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July 2008 - Wisconsin's Governor Jim Doyle announced that the state has completed a renewable energy purchase of 92.4 million kilowatt-hours (kWh). The state has also implemented energy efficiency measures for its buildings and reduced energy consumption by 8% since 2005.
Wisconsin's renewable energy purchase helps achieve compliance with the state's Energy Efficiency and Renewables Act, signed into law in 2006 (2005 Wis Act 141), which requires key state agencies to purchase 20% of their energy from renewable sources by 2011. The renewable energy will be procured from Madison Gas and Electric, We Energies and Wisconsin Public Power Inc. The majority of the power will come from wind, solar, hydro and landfill gas sources located in Wisconsin.
The purchase represents 10% of the energy consumed by the Department of Health and Family Services, Department of Corrections, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Administration, Department of Public Instruction, the University of Wisconsin System and various other state agencies.
News Release - Governor Doyle Announces Record State Clean Energy Purchase
Contact - Brian Driscoll, 608-261-8146
December 2007 - Wisconsin Public Power Inc. (WPPI) recently filed a plan with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to double the amount of green power provided to customers who participate in its Renewable Energy Program, thus lowering the per-kWh price. Currently, consumers can purchase renewable energy in 150-kWh monthly increments or "blocks" for $3.00 each—a premium of 2¢/kWh over standard electricity rates. Under the new pricing structure, effective January 2008, the utility will offer 300-kWh blocks of green power for $3.00, reducing the premium to 1¢/kWh. Participating customers will automatically be upgraded to the larger-sized blocks in January.
The utility has been able to reduce the price of its green power offering because it was able to procure renewable energy for the program at stable prices under long term contracts when the program was established in 2001. In subsequent years, as the cost for energy from traditional sources has gone up, the incremental cost for WPPI's renewable energy has decreased. The utility also added a lower-cost landfill gas generation project to its renewable resource mix this year. WPPI is passing on these savings to its green power customers by lowering the renewable energy premium.
News Release - WPPI to lower price for green power
February 2006 - Lodi Utilities, a municipal electric utility serving about 1,600 customers in south central Wisconsin, has achieved a 4% participation rate in its renewable energy program following an Earth Day challenge issued by the city's mayor. Program participation has more than doubled over the past nine months to more than 60 customer participants. In addition, Mayor Paul Fisk recently issued a resolution setting a goal for the city to obtain 10% of its electricity needs from renewable energy sources by 2010.
Lodi Utilities is one of 36 Wisconsin municipal utilities that offer green power in conjunction with Wisconsin Public Power Inc. (WPPI). Through the program, residential and business customers can purchase renewable energy generated from small hydro, wind, and biogas resources in 150-kWh increments for $3.00 a month, or a premium of 2¢/kWh. Collectively, more than 2,800 customers from among the WPPI-member utilities are enrolled in the program and purchase about 825,000 kWh of green power annually.
WPPI Contact: Mike Hodges, (608) 834-4566
Newsletter - Renewable Report, Issue #6, Winter 2005 (PDF 400 KB)
News Release - Fisk Supports a Greener Lodi: Mayor Issues Challenge To Community To Increase Support For Renewable Energy (Word 28 KB)
Mayor's Resolution - Resolution 05-52: A Resolution Regarding Renewable Energy Goals (PDF 20 KB)
July 2001 - Wisconsin Public Power Inc. (WPPI), which supplies wholesale power to 32 municipal utilities in Wisconsin, plans to offer a green energy option to retail customers of participating distribution utilities. Under its Renewable Energy Program, residential and business customers will be able to purchase 150-kWh blocks of green power for $3.00 a month. Initially, power for the program will be supplied from a repowered 6-MW low-impact hydro facility near Black River Falls, Wisconsin. WPPI is also negotiating to purchase power from a 2-MW wind farm planned for southwestern Minnesota and several small, local digester gas facilities. Currently, more than 25 of the municipals served by WPPI plan to offer the program to their retail customers this fall.
News Release - Renewable Energy Added to WPPI Power Suppy Portfolio
WPPI Contact: Jake Oelke (608) 834-4500
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