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At An Energy Crossroads: Why Fossil Fuels Are Not the Answer for Wisconsin's Energy Future 2004-09-02 Future.pdf News Release

Executive Summary

Wisconsin can avoid substantial amounts of pollution and environmental harm by increasing the portion of our electricity we get from renewable energy sources. By increasing renewable energy we can reduce air pollution by replacing older coal plants or avoiding new ones. If Wisconsin continues to rely on fossil fuels and nuclear energy to meet our future energy needs, we will be locked in energy sources that have serious environmental and public health impacts that could also limit Wisconsin's long-term economic potential.

Energy Potential
Wisconsin has substantial untapped wind resources.
- Wisconsin has the potential to generate 6,300 MW from wind, enough to power 1.821 million homes.
- By 2013, Wisconsin could meet a 10% Renewable energy goal by adding 2,800 MW of wind energy, which would power 851,000 homes.

Avoided Pollution
By choosing to invest in 10-percent renewable energy rather than investing in all fossil fuels to meet our growing energy demand, over the next decade, Wisconsin can avoid:
- 13,377 tons of nitrogen oxides, assuming all fossil fuel plants proposed are built.
- 15,749 tons of sulfur dioxide assuming all fossil fuel plants proposed are built.
- 23,178,428 tons of carbon dioxide assuming all fossil fuel plants proposed are built which is equal to the annual pollution from 4,048,634 cars.
- 291 pounds of mercury assuming all coal plants proposed are built.

Policy Recommendations:
Wisconsin can avoid the pollution and environmental damage caused by fossil
fuel electricity generation facilities by:
- Meeting new energy demand with new, clean renewable energy sources first instead of coal and natural gas.
- Promoting new projects in-state whenever possible
- Employing strong definitions for what is eligible as a renewable to ensure the environmental integrity of renewable resources in Wisconsin.
- Maximizing new renewable energy generation by limiting the use of banking credits to three years to meet yearly renewable energy targets.
- Building upon Wisconsin's worthy shorter-term target of 10% by 2013 by establishing a longer term goal of 20% by 2020.