Two Years Early, Wisconsin Hits Goal To Get 10 Percent Of Its Electricity From Renewa

[ScienceRocks]

Two Years Early, Wisconsin Hits Goal To Get 10 Percent Of Its Electricity From Renewables

Two Years Early, Wisconsin Hits Goal To Get 10 Percent Of Its Electricity From Renewables | ThinkProgress

In 2006, Wisconsin passed a law calling for the state to get 10 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2015. On Thursday, the state announced it has already met its goal.

Wisconsin utilities generated 10.17 percent of their power from renewable resources in 2013, according to a new report from the state Public Service Commission. Wind was the main driver of the state’s renewable power use, coming in at 65 percent of renewable power generation, followed by hydropower and biomass. Solar contributed the smallest amount to the renewable target, coming in at less than 1 percent.

“Our utilities are well positioned to meet their 2015 [renewable energy] requirements for the foreseeable future, and the statewide renewable energy percentage may increase to around 11.5% by 2016,” Phil Montgomery, the state Public Service Commission chairman, said during a meeting Thursday, according to the Journal Sentinel.

Wisconsin’s milestone is a significant achievement, considering the state only generated 3.8 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources in 2006. It also bodes well for the state’s position in dealing with recently-unveiled Environmental Protection Agency regulations limiting carbon emissions from power plants, as increased renewable energy use is one way to offset carbon pollution.

Tripple solar in the next 3 years Wisconsin! Heck, pass a law to make 1/3rds of all power a house generates be solar.