Wisconsin Environment unveiled the 10 best opportunities to move America beyond fossil fuels and toward a cleaner, more secure energy future for America.

The list is based on our report "The Road to a New Energy Future," which highlights numerous technologies to reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels. It is the second of two reports that reinforce the importance of an American commitment to moving toward a cleaner and more secure energy future.

How You Can Help

A new energy future for Wisconsin is possible, but only if we demand it from our leaders. You can help. Click here to ask your representatives to pursue a New Energy Future.

 

Brief Summary

The time has come for Wisconsin to put its technological know-how and natural advantages to work to create a new energy future.

We can make cars that use fuel grown right here in Wisconsin. Wind turbines and solar panels can supply power to thousands of homes and businesses. We can manufacture high-performance products and buildings that use a fraction of the energy we use today.

By investing in renewable energy such as solar, wind, and bio-fuels and in energy efficiency measures, we can reduce our dependence on foreign oil, re-invigorate our economy, create good, new jobs, protect consumers, and protect our environment. With war raging in the Middle East, oil and gas prices surging, and global warming threatening our future, we cannot wait. We need to start now.

It’s time for a new energy future

For decades, government policy favored the oil industry and other powerful energy interests over energy conservation and emerging renewable energy technologies. But now there’s momentum for change.

Last spring, Wisconsin Environment helped Wisconsin take a major step forward by passing SB 459; requiring utilities to get 10 percent of their energy from renewable energy by 2015; making the state a leader by purchasing 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2011; and protecting the Public Benefits Fund which provides funding for energy efficiency and conservation.

Over the summer, Gov. Doyle announced a Wisconsin Environment-supported plan to make Wisconsin energy independent.

Now is the time to build on this momentum to adopt a concrete plan for Wisconsin’s bold new energy future.

That’s why we’re asking citizens to join us in calling on Gov. Doyle and the state legislature to adopt a strong, no-nonsense plan to move Wisconsin toward a new energy future.

The plan for Wisconsin’s new energy future

• We can reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

The fuels of the future are already coming to market in Wisconsin and many of them are even grown here. Wisconsin should require 25 percent of our transportation fuel to come from renewable fuels by 2025.

• We can harness clean, renewable homegrown energy.

With Wisconsin’s vast potential to harvest wind and biomass power we should lead the country in the production of clean energy. We should get 25 percent of Wisconsin’s electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

• We can save energy with increased efficiency.

The fastest way for Wisconsin to reduce pollution and save money is to reduce the amount of energy we use. We can require utilities to facilitate reducing electricity and natural gas use 10 percent by 2015.

• We can invest in a bold, new energy future.

By investing more public and private dollars in new energy-saving and renewable technologies, we’ll power our future and improve our economy by making Wisconsin a clean energy leader.