Final report urges greater use of renewables
MADISON, Wisconsin, US, 2004-12-08 Refocus Weekly
Wisconsin should increase its reliance on renewables to 10% within the next decade, according to a task force created by the state governor.
“The time is ripe for these policy initiatives,” says the final report of
the Governor’s Task Force on Energy Efficiency & Renewables.
“Implementation of these recommendations as a package would establish a clear,
comprehensive policy for increased energy efficiency and renewable energy use in
Wisconsin and would define what constitutes compliance with the Energy
Priorities Law.”
Among the recommendations is a new standard to average 10% of state energy from
renewables by 2015, and phased in to would allow electric utilities to request
temporary implementation delays for circumstances beyond their control. It wants
state agencies to purchase at least 10% of their electricity from renewables by
2006 and 20% by 2010, and a tax exemption for customer-owned small wind
turbines, solar panels and solar water-heating services.
“The Task Force reached a consensus on all the initiatives proposed in this
report,” it notes. “Given the diversity of interests among Task Force
members, the value of this consensus is significant.”
The recommendations are not a comprehensive list of the available measures, the
group adds, with other beneficial steps including improved rate structures,
better load management and demand-response efforts, community wind projects and
improved resource-selection procedures. Renewables currently provide 4% of the
state's energy, most of which comes from hydro facilities.
Governor Jim Doyle created the 25-member task force in September 2003, shortly
after the major blackouts that affected the U.S. northeast and Ontario. The
group says utilities could save money on fuel costs by using more renewables,
since the state has no fossil fuels and spends US$6 billion a year to import
fuels.
The 45 recommendations offer options for the state Public Service Commission to
implement the Energy Priorities Law, which establishes a flexible hierarchy for
pursuing energy options with a priority for technically-feasible and
cost-effective renewables and efficiency. The criteria for determining
compliance with the law have not been clear, “resulting in uncertainty for the
state’s utilities and frustration for the state’s consumer and environmental
groups,” and the recommendations will increase renewable energy use and
establish more regulatory certainty in the implementation of the Law.
“Time is of the essence to seize the opportunity to improve the state’s
policy on energy efficiency and renewables,” the report notes. “We know that
these resources have great potential, if intelligently implemented, to save
customers money, to improve environmental protection in the electric industry,
and to further economic development within the state.”
“Circumstances are ripe for new policy initiatives on energy efficiency and
renewables,” it concludes. “There is unanimous recognition that more can be
done to capture the value of these resources at this time, and in a more
integrated, coordinated fashion.”
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