The energy plan unveiled by President Barack Obama last week promised a bright future for a country that has seen higher gas prices at the pump as of late.

But in Wisconsin, the energy picture is a little darker.

Two Chicago-based wind energy companies have pulled the plug on new wind projects in Wisconsin, saying the lack of a clear regulatory path discourages renewable energy businesses from investing in the state.

Midwest Wind Energy, which currently operates wind plants in Dodge and Fond du Lac counties, announced March 30 it is suspending all development activity in Wisconsin. The company was in the process of developing a third plant in Calumet County.

The announcement followed the decision by Invenergy to end efforts to install 100 wind turbines in southern Brown County. Invenergy already owns and operates 86 turbines south of Fond du Lac.

Both companies cited the lack of a uniform, statewide set of regulations for wind energy as the main reason for their decisions.

A Wisconsin Public Service Commission rule that would have created such uniform regulations was suspended March 1 by the state’s Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules, with Republicans outnumbering Democrats 5-2 against the rule.

Because wind plants often extend across more than one municipality or county, trying to conform to the different regulations of those municipalities can be difficult, said Bill French, a project developer for Midwest Wind Energy.

French said the lack of uniform regulations will hurt Wisconsin’s economy.

“It’s going to discourage the development of wind in Wisconsin,” he said. “By having wind development slowed down, it has a negative effect on the economy.”

President Obama’s plan promised to cut one-third of U.S. oil imports by 2025 and generate 80% of electricity through clean sources by 2035. The president strongly emphasized the role of domestic natural gas supplies, especially in powering the nation’s vehicles.

Natural gas is a practical option, but it will also require significant investment in new infrastructure, said Scott Reid, a professor of chemistry, in an e-mail.

As far as the nation’s electricity goes, solar and wind energy are strong options, but they too have problems, said Ron Brown, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.

“The problem with solar and wind is that you’ve got to have a backup,” Brown said. “The sun doesn’t always shine – we have things like night.”

Reid said nuclear energy, used widely by European countries, should also be considered, even in light of the disaster in Japan.

“Right now with what is going on in Japan, this may be a difficult argument politically,” he said. “However, we also saw last year the devastating environmental impact from a leaking oil well, so disasters can happen with any technology.”

The problem of encouraging renewable energy investment through tax breaks and government subsidies, while at the same time trying to cut massive government deficits, is one that extends throughout the country. But Reid said a balance between the two must be struck.

“We need to be investing in renewable energy, recognizing that our energy needs in the future will require it,” Reid said. “There is no ‘magic bullet’ – meeting the demands for energy in the future will require contributions from a variety of sources.”