Less than two decades ago, nearly three-quarters of the electricity delivered by WEC Energy Group came from coal. Now, only around a third of its power comes from coal, and the Milwaukee-based parent company of We Energies plans to eliminate coal as a power source by 2035.
In its place will be a host of renewable energy sources including solar, wind and battery storage. WEC Energy Group plans to spend $5.4 billion on renewables through 2027. The company’s plans call for 3,300 megawatts of renewable power, up from 40% from a year ago. Natural gas, nuclear and potentially hydrogen also play a big part in the company’s plans.
There are lots of reasons We Energies and other utilities around the country are transitioning from coal to solar, wind and battery storage. Many have emission reduction goals to hit, consumers increasingly want green energy sources, and there’s potential for savings for the utilities as well. Free fuel from the sun or wind is better than paying for coal, and solar panels cost less to operate and maintain.
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