SB 773

This bill requires the Department of Administration to establish new

renewable energy goals for certain state agencies.

Current law requires DOA to establish 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 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.

The bill also imposes a reporting requirement on the PSC. Current law 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