Wisconsin is moving toward using renewable energy sources as a cheaper and cleaner alternative to coal

I’m awed standing beneath the single wind turbine at Werner Electric in Madison. The three white rotor blades spin at a pace so fast my eyes can’t follow the revolutions. This small construction, standing only a few stories high, uses the power of wind to transform kinetic energy into a form of electricity. It’s a way of creating renewable energy — energy that could power a fridge, charge a phone or run any number of household electronics.

Imagine this on a large scale. Instead of one single wind turbine, hundreds of wind turbines  — a little more than 1,900 — would be enough to provide electricity to every household in Wisconsin. With 404 commercial turbines in use, Wisconsin is just more than a fifth of the way there.

Though Wisconsin does not yet rely on renewable energy sources for the majority of its energy needs, the state is on the verge of making a transition. For the last 100 years, coal has been a main energy source for Wisconsin, and today about half of Wisconsin’s electricity comes from coal-fired plants. Half may seem like a significant amount, but there has been a decrease in coal usage for the past few years. The reason for this transition comes not from the government and its policies, but rather from the solar and wind power industry itself. The energy industry is fueled by money, and the cheapest option is usually the most popular.

The wind and solar industry has improved and refined its own technology to a point where renewable energy has become less costly than using coal. Michael Vickerman, program and policy director at RENEW Wisconsin, an organization that advocates, educates and collaborates for more renewable energy in Wisconsin, says there are ethical implications fueling this transition as well.

“[Some] individual companies think and believe they have a responsibility to not just the planet, but also to their shareholders, their public corporations and their customers,” Vickerman says, adding that companies transitioning to renewable energy feel they are also gaining a competitive advantage whether that be lower overhead costs or lower costs for customers.

Large companies like S.C. Johnson, headquartered in Racine are leading Wisconsin’s shift in energy usage. S.C. Johnson made a clear effort to replace almost 100 percent of the electricity it uses with renewable energy sources from around the world. These include two large wind turbines, cogeneration plants (using waste methane gas from a public landfill to generate energy), biofuel (using organic matter to produce energy), solar power and wind power.

Other companies have started to follow suit.

Gundersen Health System, a health care provider that services three states with more than 25 facilities, has become energy independent. This means that Gundersen produces more energy than it consumes. Using an approach to renewable energy similar to S.C. Johnson, Gundersen’s energy portfolio consists of energy conservation, waste management, wind and solar energies, biogas, recycling, biomass (where a boiler burns wood, heats water and produces steam, which then powers a motor for energy) and geothermal (a system of wells and pumps that utilize the earth’s temperature).

The high school began with 16 solar panels used to heat its swimming pool and decided the benefits could only increase by adding more solar panels. Principal and District Administrator James Bouché says while the school won’t abandon coal as an energy source completely, moving forward it will take all possible energy options into consideration.

“Our students are now learning the importance of another source of energy by having this [solar farm] on top of our building,” Bouché says. “Not only is it something that’s good for the community, but it’s a good learning tool for our students as we move into the 21st century. We believe that we need to give all our students in Northern Wisconsin the most cutting-edge technology to be prepared for their next step after high school.”

City Hall in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, has also changed its energy use, moving toward renewable energy sources and moving away from relying on coal-based energy. It was rebuilt in 2016 to accommodate the city’s growing community and to increase energy-efficiency with 30 percent of its energy load offset by solar panels. Besides solar energy, Kaukauna City Hall utilizes LED lighting, geothermal heating and purchases a mix of renewable and coal energy from the local utility.

David Pahl is a systems engineer at Kaukauna Utilities owned by the city of Kaukauna. He says the mix of energy is about 25 percent hydro-electric energy, and 75 percent is a mixture of nuclear, gas, coal, wind and solar energies. Kaukauna Utilities purchases the 75 percent mixture from a power purchase provider who is looking to increase the renewable energy percentage of their portfolio.

Pahl’s opinion on coal use? As renewable energy technologies advance, coal won’t disappear 100 percent, but in the near future a higher percentage of renewable energy will be utilized and that percentage will continue to grow. But, in his view, coal will definitely not be the major source of energy.

Why not coal?

Clean Wisconsin, an organization that focuses on providing Wisconsin with clean air, clean water and clean energy, gives reasons for the decline in coal use.

Wisconsin has no coal mines, and buying coal out of state is expensive. The state buys most of its coal from Wyoming  — sending about $1 billion a year out of state. Wyoming is the largest producer of coal in the United States, due to the coal having less sulfur and being seen as “cleaner” than coal from other states.

According to Clean Wisconsin, regardless of the reduced amount of sulfur, burning coal from Wyoming still produces air pollutants containing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and particulate matter. Air pollutants can lead to serious health issues and even death.

Sulfur dioxide causes acid rain, and nitrogen oxides contribute to forming particulate matter, a large cause of respiratory and cardiovascular problems, and even premature death to those with lung and heart diseases. Mercury seeps into the water and the earth itself, interfering with human and wildlife development. These harmful emissions from burning coal are estimated to cause more than 250 deaths, hospital stays and heart attacks each year.

Once the coal arrives in Wisconsin, it is burned at any of the 11 coal-fired power plants remaining in the state. Power plant owners have begun retiring the plants or transitioning them to rely on energy sources other than coal, due to the decreasing cost of cleaner, more energy-efficient sources.

Transitioning Wisconsin’s energy portfolio toward renewable energy sources is fueled by an idea  — the idea that a change in energy resources is imperative to keep Wisconsin moving forward. In Vickerman’s words, using renewable energy sources is a “nationwide phenomenon,” and Wisconsin cannot afford to fall behind.

The actions of Wisconsin companies promote the idea that it is a collective duty to keep the planet clean, safe and sustainable for all who reside here, and Vickerman doesn’t see this idea reversing anytime soon.

“I see the share of electricity mix that comes from coal plants declining steadily through the years [since 2011],” Vickerman says. “I can’t predict the time when coal disappears from the Wisconsin electric utility picture, but I see coal as in a terminal tailspin.”

Samantha is  expecting to graduate in December of 2017 with her master’s degree in journalism.

Samantha earned her bachelor’s degree in English at UW-La Crosse. She’s a Wisconsin native, but she hopes to explore the rest of the world after she graduates, and if not the world, then at least the United States.

Specializing in magazine writing, Samantha enjoys writing about the environment and issues she thinks are important.