5 Lakes Institute Applauds Wisconsin Governor, Legislators for Groundbreaking Fusion Sales Tax Exemption Bill
The first of its kind legislation will support development of a globally competitive fusion energy hub.
Milwaukee – 5 Lakes Institute applauds Gov. Tony Evers and the state legislature for passage of Assembly Bill 657, which exempts equipment for fusion energy projects from sales and use tax.
The bill, which drew bipartisan support, was authored by Rep. Benjamin Franklin (R-De Pere) and Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac). It is the first state-level legislation of its kind.
“It is critical for long term economic success to choose promising technologies and surround them with all available resources,” said Kathleen Gallagher, Executive Director of 5 Lakes Institute. “Governor Evers and an overwhelming majority of our state legislators have made clear their vision for Wisconsin as a leader in this fast-emerging technology.”
AB657 passed by 92-6 in the Assembly and 30-3 in the Senate.
The legislation builds on Wisconsin’s incredibly strong position in fusion energy. UW-Madison is one of two top schools in the country for fusion energy research, has trained more Ph.Ds. in the area than almost any other university and has produced three spin-out companies in the field – Realta Fusion, Shine Technologies and Type One Energy.
The first grid-scale fusion power plants are expected to be operational in the early 2030s and the fusion energy industry is estimated to reach as much as $550 billion annually by 2050.
There will be an opportunity to learn more about the fast-growing fusion energy industry and the role Wisconsin and the region can play at the Great Lakes Fusion Energy Summit on May 5 in Madison.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite. No-cost registration includes tours of world-leading fusion experiments, discussions about the industry timeline and landscape, strategies for our region, and supply chain opportunities.
About 5 Lakes Institute:
Founded in 2007, the Institute is a curated network of entrepreneurs, research organizations, investors and business and government leaders that drives and amplifies diverse and inclusive tech-enabled GDP growth in the Midwest and Great Lakes region. The Institute in 2025 formed the Great Lakes Fusion Energy Alliance and in 2026 organized the Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition, which received an Ignite grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC). In partnership with the Midwest Research University Network (MRUN), 5 Lakes builds programming that connects our region’s research universities with investors and highlights programs. The Institute holds conferences and mixers in tech/entrepreneurial focus areas and sponsors the Midwest Moxie podcast, which features the region’s successful startup founders.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by 5 Lakes Institute
