Dairyland strategically develops power supply plans to determine its future energy mix and anticipate the long-term needs of cooperative members. 

Dairyland's Sustainable Generation Plan (SGP) provides a framework for the decisions influencing our energy portfolio. Carbon reduction and system reliability are central considerations.

The SGP team considers all four legs of the sustainability chair during strategy sessions: Economics, Environment, Technological feasibility and Social implications. In October, Dairyland’s Board of Directors approved the SGP team’s proposed goal of 50 percent reduction in carbon dioxide intensity rate by 2030. The carbon emission rate reduction is based on 2005 levels.

Dairyland’s focus is on reducing economy-wide carbon emissions. Significant additions of wind and solar renewable energy will continue to be made in tandem with plans for the Nemadji Trail Energy Center, a combined cycle natural gas plant. Nemadji Trail will support the addition of renewable energy through its ability to ramp up quickly, providing reliable power when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining. 

For example, Dairyland has two more major renewable energy investments coming up: A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Ranger Power for the proposed 149 MW Badger State Solar facility (Wisconsin) and a PPA with Avangrid Renewables for the proposed 52 MW Tatanka Ridge wind energy facility (South Dakota). Tatanka Ridge is scheduled to come online at the end of December. Construction of Badger State is scheduled to commence in July 2021 with an expected in-service date of November 2022.

Earlier this year, Dairyland announced the difficult decision to retire its Genoa #3 coal-fired power plant in 2021.