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RPS Technologies

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RPS Eligible Ren​ewable Technologies

An electric generating facility can be eligible for the Wisconsin Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) if:

  • The facility is owned by a Wisconsin electric provider or its affiliate, or
  • A Wisconsin electric provider or its affiliate purchases both the electricity and renewable attributes of the electricity generated by the facility.

Renewable Resource​

Per Wisconsin Statute § 196.378(1)(h), a “Renewable resource” means any of the following:​

1. ​A resource that derives electricity from any of the following:

    • A fuel cell that uses, as determined by the commission, a renewable fuel
    • Tidal or wave action
    • Solar thermal electric or photovoltaic energy
    • Wind power
    • Geothermal technology
    • Biomass
    • Synthetic gas created by the plasma gasification of waste
    • Densified fuel pellets made from waste material that does not include garbage, as defined in s. 289.01 (9), and that contains no more than 30 percent fixed carbon
    • Fuel produced by pyrolysis of organic or waste material
    • A resource with a capacity of less than 60 megawatts that derives electricity from hydroelectric power

    • An installation that recovers heat that is a byproduct of a manufacturing process
2. Any other resource, except a conventional resource, that the commission designates as a renewable resource in rules promulgated under sub. (4).​

Renewable Resource Credits (RRCs)​​

Renewable Resource Credits (RRCs) can be generated by an eligible electric generating facility that was placed in service January 1, 2004, or later, or is owned by a customer of the electric provider. Before a facility can generate RRCs, it must be certified by the Commission. 

In addition to renewable electricity, several other non-electric renewable applications are now eligible to create RRCs. An electric provider may create RRCs for non-electric renewable applications when it displaces electricity that is derived from conventional resources. 

Non-electric renewable applications eligible to create RRCs may include solar water heating and direct solar (e.g. solar light pipe technology​); ground source heat pumps; and combustible renewable fuels used to generate heat in place of electric heating. ​The Commission conducted a rulemaking in docket 1-AC-234 to establish measurement and verification standards for use of these renewable non-electric technologies for compliance with the Renewable Portfolio Standard. These new standards are now included in Wis. Admin. Code chapter PSC 118.