Conservative Legislators Introduce Community Solar Bill in Wisconsin
Community solar would give Wisconsin an economic boost and save customers money
Madison, WI - Solar energy will become accessible to more Wisconsin citizens under a bill introduced by State Senator Duey Strobel (R-Cedarburg) and State Representative Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa).
The bill will authorize community solar programs that would allow families, farms, schools, and businesses to choose to get their energy from individuals and developers who build community solar projects, bypassing the utility as their sole source of energy.
The Conservative Energy Network supports the goal of the solar bill and encourages legislators across the state to sign on as co-sponsors.
Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum Executive Director Ryan Huebsch says, “Solar power is a clean source of energy that is growing in interest and dropping in cost across our state,” Huebsch said.
“More and more people want solar to be part of their source of energy in their homes and businesses. This legislation will allow communities to take full advantage of the advances in solar energy innovation.”
Community solar is any solar project or purchasing program, within a geographic area, in which the benefits of a solar project flow to multiple customers such as individuals, businesses, and other groups. In most cases, the solar panels are located in a remote, off-site array. Customers can either buy or lease a portion of the solar panels in the array, and then typically receive an electric bill credit for electricity generated by their share of the community solar project. “Community solar projects provide the option of solar energy to people who may not otherwise have access,” Huebsch said. “This conservative policy reform will encourage renewable energy growth and unlock investment that will create jobs in local projects across the state.”
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Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum Announces New Executive Director
February 14, 2023 (Madison, WI) – The Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum (WISCEF), a conservative-led nonprofit organization that advocates for clean, affordable and reliable energy statewide, today announced Ryan Huebsch as its new executive director.
Huebsch is a lifelong resident of La Crosse County, having been born in Onalaska and raised in West Salem. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he graduated with honors.
Prior to joining WICEF, Ryan worked as a legislative assistant in the offices of Wisconsin State Senator Eric Wimberger (R-Green Bay) and for then-Majority Leader, now Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05). He was campaign manager for former State Senator Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse) and most recently was the 2022 Republican candidate for the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 94th District in Western Wisconsin.
“Ryan’s knowledge of the legislative process and relationships with key personnel in the Capitol will prove valuable as WICEF pursues an targeted policy agenda,” said Brandon Scholz, Board Chair. “We are thrilled to have such a talented individual take on the role of executive director and trust that WICEF will thrive under his leadership.”
Contact: Ryanmhuebsch@wiscef.org
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed the official proclamation below pronouncing September 24 - 28 Clean Energy Week in our state!
Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum Announces New Addition to Leadership Council
Conservative energy organization continues to expand its presence
(Madison, WI) – Today, the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum (WisCEF) announced the addition of Benji Backer to its Leadership Council. Backer is a conservative activist from Appleton, Wisconsin and a junior at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is the founder of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC), the largest right-of-center environmental organization.
Through ACC, Benji is helping unite Americans on pro-environmental reforms, all while changing the narrative when it comes to conservatives and the environment. “A big part of our mission at ACC is communicating a pro innovation, cost effective, and environmentally sustainable vision for energy production in the United States,” said Backer. “This is one of the reasons I’m excited to join WisCEF to help bring that vision to my home state.”
The goal of WisCEF is to spur a dialogue and provide a vehicle for individuals, organizations, and businesses to join a conservative conversation about Wisconsin’s energy future. The organization’s Leadership Council is comprised of conservative leaders that want to shake up the traditional political lines in energy and move Wisconsin toward a more diverse, cleaner, and renewable energy mix.
Scott Coenen, the executive director of the organization, welcomed Backer to the Council. “Benji, through his work on ACC, has made a national impact on the discussion around environment and energy production. As a young conservative he brings a great perspective to our Leadership Council and a valuable connection to ACC. Conservatives need to emphasize the development of cheap, reliable, and cost-effective energy,” he said. “To do that, we also need to recognize that advances in technology increasingly mean renewable and alternative energy sources fit that description; cheap, reliable, and cost-effective. With Benji we have another strong conservative voice looking to shake things up.”
The launch of the forum provides the opportunity to drive a conservative message. “We founded WisCEF in order to start to change a frustrating and polarized discussion around energy, to bring conservatives to the table to discuss new technologies, and introduce a new conservative message to the renewable energy debate,” said Coenen.
The group is made up of forward-thinking conservatives ready to change the dynamic of the state’s energy conversation. The WisCEF Leadership Council currently includes:
· Tommy Thompson – Former Governor of Wisconsin
· Ryan Owens – UW Madison Professor Political Science
· Mark Honadel – Former GOP State Representative and Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities
· Debbie Crave – Vice President of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese
· Matt Neumann – President of Neumann Companies Inc. and Sunvest Solar Inc.
· Jon Hochkammer – Outreach Manager of the Wisconsin Counties Association
· Benji Backer – President of American Conservation Coalition
Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum Announces Energize WI Tour
(Madison, WI) – The Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum (WisCEF) is pleased to announce our “Energize Wisconsin” tour. Energize WI is an unprecedented effort, over the next five months, to visit thirteen locations showcasing the future of energy markets across our state.
Due to falling costs and the increased efficiency of technologies like wind, solar, and battery technology, energy markets have begun a market driven transition to renewable energies. Our goal is to connect legislators, media, and stakeholders with the people working in Wisconsin to turn this transition into an opportunity for economic development, job creation, and inexpensive home-grown power.
WisCEF is a group of conservative individuals, organizations, and businesses interested in sparking a dialogue about Wisconsin’s energy future. We believe that an “all of the above” energy policy must be pursued by increasing our state’s commitment to reducing energy waste and developing “Wisconsin-grown” clean energy resources. Leveraging Wisconsin’s transition to clean and renewable energy will stimulate our economy, lower electricity costs, protect our national and grid security, reduce pollution, and improve public health for all Wisconsinites.
Scott Coenen, Executive Director of WisCEF, said energy markets are changing rapidly, new technology is emerging, and competitive markets are moving in the direction of renewables. Leaders in our state have an opportunity here; embrace this change, build on its success, and look for ways to help markets in this transition,” Coenen said. “Through this tour we hope to help decision makers and stakeholders learn what is already underway in energy markets in every corner of our state, and start having conversations about what we can do to leverage this to Wisconsin’s benefit.”
Energize WI will showcase the significant work already being done in our state to capitalize on and lead the emerging renewable energy economy – ensuring Wisconsin remains competitive regionally, nationally, and even globally for years to come. This tour series will feature sites across Wisconsin, including utility scale wind and solar, bioenergy plants, companies committed to sustainability, rooftop solar installations, and manufacturers up and down the renewable energy supply chain. Energize WI will showcase the future of energy markets in our state and launch a discussion about how we can leverage an emerging international industry to our benefit.
Attached you will find a save the date detailing the sixteen sites we will be visiting across the state and the dates for each tour. Individualized invitations will follow as we get closer to each event. We look forward to seeing first hand how Wisconsin is working to ensure our state has affordable, reliable, and efficient energy for generations to come. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments.
For more information, visit www.wiscef.org. Additionally, follow updates on Twitter at @WISCEF and visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WISCEF.
Announcing the Launch of the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum
Conservative educational organization seeks to highlight “all of the above” approach to energy
(Madison, WI) – Conservative community leaders gathered today at the Wisconsin State Capitol to announce the launch of the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum (WICEF), an organization that seeks to be a long missing voice for conservatives in the state’s energy policy discussion.
Scott Coenen will serve as the executive director of the organization. Coenen said that WICEF launches in a unique moment in U.S. energy history. For the first time, many renewable forms of energy, such as solar and wind, are cost competitive with fossil fuels. “Conservatives need to emphasize the development of cheap, reliable, and cost-effective energy,” he said. “To do that, we need to recognize that advances in technology increasingly mean renewable and alternative energy fits that description; cheap, reliable, and cost-effective. However, for too long conservatives have not engaged on this issue and we’ve allowed groups on the left to drive the message.”
The launch of the forum provides the opportunity to drive a conservative message. “We founded WICEF in order to start to change this dynamic, to bring conservatives to the table to discuss these new technologies, and introduce a new conservative message to the renewable energy debate,” said Coenen.
Coenen said too often renewable and alternative energies are thought of as “green” experiments that only serve to drive up the cost of energy. “As new technologies are developed and the market changes, we need to change our pre-conceived notions too. Renewable energy can be about job creation, economic development, and sustainable cost-effective energy. That message is a conservative message.” The group is made up of forward thinking conservatives ready to change the dynamic of the state’s energy conversation. The WICEF Leadership Council currently includes:
• Tommy Thompson – Former Governor of Wisconsin
• Ryan Owens – UW Madison Professor Political Science
• Mark Honadel – Former GOP State Representative and Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities
• Debbie Crave – Vice President of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese
• Matt Neumann – President of Neumann Companies Inc. and Sunvest Solar Inc.
• Jon Hochkammer – Outreach Manager of the Wisconsin Counties Association
• Jake Margis – Chairman of the Wisconsin Young Republicans
The goal of WICEF is to spur a dialogue and provide a vehicle for individuals, organizations, and businesses to join the conservative conversation about Wisconsin’s energy future. WISCEF believes that an “all of the above” energy policy, with an emphasis on stimulating the state economy, lowering costs, and protecting national and grid security must be pursued by increasing the commitment to developing “Wisconsin-gown” clean energy resources and expanding energy efficiency. The WICEF Statement of Principles is attached.
For more information, follow updates on Twitter at @WISCEF and visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WISCEF.
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WICEF launch
Announcing the launch of the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum
WHO: Scott Coenen – Executive Director, Members of the WICEF Leadership Council
WHAT: News conference announcing launch of Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum
WHEN: Wednesday, December 13, 2017 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: State Senate Parlor, Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, WI – The Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum (WICEF) will announce its launch as a new, innovative organization. The Conservative Energy Forum is dedicated to changing the dynamics of the renewable energy conversation in Wisconsin. The Forum will work to bring conservatives to the table to discuss changes in energy markets, including the development of clean and renewable energy resources, energy efficiency technologies, and the impact these projects can have on jobs and economic development.
The event will take place on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at 10 a.m. in the Senate Parlor at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Several members of the WICEF Leadership Council will be on hand to give brief remarks, followed by time for questions from the media.
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