Wisconsin adopts 2005 Act 141, the Energy Efficiency and Renewables Act, incorporating many of the policy proposals recommended by Governor Doyle’s Task Force on Energy Efficiency and Renewables. The law sets a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) for utilities (10% by 2015) and protects Focus on Energy funds from budget raids. This law ushers in the next wave of renewable power projects in Wisconsin.
Michael Vickerman is selected to serve on Governor Doyle’s Task Force on Energy Efficiency and Renewables. While serving on that body, Michael is tasked with redesigning the policy mechanism for increasing utility procurement of renewable power. The Task Force ultimately produces a consensus package of recommendations for strengthening the state’s implementation of Wisconsin’s Energy Priority Law. These recommendations include increasing the percentage of renewable electricity sold in Wisconsin to 10% by 2015, nearly tripling current volumes in the mix.
Focus on Energy launches its renewable energy program, promoting solar, wind, and bioenergy for customer use. The program is instrumental in developing an in-state biopower industry serving dairy producers.
With funding from the Joyce Foundation, RENEW launches a collaborative body to propose standards and procedures for interconnecting distributed generators to utility grids. This work evolves into formal rulemaking resulting in PSC 119, the state’s interconnection rule, taking effect in 2004.
FPL Energy builds and energizes a 20-turbine, 30 MW wind farm in Iowa County near Montfort. The completion of Montfort caps the first wave of renewable power projects built in Wisconsin.