Madison Capital Times: Natural gas is part of clean-energy mix

Excerpts below - read the full article in the Madison Capital Times by Peter Barca, a former Wisconsin secretary of revenue, former minority leader of the Wisconsin Assembly and president of Wisconsin Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future.

"If you’ve lived through a Wisconsin winter, you understand the importance of reliable energy. When the wind howls and the snow piles up along the roads, no one’s thinking about where their energy comes from — they’re thinking about keeping the lights on, the heat running and the family safe. Energy reliability isn’t a luxury here; it’s a way of life.

From farms and factories to families and small businesses, every corner of our state depends on energy that is reliable, affordable and flexible. As we look toward a cleaner future, one thing is clear: Natural gas must remain the backbone of Wisconsin’s energy mix.

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Natural gas is central to Wisconsin’s success. In 2022, for the first time, it surpassed coal as the state’s top source of electricity generation. By 2023, natural gas provided 43% of all power, while coal fell to 32% — down from 50% just five years earlier. That shift is important both for cleaner energy and for economic progress and growth in Wisconsin. Natural gas delivers steady prices, reliable performance and the flexibility that keeps Wisconsin’s manufacturing and agricultural economy competitive.

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More than 2 million Wisconsin customers — including 1.86 million households and 177,000 businesses — rely on natural gas every day. It heats our homes, powers our industries and helps keep costs in check. Heating a home with natural gas costs about $420 a year, compared with well over $1,700 for electric heating — a difference that keeps family energy bills manageable. That’s money that stays in family budgets and small business accounts. And this progress is coming with cleaner results: since 2007, carbon emissions in Wisconsin have fallen nearly 12%, due in large part to the shift from coal to natural gas.

Critics sometimes dismiss natural gas as a “bridge to nowhere,” but that ignores the facts. Natural gas has driven more than 60% of America’s power-sector emissions reductions since 2005, and it continues to complement the growth of renewables. It’s the practical, scalable solution that allows us to cut emissions without sacrificing reliability or affordability. And with technologies like carbon capture, hydrogen blending and renewable natural gas, the fuel itself is evolving — becoming cleaner and more sustainable over time."

Also by Peter Barca in the Madison Capital Times:

"Too often, the energy conversation is framed as a stark choice: either push aggressively toward a zero-carbon future regardless of cost or accept higher bills and unreliable power as the price of progress. That’s a false choice and Wisconsin voters know it.

A recent statewide survey conducted on behalf of Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future makes that clear. Across party lines, including among Democrats, voters say their top energy concern is affordability, not ideology. They want policies that lower costs, keep power reliable and continue moving emissions in the right direction. And they strongly support using natural gas alongside renewable energy to achieve those goals.

That finding shouldn’t surprise anyone who spends time listening to families and small businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. People are already feeling the strain of higher electric bills. They worry that new development, from manufacturing growth to data centers, could push costs even higher. And they’re skeptical that large corporations will always absorb infrastructure expenses rather than passing them on to ratepayers.

Those concerns aren’t anti-climate. They’re rooted in common sense.

That pragmatism is already reflected in how Wisconsin produces electricity. For decades, Wisconsin relied heavily on coal-fired power plants. While coal still accounts for a significant share of our electricity today, its role has steadily declined as natural gas use has increased. That shift isn’t accidental; it’s one of the primary reasons Wisconsin has been able to reduce power-sector emissions while maintaining reliability and moderating costs. Natural gas has made it possible to move away from higher-emitting coal without risking blackouts or sharp price spikes.

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Supporting natural gas as a partner to renewables isn’t a retreat from climate goals. It’s how we make those goals achievable while protecting household budgets and maintaining public trust in the clean energy transition."