Is there an opportunity for western Wisconsin to be an energy transformation leader? Over the past month, there has been much discussion about the executive orders the new Biden administration has ordered. Most notably, Biden halted construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Additional executive orders halted new drilling permits and allows the US to rejoin the Paris Climate accord. Many have applauded this effort as a push towards aiding climate change, while those opposed hail these as government overreach and job killers. As a member-owned cooperative, PPCS pays close attention to the impacts of regulatory changes, especially those that may impact the energy industry.

Most people overlook the reliability of the United States electrical grid. Over the past few years, hurricanes, the Iowa derecho, wildfires, and tornadoes have knocked out power to homes and businesses for extended periods of time. These events quickly show how important and necessary the electrical grid is to our lives. Even more important is the reliability of the electric grid. The benefit we have in the United States over many other countries is the reliability of our electricity. When you think of this, it’s not just that electricity is there when we need it, but it’s there even when we don’t need it. In other words, our electric grid meets the capacity needs of everyone during peak times and supply is available when demand is not. The clcctric grid is often considered the greatest technical and scientific feat of the modern world for these reasons.

The next challenge for our industry puts a greater emphasis on technology and redistributing the central station power grid. The shift has been occurring for several years now, including the use of lower carbon emitting fuels while renewable resources continue to trend upward. The path to a carbon free future is not simply a path of closing every fossil burning generation plant operated across our country today or tomorrow. Those that believe this is the only path are shortsighted. Grid reliability is our greatest asset and until we can reliably supply the needs of the future, we need common sense approaches. The electric grid was not built overnight, and the transformation will not happen overnight either.

One of the most significant emitters of carbon continues to be transportation. PPCS fundamentally believes that electric vehicles are the path forward to helping reduce this carbon source. With that comes more electricity demand, meaning we must figure out how we sup- Nate Boettcher, PPCS President and CEO

ply more power to the grid to meet this demand. Charging vehicles in lower peak periods will help. Solar or wind paired with battery storage will continue to ensure we have availability of energy when renewables are unavailable. This is where innovation meets necessity. New technologies, jobs, innovation, and manufacturing is needed to meet this future. My plea to our region is to look at an opportunity to capitalize on this fundamental shift. How can we as a region, with forward thinking leadership be willing to seek opportunities for manufacturing, job training, encourage innovative technology and create an ecosystem that helps us transform our future? Now is the time for us to join this movement, not simply for climate change, but to ensure we are not left behind.

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