect our communities, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and preserve the natural heritage we hold dear.

The dangers of climate change are real, but the solution is in our hands. Join RENEW Wisconsin and help us win this fight. Together, we can build a safer and more prosperous Wisconsin powered by clean, renewable energy.

A Note of Gratitude and Transition

A Note of Gratitude and Transition

by | Sep 11, 2025 | RENEW Wisconsin

After eight years with RENEW Wisconsin, I will be stepping down from my role as interim executive director to take on a new opportunity as marketing and communications director at WHEDA. My last day with RENEW will be Friday, September 12.

I stepped into the interim executive director role earlier this year with the goal of guiding the organization through a leadership transition. Over the past few months, I’ve witnessed the strength of a team firmly grounded in its mission. When the opportunity arose to build on my communications strengths in service of another mission I believe in, I accepted, knowing RENEW is in steady hands.

The board has appointed Ismaeel Chartier as interim executive director while they organize an executive search. Over the past several months, Ismaeel and I have worked closely together, and I am confident in his leadership, trusted relationships, and deep knowledge of our work. Supported by a talented and dedicated staff, RENEW is well-positioned to continue advancing renewable energy in Wisconsin.

RENEW has always thrived on collaboration, and I am deeply proud of what we’ve built together. Whether advancing programs like Solar for Good and MadiSun, policy advocacy at the PSC and Capitol, or convening our community at the Renewable Energy Summit, I am grateful to have worked alongside so many of you to ensure the benefits of clean energy reach every corner of Wisconsin. The creativity and tenacity of this community have been a constant source of inspiration.

I leave with immense gratitude for the relationships and shared accomplishments of the past eight years, and with confidence in RENEW’s future. I look forward to cheering on the continued success of the organization and industry from my new role, and I hope to cross paths with you all in the years ahead.