Advanced Energy United News

Utility Dive: Wisconsin Governor Orders 100% Carbon Free by 2050, Despite Lack of Legislative Support

Written by Catherine Morehouse | Aug 19, 2019
Utility Dive quoted AEE's JR Tolbert in its coverage of Wisc. Gov. Evers' executive order to reach 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. See excerpts below and read the full UD brief here.
 
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, D, on Friday signed an executive order setting the state on a path to reach 100% carbon free electricity by 2050. The order establishes an Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy, tasked with bringing the state to that goal. Evers pushed the order through administratively after the effort failed to make it through the budget process...
 

Both chambers of Wisconsin's legislature are Republican majority and passed a bill during the state's 2018 lame duck session to limit the power of the Democratic governor. 

Wisconsin "probably has the steepest hill to climb to sort of implementing [the governor's] policy vision on clean energy," J.R. Tolbert, managing director at Advanced Energy Economy, told Utility Dive in February...


Wisconsin's path to 100% carbon free remains opaque, but Friday's order signals the intent of this administration. 

Evers has already found other bipartisan avenues to push clean energy through: His July-approved budget directed $10 million in Volkswagen settlement funds toward electric vehicle charging stations. Evers was also able to appoint Rebecca Cameron Valcq to the state's three person Public Service Commission...