Sustainable Electricity
We take seriously our obligation to provide safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy.
Our energy supply mix is in transition. MGE is working toward greater use of renewable resources and targeting net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. Like most Midwest utilities, MGE has historically relied upon fossil fuels to serve its electric customers. Our fuel mix, however, is changing as renewable energy technology continues to improve in performance and decrease in cost. MGE is working aggressively to grow our use of cost-effective renewable energy to benefit all of our customers.
Our energy future
MGE's carbon intensity will decrease as we continue to transition further toward greater use of renewables. Since introducing our Energy 2030 framework in November 2015, we have announced projects that we expect will increase our owned renewable energy capacity by more than nine times when completed.
In February 2021, MGE and the co-owners of the Columbia Energy Center announced plans to retire the power plant earlier than initially planned. The plan represents another step in MGE's ongoing transition toward greater use of cleaner energy sources and net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. We also continue to pursue other wind and solar projects to serve all our customers.
Columbia Energy Storage Project
MGE and the co-owners of the Columbia Energy Center, Alliant Energy and WEC Energy Group, were selected in fall 2023 for a grant of up to $30 million from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to support the construction of a compressed carbon dioxide (CO2) long-duration energy storage system known as the Columbia Energy Storage Project. Learn more about the proposed project.
The power of working together
We’re continually evaluating current and new programs to help our customers advance clean energy and manage their energy use. As we transition to greater use of cleaner energy, including through voluntary purchases by our customers who participate in our Green Power Tomorrow and Shared Solar programs, we can partner to reduce emissions by using renewable energy.
Energy efficiency is considered a key strategy for deep decarbonization. Programs like MGE Connect and On Demand Savings help us save energy, manage costs, reduce emissions and better understand the potential for managing energy use using smart technologies.
Learn more about MGE’s climate commitment.