Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor Pushes for 100 Percent Clean Energy by Mid-Century

Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor Tony Evers put forward a requirement to make the state’s electricity supply carbon-free by 2050, according to a March 7 proposal.

During last year’s midterm elections, Evers made it clear that he was a proponent for shifting the state to 100 percent renewable energy by mid-century, but his political position is not as strong as some other recently elected Democratic governors pushing for similarly ambitious goals. He only narrowly defeated Republican Governor Scott Walker and also faces a legislature still under the control of the GOP, denying him the mandate and leeway for a massive course change in energy policy.

Even if the current proposal is accepted, the state has a long way to go to achieve it. The last renewable portfolio standard target was set for 2015, with a very modest target of 10 percent of all electricity to come from renewable sources. According to the EIA, as of 2017, Wisconsin got 55 percent of its electricity from coal, about 20 percent from natural gas, and just 9.3 percent from renewables.