Energy Independence

Governor Evers signed an Executive Order (EO #38) in August, 2019, that established a state goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050 under the purview of a newly created Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy. The Office will ensure that the State is fulfilling the carbon reduction goals (EO #52) of the 2015 Paris Climate Accord as well.  The EO is designed to move the state to a clean energy economy to create thousands of family-supporting jobs, support Wisconsin’s agriculture industry, improve health, and help mitigate the costly impacts of climate change to the state’s economy, natural resources and quality of life.

Local governments and tribes are engaged in moving to energy independence already and their success will be an important factor in helping the state to reach its clean energy and carbon reduction goals . In 2020, Energy On Wisconsin conducted a survey of Energy Independent Communities to learn of their progress, approaches, challenges, and needs.

Energy Independent Communities

Many Wisconsin municipalities and tribal nations have a history of supporting clean energy with more than 140 local governments having passed Energy Independent Community resolutions beginning in 2008. These communities have adopted the goal of generating at least 25 percent of their energy for local government operations (buildings, infrastructure and fleet) from renewable sources locally by 2025. This includes implementing energy efficiency measures as a strong aspect of achieving clean energy goals.

Some of the EI Communities have revisited their resolutions and increased their goals as high as 100 percent by 2030 to 2050. Some have expanded their goals community-wide to include residents and businesses as well. EI Communities are listed and shown on the map below.

EI Community Planning

Wisconsin communities first started planning to become energy independent in 2009 with the onset of state funding support and assistance. Funding for comprehensive clean energy planning and assessments of government operations continues to be available through a competitive grant process from the Wisconsin Public Service Commission’s (PSC) Office of Energy Innovation Energy Innovation Grant Program (EIGP)

The process to develop a comprehensive, strategic EI Community plan involves measuring and analyzing energy use and costs, determining how to improve energy efficiency cost-effectively, and identifying options for replacing the energy used with renewable sources. This is done in a participatory team with city staff from many departments, the utility, and key community stakeholders. The steps are outlined below:

 

See how it’s done; watch this UW-Madison Extension  YouTube Video: Power Through Partnerships: Brown County and The Oneida Tribe Working Toward Energy Independence

Energy Independent Communities

 Pilot planning grant recipient plan

Adopted 100% goals

Counties

Ashland County

Barron County

Bayfield County

Brown County

Chippewa County

Crawford County

Dane County

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Door County

Eau Claire County  

Green Lake County

Iowa County

Kenosha County

La Crosse County

Outagamie County

Polk County

Sauk County

Shawano County

Vernon County

Walworth County

Waukesha County

Cities

Altoona

Amery

Appleton

Ashland

Baraboo

Bayfield

Beaver Dam

Berlin

Chetek

Clover

Columbus

De Pere

Delafield

Durand

Eau Claire

Evansville

Fennimore

Fitchburg

Green Bay

Green Lake

Hudson

Janesville

Jefferson

Kaukauna

La Crosse

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Lancaster

Lodi

Madison

Manitowoc

Marshfield

Menasha

Menomonie

Merrill

Middleton

Milwaukee

Monona

Muskego

Neenah

New London

New Richmond

Oconomowoc

Pittsville

Platteville

Plymouth

Prairie du Chien

Princeton

Reedsburg

Rice Lake

River Falls

Shawano

Sheboygan

Sheboygan Falls

Shell Lake

St. Croix Falls

Stevens Point

Stoughton

Sun Prairie

Thorp

Two Rivers

Viroqua

Washburn

Waterloo

Waunakee

Waupun

Wausau

Wauwatosa

West Allis

Westby

Whitewater

Wisconsin Dells

Wisconsin Rapids

Towns

Albion

Bayfield

Berlin

Brooklyn

Buchanan

Cottage Grove

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Courtland

Fairfield

La Pointe

Levis

Menasha

Princeton

Rome

Sanborn

Seneca

Yorkville

Villages

Ashwaubenon

Bayside

Bloomington

Cashton

Colfax

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Ferryville

Gays Mills

Gresham

Howard

Kingston

La Farge

Marquette

Muscoda

Osceola

Oxford

Richfield

Spring Green

Soldiers Grove

Viola

Tribes

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians

Lac Courte Oreilles Lake Superior Band of Chippewa

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Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Oneida Nation of Wisconsin

 

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

School Districts

Altoona School District

Baraboo School District

Berlin Area School District

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Green Lake School District

Osceola School District*

Princeton School District

Reedsburg School District

River Valley School District

Whitewater Unified School District

For assistance contact:

Sherrie Gruder, LEED AP
UW-Madison Extension
Sustainable Design Specialist & Energy Program Manager
(608) 262-0398 | sherrie.gruder@wisc.edu