WISCONSIN’S ROADMAP TO NET ZERO BY 2050

There is a pathway for Wisconsin to achieve a net-zero future. New detailed energy and economic modeling shows Wisconsin can cost-effectively transition to net-zero emissions by 2050, reaching a point where we emit no more carbon into the atmosphere than can be removed.

According to a new study, reaching net zero by 2050 will require aggressive action at virtually every level, from the rapid deployment of clean energy resources like wind and solar to the development of new technologies and expanded transmission. But the benefits of these large-scale investments in Wisconsin are far-reaching:

• $2-4.4 billion in avoided healthcare costs in 2050
• 28 to 63 fewer deaths per million people from air pollution in 2050
• Growth in Gross State Product by approximately 3%, adding around $16 billion to Wisconsin’s economy and 68,000 additional Wisconsin jobs
• Lower out-of-pocket costs for fuel and energy

The Achieving 100% Clean Energy in Wisconsin Report, produced by Evolved Energy Research, GridLab, RENEW Wisconsin, and Clean Wisconsin, analyzes various pathways for the state to rapidly reduce carbon emissions over the next three decades. A companion report, The Economic Impacts of Decarbonization in Wisconsin, by Cambridge Econometrics, analyzes the economic and employment impacts of this economy-wide transition to clean energy in Wisconsin. A summary report, Wisconsin’s Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050, highlights the key findings of the study and includes policy recommendations. 

While getting to Net Zero will require significant investments in clean energy infrastructure, electric transportation, and electric heating systems for buildings, the cost of doing nothing is far greater. Learn more about this work below!