Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle provided the Keynote Address today to an over-flowing, standing-room audience at AWEA's supply chain seminar in Appleton.
Noting that Wisconsin has seen unemployment rise from 4% to 8.8% since last fall, the highest levels since the Great Depression, he noted, "It is a time of enormous pressures and a time of enormous opportunities" for Wisconsin. He also sees it is a time of major transformation. We will emerge with a stronger economy when we recover and, he says, we don't want to go back to the old way of doing business, built on fragile derivatives and other shaky financial instruments, but rather based on strong jobs and strong industries, focused on clean energy as a large sector.
"Wisconsin does not have gas, coal, or oil -- every dollar is being sent out of state for our energy needs. Every dollar we send out of state does not help build our economy. That's why we are so committed to renewable energy," the Governor said. "We need to set very high state renewable electricity standards" while it is being pursued in Washington at a federal level. He said he intends to pursue a goal of 25% by 2025 for both electricity and transportation fuels from renewable sources in this state.
"Investment in wind energy is being driven by states that have an RES in place. As a matter of state policy and national policy, it is important that we move toward a (national) renewable energy standard...We need to make a long-term commitment to renewable energy in this country."
He also stressed the need to foster a climate in the state that favors innovation and research, modeled after the state's efforts in life sciences and health care. "We need to do the same for energy research as well."
