But Still says he believes Gov. Walker is simply taking a tough look at all government spending and notes that burning wood or switchgrass pellets at the Charter Street heating plant was estimated to cost $75 million more than burning natural gas. Still also points out that a proposed biomass-fueled power plant in Ashland was mothballed by Xcel Energy in November over cost concerns.

"It's not just Walker who has questioned the cost of biomass projects - but watchdog groups like the Citizens Utility Board," says Still.

Competitive Wisconsin, a bipartisan group founded in 1981, has also long backed technology development and in 2008 emerged as a major backer of Doyle's clean-energy initiative.

Tom Hefty, former CEO of health insurer Cobalt Corp. and a Competitive Wisconsin member, says it's understandable that Madison environmentalists were taken aback by Walker's first month in office. But he says the governor is sticking to his promises and working to create an environment where the private sector can flourish.

"You may recall that in Tommy's first term, Madisonians were as skeptical about Tommy Thompson as they are today about Scott Walker," says Hefty. "The Madison skeptics were wrong about Thompson and in my view they are wrong about Scott Walker."