The on-site renewable mandate in AB 840 is a grid reliability trap.

Wisconsin is at the front edge of a new electricity boom. Data centers, especially those powering artificial intelligence, are arriving with power demands greater than those of many towns and cities. This can be an opportunity for economic growth and long-term energy strength. But only if we write the rules correctly.

That’s why one provision in Assembly Bill 840 (AB 840) should be rejected outright:

“Any renewable energy facility that primarily serves the load of a data center shall be located at the site of the data center.”

On the surface, it sounds reasonable. If a data center claims it will use renewable energy, then the renewable energy should be “right there,” on-site. Simple. But energy policy isn’t made in slogans. It’s made in engineering and economics. And this provision is not a renewable energy policy at all.

It’s a natural gas mandate in disguise. Wisconsin should demand clean power at scale,  not performative compliance. Large data centers can draw hundreds of megawatts around the clock. That kind of demand can’t realistically be met with on-site renewables alone. At least in most locations in Wisconsin. Wind and solar require significant acreage, and the best renewable resources aren’t always near data-center sites.

So what happens when lawmakers require renewables to be built in a confined or impractical space? Renewables can’t meet demand. And when renewables can’t be deployed effectively, the market defaults to the only thing left — fossil fuels.

That means AB 840’s on-site rule doesn’t “ensure renewables.” It blocks renewables and guarantees fossil fuel generation, exactly the opposite of what Wisconsin needs for long-term energy security and economic resilience.

Grid reliability comes from flexibility, not forced geography. Here’s the core problem: the electric grid is not designed around one-to-one power matching. Wisconsin’s power system works because it is a network. We build generation where it makes sense, where the renewable resource is strongest, where land is available, where interconnection is possible, and where transmission can support it. Then electricity flows across the system.

This is not a partisan argument. It’s how modern power systems are built. Requiring renewable energy facilities to be located only on-site at data centers ignores the basic physics of the grid and forces the wrong kind of infrastructure in the wrong place.

Even worse, it undermines reliability. Concentrating generation and load at the same node can create congestion and interconnection bottlenecks. Reliability improves when generation is diversified and distributed geographically, wind in one region, solar in another, storage where it helps most, and transmission planned intentionally.

AB 840’s location requirement is the opposite of that. It is central planning, not grid planning.

If Wisconsin wants ratepayer protection, fine, but we can’t sabotage the growth of clean energy. There’s a lot in AB 840 worth serious discussion. Wisconsin absolutely must prevent large private loads from shifting costs onto families, farmers, and small businesses. That’s non-negotiable.

But if lawmakers are serious about protecting Wisconsinites, they should also consider what happens when natural gas becomes the default fuel for powering the new economy. Gas plants lock in decades of fuel dependence. And fuel dependence means price volatility. Families don’t just pay for the plant — they pay for the fuel, forever. That’s not energy security, that’s vulnerability.

Wisconsin should not build its economic future on imported fuel with prices set by national and global markets. We should build it on resources we can produce right here: wind and solar, paired with storage, demand response, transmission planning, and other grid reliability tools.

There’s a better way, and it’s common sense.

If lawmakers want data centers to contribute to Wisconsin’s energy future, the bill should do three things:

• Require meaningful renewable procurement at scale, not token projects
• Allow off-site renewable development connected to the Wisconsin grid
• Require data centers to pay for the upgrades they drive, generation, interconnection, transmission, and firming

That approach accomplishes everything policymakers say they want:

• reliability
• competitiveness
• long-term price stability
• grid modernization
• and no cost shift to ratepayers

And it does it without forcing Wisconsin into a wave of fossil buildout. Wisconsin gets one shot at this data center expansion will reshape our grid for the next generation. The decisions we make now will determine whether Wisconsin becomes:

• a national model for modern, resilient power growth, or
• a cautionary tale of rushing headfirst into natural gas dependence

AB 840’s on-site renewable mandate is not a guardrail. It’s a trap. If we want energy security and grid reliability, renewable energy provisions must be strong—and they must be real. That means allowing off-site renewables and requiring data centers to add new clean power to the grid at scale.

Wisconsin can welcome economic growth. But we should not do it by writing fossil dependence into law.

Climate change is no longer a distant warning — it is here and it is reshaping our landscapes, weather patterns, and communities. Wisconsin has already begun to feel the effects, through more frequent flooding along our rivers, dangerous heat waves that strain vulnerable populations, and shifting agricultural seasons that threaten one of our state’s proudest traditions – farming. Left unchecked, climate change will accelerate these threats, driving up costs for families and businesses while destabilizing the ecosystems that sustain us.

But there is a solution within reach, and Wisconsin has the opportunity to lead: a rapid transition to renewable energy. We have the tools, we just need to be bold enough to move forward.

The Dangers We Face

Scientists are clear that continued reliance on fossil fuels is driving higher global temperatures. For Wisconsin, that translates to:

• More volatile weather: Intense storms that damage infrastructure, cause power outages, and threaten public safety.
• Rising health risks: Air pollution worsens respiratory illnesses, while extreme heat threatens seniors, children, and outdoor workers.
• Economic disruption: Crop losses from unpredictable seasons, higher insurance premiums due to extreme weather, and costly repairs to public infrastructure.

The longer we delay addressing these dangers, the more expensive and disruptive they become. Every year of inaction compounds the risks and the cost. The good news is that the solution is affordable, efficient, and reliable.

Renewable Energy Is the Key

Wisconsin already has the tools we need to chart a safer, stronger path forward. Wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal, and hydropower are proven, affordable, and increasingly accessible. Transitioning to renewable energy addresses climate change head-on while delivering real, local benefits:

• Cleaner air and healthier communities by reducing emissions from coal and gas.
• Energy independence — when we produce energy in Wisconsin, it keeps our energy dollars here at home instead of sending them out of state for fossil fuels.
• Strong local economies through job creation in construction, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance — industries that can’t be outsourced.
• Stable energy costs because renewable resources, unlike fossil fuels, aren’t subject to global market swings.

Every new solar array on a school, every wind turbine in a farm field, and every biogas digester on a dairy farm reduces our reliance on polluting fuels while building a more resilient local economy.

Wisconsin’s Opportunity

Our state is uniquely positioned to lead. With strong agricultural roots, an innovative workforce, and communities that value stewardship, Wisconsin can demonstrate how clean energy strengthens both economy and environment. RENEW Wisconsin is working every day to expand renewable projects across the state — partnering with businesses, schools, tribes, farmers, and local governments to accelerate the transition.

But the pace matters. To safeguard our children’s future, we must move faster. This means modernizing policies, supporting community solar, expanding access to financing, and ensuring equity so that every family can share in the benefits of clean energy.

A Call to Action

Climate change is the defining challenge of our generation. But it is also the greatest opportunity to reimagine how Wisconsin powers itself — cleaner, stronger, and more resilient. By choosing renewable energy today, we protect our communities, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and preserve the natural heritage we hold dear.

The dangers of climate change are real, but the solution is in our hands. Join RENEW Wisconsin and help us win this fight. Together, we can build a safer and more prosperous Wisconsin powered by clean, renewable energy.

On July 4, President Trump signed the sprawling and controversial One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB)—a massive budget reconciliation package with major implications for renewable energy development nationwide. While the bill is complex, its impacts on solar, storage, manufacturing, and project finance are substantial, and the timelines are tight.

Here’s what Wisconsin’s clean energy developers and businesses need to know, without the fluff.

Construction Start Dates: Get Moving Now

Technology-Neutral Tax Credits (Sections 45Y & 48E)

FEOC Rules: Chinese Equipment and Financing Under Fire

End of the Road for the 25D Residential Clean Energy Credit

Battery and Solar Manufacturing (Section 45X): Tightened and Trimmed

Legacy Credits: Still Alive, With Limits

Depreciation and Direct Pay: Shifting Gears

Clean Fuels and Carbon Capture

Business Models Must Evolve

Final Takeaway: The Clock Is Ticking

The OBBB is both a challenge and an opportunity. The incentives remain strong, but the rules are tighter, timelines are shorter, and the margin for error is shrinking.

Wisconsin’s clean energy sector must act with urgency, clarity, and discipline. Success in this new landscape will require speed and resilience—the kind built through strong partnerships, local supply chains, and long-term strategic planning.

RENEW Wisconsin can decode the bill’s nuances, support your project pipeline, and keep building momentum toward a resilient energy future.

Need help navigating the changes?

Let’s chart the path forward together—connect with our team to explore how these changes impact your projects and where RENEW Wisconsin can help.