Dive Brief:
- Wisconsin regulators have extended the state's energy efficiency and renewable resource program known as "Focus on Energy" for 2 years. Qualifying projects in 2015 and 2016 can receive $5 million and $3.5 million in cash-back incentives, respectively.
- The two-year extension lowers funding levels, green advocates point out, who also say the plan does not commit incentive dollars to renewable energy projects in 2017 and 2018. A new $10 million revolving loan fund would begin taking applications next year for projects through 2018.
- The Public Service Commission voted 2-1 on the funding extension and also called for a mid-2016 study to consider options in the following two years.
Dive Insight:
RENEW Wisconsin points out that though state regulators have extended the efficiency program through 2016, it could have done so at higher levels. But the funding is still a win for advocates in the state, as regulators had been considering ending cash-back rebates altogether and moving entirely to a loan program.
The organization noted that in a dissenting vote, Commissioner Eric Callisto called for higher levels of incentives alongside a smaller loan program.
RENEW also said that because much of next year's funding has already been claimed, the $5 million budgeted for 2015 actually means only $800,000 in new efficiency projects.
“The renewable energy cash-back rewards have been instrumental in building a market for customers to take advantage of the benefits of solar, small wind, geothermal, and bioenergy projects in Wisconsin for many years,” said Tyler Huebner, RENEW Wisconsin’s Executive Director.
Huebner said that in the past four months RENEW worked with members of the renewable energy business community, the administrator of the Focus on Energy program, and staff at the Public Service Commission "to ensure some level of rebates would continue, and we achieved a small victory but not as much funding or the four years of certainty for which we were hoping.”