Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Wisconsin

This World Resources Institute fact sheet analyzes how Wisconsin can utilize existing policies and infrastructure to reduce power plant carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, finding that the state could reduce emissions by 43 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.

• Wisconsin has the potential to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 43 percent below 2011 levels by 2020. This would be achieved by extending clean energy policies past 2015 and optimizing existing infrastructure, a result that would meet or exceed hypothetical EPA power plant emissions standards requiring reductions of 28 to 33 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.
• Clean energy policies offer two primary paths for CO2 reduction by 2020 relative to 2011 levels: meeting the 10 percent renewable energy standard by 2015 and continuing to add renewable generation beyond that date could reduce emissions by 6 percent, while continuing the Focus on Energy program at current levels beyond 2015 could reduce emissions by 9 percent.
• Infrastructure-based opportunities for CO2 reduction by 2020 relative to 2011 levels include: increasing combined heat and power (CHP) use by approximately 60 percent at sites such as dairy farms, hospitals, and universities to reduce emissions by 11 percent; running existing combined cycle (NGCC) natural gas plants at 75 percent capacity to reduce emissions by 9 percent; and increasing coal plant efficiency by 2.5 percent to reduce emissions by 1 percent.
• Maintaining energy efficiency savings of approximately 1 percent per year is identified as a cost-effective strategy for Wisconsin to meet stringent long-term standards, whereas repealing or weakening current measures would hinder the state's ability to meet emissions standards.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Wisconsin. https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-wisconsin

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Wisconsin. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-wisconsin.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Wisconsin |url=https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-wisconsin |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendpower, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Power Sector Opportunities: Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Wisconsin}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-wisconsin}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }