Wisconsin, like some other states, has a "renewable resources" mandate for power companies. By 2015, those companies are supposed to use wind, water, and the like for 10% of their fuel supply--roughly double of what they are doing now.

One possibility for meeting that mandate is wind power. The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute points out that this mandate will effectively mean a mandatory transfer of wealth from consumers to landowners on whose property windmills will be sited.

Like all government mandates, the renewables mandate brings up conflicting demands. Wind power is one renewable resource, but it's not efficient. Further, some environmentalists who would otherwise support a renewables standard fret that wind turbines tend to do nasty things to birds.

And don't forget that dams on rivers damage fish. And ethanol takes a lot of energy to produce. And ... and ... and ....

Using government to supplant the free choices leads to other politically driven choices.