The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.
Wisconsin is having a major debate about its energy future, but too often we are framing that debate around choices we don’t have to make.
Economic growth or consumer protection. Renewable energy or natural gas. Lower emissions or reliable power. The reality is more complicated, and Wisconsin voters seem to understand that. A new statewide survey conducted for Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future found nearly seven in ten Wisconsin voters say their electric bills are higher than they were a year ago.
That matters because every discussion about Wisconsin’s energy future ultimately includes the affordability of our electric bills. We can debate generation sources, transmission lines and future demand, but families and businesses are emphasize a much simpler question: What is all of this going to cost me?
At the same time, Wisconsin needs more energy, not less. Our economy is growing and changing, manufacturers need reliable power, and new technologies are creating new demands on the grid. Data centers have become a major part of that debate, with candidates and communities alike wrestling with the economic opportunity they represent and legitimate questions about who pays for the infrastructure they require.
Our polling suggests voters don’t necessarily see economic growth and accountability as competing goals. When asked which political party they trust more to balance economic growth with accountability for big technology companies, neither party had a decisive advantage.
That’s an opportunity for leaders in both parties. Wisconsin can welcome new investment while protecting ratepayers and expecting the companies creating new demands on our energy system to pay their fair share. The same balanced approach should guide the larger debate over Wisconsin’s energy future.
Our polling also found overwhelming support for reducing Wisconsin’s reliance on coal while replacing it with a combination of natural gas and renewable energy. More than three-quarters of voters support that approach, with strong support across party lines.
Wisconsin is already moving away from coal. The question isn’t whether that transition will happen, but how we manage it without sacrificing reliability or making energy even more expensive.
That’s important because natural gas and renewable energy don’t have to be competitors as both are essential for the foreseeable future.
Renewables will continue to play a growing role in Wisconsin’s energy mix. Natural gas can help provide the reliable power necessary when those resources aren’t available, while also allowing Wisconsin to continue moving away from higher-emitting coal.
Voters appear comfortable with that kind of practical approach. They aren’t demanding an energy system built around a single source. They want policymakers to find a middle ground that keeps energy affordable and reliable while continuing to reduce emissions.
That shouldn’t be a partisan idea.
Wisconsin’s next governor and Legislature will face some consequential decisions about energy. Demand will continue to grow, and utilities will need to make long-term investments to meet that growth. New technologies will create opportunities and challenges we can’t fully predict today. And consumers will rightly demand that someone keep an eye on what all of it means for their monthly bills.
Those decisions shouldn’t begin with a list of things Wisconsin won’t build or technologies we won’t use. They should begin with the outcomes we want, affordable energy, a reliable grid, continued emissions reductions and an economy capable of attracting investment and creating good jobs.
Getting there will require tradeoffs. It will require accountability and leaders willing to resist the temptation to turn every energy decision into another partisan fight.
Wisconsin voters seem ready for that conversation.
Our political leaders should be, too.
Peter Barca is chairman of the Wisconsin chapter of Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future.
