Senate Bill 869 proposes significant changes to the Focus on Energy program, which is responsible for funding statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource initiatives in Wisconsin. The bill mandates that investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities increase their funding contribution from 1.2 percent to 2.4 percent of their annual operating revenues derived from retail sales. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of energy efficiency programs to include those that promote the development or use of energy storage systems by residential customers, thereby integrating residential energy storage into the Focus on Energy framework.

To facilitate these changes, the bill introduces new legal definitions, including that of an "energy storage system," which is defined as a commercially available technology that absorbs energy for later use. The amendments to the existing statutes reflect these updates, ensuring that the Focus on Energy program not only enhances energy efficiency but also supports the adoption of energy storage solutions among residential users.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 196.374(1)(d), 196.374, 196.374(3)(b)2