SB 519

Current law requires the Department of Administration (DOA) to establish

renewable energy goals for the following state agencies: DOA, the Department of

Corrections, the Department of Health Services, the Department of Public

Instruction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Board of Regents of the

University of Wisconsin System. One of the goals was that, by December 31, 2011,

at least 20 percent of the total amount of electric energy generated or purchased by

the state for power, heating, or cooling purposes for state-owned or leased facilities

for all of the foregoing agencies is derived from renewable resources. Current law

defines a "renewable resource" as a resource that generates electricity from any of

the following: 1) certain renewable fuel cells; 2) tidal or wave action; 3) solar thermal

electric or photovoltaic energy; 4) wind power; 5) geothermal technology; 6) biomass;

7) synthetic gas created by the plasma gasification of waste; 8) certain densified fuel

pellets made from waste material other than garbage; 9) fuel produced by pyrolysis

of organic or waste material; and 10) hydroelectric facilities. In addition, the Public

Service Commission (PSC) is allowed to promulgate rules identifying other types of

renewable resources. Current law requires DOA to submit annual reports to the

governor and legislature on the degree of attainment regarding the goals.

This bill requires DOA to establish new goals for the foregoing agencies. Under

the bill, DOA must establish goals for the agencies that are designed to accomplish

the goal that, by December 31, 2025, at least 30 percent of total annual amount of

electric energy generated or purchased by the state for power, heating, or cooling

purposes for state-owned or leased facilities for all of the agencies is derived from

renewable resources. As under current law, DOA will be required to submit annual

reports to the governor and legislature on the degree of attainment regarding the

goals.

Current law also requires the PSC to prepare a report no later than June 1,

2016, that states whether, by December 31, 2015, the state has met a goal that 10

percent of all electric energy consumed in the state is derived from renewable

resources. If the goal is not achieved, the report must indicate why the goal was not

achieved and how it may be achieved, and the PSC must prepare similar reports

biennially thereafter until the goal is achieved. The PSC must submit the reports

to the governor and legislature.

This bill requires the PSC to prepare another report, no later than June 1, 2026,

that states whether, by December 31, 2025, the state has met a goal that 25 percent

of all electric energy consumed in the state is derived from renewable resources. If

the goal is not achieved, the report must indicate why the goal was not achieved and

how it may be achieved, and the PSC must prepare similar reports biennially

thereafter until the goal is achieved. The bill requires the PSC to submit the reports

to the governor and legislature.