In May 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that in 2019 U.S. renewable energy consumption surpassed coal for the first time in over 130 years. Compared with 2018 figures, renewable energy consumption grew by 1% while coal consumption decreased 15%. This was a decrease for the sixth year in a row. In the last weeks of the election we heard a lot about fracking and even more recently about the Clean Power Plan alongside the Paris Agreement. While these can often feel like partisan issues, the reality of the situation is many power suppliers are in the middle of transitioning to renewables and doing their part to reduce carbon emissions.

Dairyland Power Cooperative (Dairyland), a generation and transmission cooperative located in La Crosse, Wis., serves 24 electric distribution cooperatives and 17 municipal utilities. Dairyland strategically develops power supply plans to determine its future energy mix and anticipate the long-term needs of its distribution members. Its Sustainable Generation Plan (SGP) provides a framework for the decisions influencing its energy portfolio. Carbon reduction and system reliability are key considerations.

Dairyland takes a fourpronged approach to strategic planning: economics, environment, technological feasibility, and social implications. In October, Dairyland's board of directors approved the SGP team's proposed goal of 50 percent reduction in carbon dioxide intensity rate by 2030. The carbon emission rate reduction is based on 2005 levels.

Dairyland's focus continues to be reducing economy-wide carbon emissions. Its initiatives to foster beneficial electrification, combined with investments in renewable resources, support this evolution. Earlier this year, Dairyland announced the difficult decision to retire its Genoa #3 coal-fired power plant in 2021.

Significant additions of wind and solar renewable energy will continue to be made in tandem with its plans for the Nemadji Trail Energy Center, a combined cycle natural gas plant. Nemadji Trail will support the addition of renewable energy through its ability to ramp up quickly, providing reliable power when the wind isn't blowing, and the sun isn't shining.

Dairyland has two more major renewable energy investments Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Ranger Power for the proposed 149 MW Badger State Solar facility (Wisconsin) and a PPA with Avangrid Renewables for the proposed 52 MW Tatanka Ridge wind energy facility (South Dakota). Tatanka Ridge is scheduled to come online at the end of December. Construction of Badger State is scheduled to commence in July 2021 with an expected in-service date of November 2022. Dairyland is the second largest generator of renewable energy in the state of Wisconsin.

With the commitment of utilities like Dairyland Power Cooperative, the energy market continues to evolve their renewable portfolios.