Renewable Energy Installations in WI

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Air fix could break bank for builders


From an article by Paul Snyder in The Daily Reporter:

If Dane County does not clean up its air, area builders could pay the price when federal and local governments tighten the clamps on construction equipment.

“We have improving air quality,” said Topf Wells, chief of staff for Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk. “But federal standards are only going to get tougher, and we’re going to have to continue to make sure we’re keeping up. We can’t let up at a local level.”

Wells said he expects the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday to announce violations of fine-particle pollution standards in several Midwestern counties, including Dane County. The particles come from, among other things, coal-fired plants and emissions from diesel engines.

“This is an instance of necessary regulation,” Wells said. “Particles are a health hazard, and we were found with compliance issues.”

Wells said cleaner air is on the way with Madison Gas & Electric promising to take its Blount Street plant off coal in 2011 and Gov. Jim Doyle earlier this year promising to convert state-owned, coal-fired plants to cleaner energy sources.

But Jennifer Feyerherm, associate regional representative for the Sierra Club, said Dane County still has more work to do. Although one plant will be off coal in 2011, she said, Doyle has yet to set a timeline for converting the state’s plants.

Wells said the solution might be in tighter emissions standards. If it comes to that, he said, construction and development might take a hit because many companies use diesel-fueled vehicles and machines.

But Feyerherm waved off the concern.

“Southeastern Wisconsin has been a nonattainment area for several years,” she said. “Development has not collapsed there. If we get a handle on the problem here, really, it’s only going to help us that much more.”

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

EPA targets Dane County over bad air quality


From an article by Anita Weier in The Capital Times:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to declare Dane County out of compliance with air quality standards for fine particle pollution on Thursday, according to Dave Merritt of the Dane County Clean Air Coalition.

The designation means that the county could lose federal funding for road projects and face strict pollution controls for new or expanded businesses, but Merritt is hopeful that the decision can be reversed before it actually goes into effect in April.

Fine particles are extremely tiny pollutants — about one-30th the diameter of a human hair — that can easily be inhaled and accumulate in the lungs, where they can worsen breathing and heart problems.

The particles, which typically consist of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, are produced by coal-burning power plants, some industrial processes, motor vehicles and wood burning.

The designation was based on three years of pollution data, from 2005 through 2007, but Merritt says the EPA now plans to consider data from 2006 through 2008, when Dane County had a much better record.

"Because we have had relatively clean air for fine particle pollution in 2008, we are hopeful that we will be in compliance," he said.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Manure digester summit set for January 13

From the announcement of the Manure Digester Summit:
Whether you have less than a 100-head herd or a large herd, digesters can work for you. Come to the seminar to hear how Dane County and Richland County are using community digesters as well as how to implement a manure digester on a 50-head farm.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009
9:30AM -3:00PM
Room B-30 West Square Building
505 Broadway
Baraboo, Wisconsin
Cost: $20.00 and includes lunch

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Regulators begin review of Ashland biomass generation plant

From a media release issued by Xcel Energy:

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) has created a docket to begin evaluating the company’s request to install biomass gasification technology at the Bay Front Power Plant in Ashland, Wis. This represents the first step in the regulatory review process for the innovative project that, if approved, would transform Bay Front into the largest biomass-fueled power plant in the Midwest, and one of the largest in the nation. When completed, the project will convert the plant’s remaining coal-fired unit to biomass gasification technology, allowing it to use 100 percent biomass in all three boilers. Currently, two of the three operating units at Bay Front use biomass as their primary fuel to generate electricity.

In 1979, the facility became the first investor-owned utility plant in the nation to burn waste wood to generate electricity.

This is the first time biomass gasification technology will be used to convert a coal-fired boiler at an existing base-load power plant. The project will require new biomass receiving and handling facilities, an external gasifier, modifications to the plant’s remaining coal-fired boiler and an enhanced air quality control system and is expected to cost $55-$70 million.

Monday, December 22, 2008

New "Power On" pilot project launched to help families in need

From a media release issued by County Executive Kathleen Falk:
Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk announced today the county is teaming with local utilities Madison Gas & Electric and Alliant Energy along with Energy Services Inc. for a new pilot project to help families facing severe challenges paying their heating bills. The first-of-its-kind "Power On" initiative aims to help those with the greatest difficulties keeping up with heating costs who regularly face the prospect of being disconnected.

"Power On is a bold, new approach to addressing a problem that's really worsening in our community as the economy sours," Falk said. “The combination of another nasty Wisconsin winter and an economic crisis of the kind we haven’t seen in decades is causing more families to fall behind. The need is so great out there and we don’t want anyone left in the cold,” Falk said.

Dane County families at greatest risk of disconnection will be part of the "Power On" pilot project. Families taking part will learn about ways to become more energy efficient and better manage their household budgets while receiving energy assistance. County Joining Forces for Families workers will also work with the families one-on-one to make sure they have chances to succeed in the program.

Friday, December 19, 2008

PSC will study more utility-deployed solar

From an Associated Press story in the Appleton Post-Crescent:

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- State regulators say they are launching a statewide effort to explore how utilities could distribute more solar panels across Wisconsin to take advantage of that renewable energy source.

The Public Service Commission said its solar collaborative will study ways to dramatically accelerate the deployment of the panels by utilities.

The announcement came Thursday as the commission ordered that there be no increase in electric rates and a slight decrease in natural gas rates for customers of Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and Wisconsin Power and Light next year.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Ingrid Kelley, ECW program manager, publishes energy book

The Energy Center of Wisconsin (ECW) announed the publication of Energy in America by Ingrid Kelley, program manager for renewable energy at the ECW.

The University Press of New England describes the book:

Scientists tell us we need to cut carbon emissions immediately to forestall effects of global warming. Reducing fossil fuel use is the key, and energy experts are hard at work devising solutions. Engineers create remarkable clean energy technologies. Energy policy analysts invent carbon credits and renewable portfolio standards. Fossil energy industrialists promise new, “clean” technology. Renewable energy industrialists compete to develop the magic bullet for transportation fuel or power generation. Every idea is designed to change the nation’s energy sector to one that is clean and sustainable for the future.

But what is this energy sector we have and how did it come about? Design professionals, planners, elected officials, and community leaders are under tremendous pressure to find solutions to climate change. They need a broader view of America’s relationship with energy to gain perspective on how new ideas might work. Energy in America tells this story, emphasizing that energy use has always been based on cultural factors as well as technology.
Click here for the table of contents.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Transmission poses obstacle to wind

From an article by Philip Brasher in the Des Moines Register:

Washington, D.C. - The political winds are right for making wind power in Iowa. The problem is getting that power to the big cities that can use it.

President-elect Barack Obama wants to use a massive economic stimulus program to create a green economy, and he's promised a "two-year nationwide effort to jumpstart job creation" by, among other things, building wind farms and solar power.

Environmentalists this week proposed that the package include a $30 billion, five-year extension of the federal tax subsidy for wind turbines, an idea Obama promoted during his campaign.

But industry officials - and Obama himself - say that building more wind farms won't be enough, that the nation needs a new superhighway of long-distance transmission lines. "If we're going to be serious about renewable energy," Obama told an MSNBC interviewer during the campaign, "I want to be able to get wind power from North Dakota to population centers, like Chicago."

Companies such as ITC Midwest, which moves electricity for Interstate Power and Light Co., and Ohio-based American Electric Power Co. are working on plans for high-voltage lines that would carry power from Iowa and the Dakotas to Chicago and beyond.

"The system today is just plain inadequate," said Doug Collins, executive director of ITC Midwest.

ITC Midwest has drafted rough plans for a set of lines that would run from South Dakota through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa to Chicago. AEP has suggested a line that would snake around the Dakotas and extend across Iowa and Illinois to near Chicago.

But industry experts say it's difficult to build new lines for a variety of reasons: With some exceptions, the federal government generally can't decide where lines go or decide how the project costs will be shared among the customers and states that would benefit from the power. High-voltage lines can cost $3 million a mile to build.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Give wind farms a fair chance

From an editorial in the Wisconsin State Journal:
Wisconsin cannot afford to let the statewide interest in developing wind farms be frustrated by communities that adopt a "not in my backyard" attitude.

That's why the state should develop reasonable wind farm siting standards to guide and limit local government regulation of wind farms and to provide an avenue of appeal for developers.

The goal should be to prohibit the "not in my backyard" disease known as NIMBYism while preserving local authority to restrict or reject wind farms when warranted.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Let Harvard use your computer for Clean Energy Project

An explanation of how the World Community Grid lets Harvard use computers world wide:
Making a difference has never been easier! Grid technology is simple and safe to use. To start, you register, then download and install a small program or "agent" onto your computer.

When idle, your computer will request data on a specific project from World Community Grid's server. It will then perform computations on this data, send the results back to the server, and ask the server for a new piece of work. Each computation that your computer performs provides scientists with critical information that accelerates the pace of research!

Donate the time your computer is turned on, but is idle, to projects that benefit humanity! We provide the secure software that does it all for free, and you become part of a community that is helping to change the world. Once you install the software, you will be participating in World Community Grid. No other action must be taken; it's that simple!
An explanation of the Clean Energy Project being conducted by Harvard:
. . .The mission of the Clean Energy Project is to find new materials for the next generation of solar cells and later, energy storage devices. By harnessing the immense power of World Community Grid, researchers can calculate the electronic properties of tens of thousands of organic materials – many more than could ever be tested in a lab – and determine which candidates are most promising for developing affordable solar energy technology.
News coverage of the project.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

We Energies customers may save on natural gas, utility says

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

We Energies' 1 million natural-gas customers might see savings on their home heating costs this winter after all.

A spokesman said Tuesday that the utility is revising its winter season forecast. Homeowners now can expect bills to be the same as or as much as 3% lower than last winter.

During the six-month heating season that runs through April, that would mean savings of up to $28 for the typical household. The Milwaukee utility was forecasting earlier that winter heating costs would rise by $35 to $45 for the typical household.

But natural gas prices have continued to fall, spokesman Brian Manthey said.

"We have a long way to go in this winter," he said, adding that how cold the winter is will be the biggest factor in determining what customers' heating costs will be.

The utility's forecast assumes that Wisconsin has normal temperatures this season. November was slightly colder than normal. If Wisconsin sees a repeat of last winter - when temperatures were 10% colder than normal - heating costs would rise slightly, Manthey said.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said a deeper recession will keep a lid on energy prices in 2009 and forecast that winter heating costs would drop in the Midwest.

The agency's monthly energy outlook said Tuesday that crude oil prices are projected to average $51 a barrel next year, down from $100 this year.

"The increasing likelihood of a prolonged global economic downturn continues to dominate market perceptions, putting downward pressure on oil prices," the report said.

For the first time in 30 years, world demand for oil is expected to fall for two straight years, this year and again in 2009, the agency said.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Energy goals a moving target for states

From an article by Kate Galbraith and Matthew L. Wald in the New York Times:

In hopes of slowing global warming and creating “green jobs,” Congress and the incoming administration may soon impose a mandate that the nation get 10 or 15 percent of its electricity from renewable sources within a few years.

Yet the experience of states that have adopted similar goals suggests that passing that requirement could be a lot easier than achieving it. The record so far is decidedly mixed: some states appear to be on track to meet energy targets, but others have fallen behind on the aggressive goals they set several years ago.

The state goals have contributed to rapid growth of wind turbines and solar power stations in some areas, notably the West, but that growth has come on a minuscule base. Nationwide, the hard numbers provide a sobering counterpoint to the green-energy enthusiasm sweeping Washington.

Al Gore is running advertisements claiming the nation could switch entirely to renewable power within a decade. But most experts do not see how. Even with the fast growth of recent years, less than 3 percent of the nation’s electricity is coming from renewable sources, excepting dams.

“I think we are really overselling how quick, how easy and how complete the transition can be,” said George Sterzinger, executive director of the Renewable Energy Policy Project, a Washington advocacy group.

More than half the states have adopted formal green-energy goals. In many states the policies, known as renewable portfolio standards, are too new to be evaluated. But so far the number of successes and failures is “sort of a 50-50 kind of affair,” said Ryan Wiser, a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and co-author of a recent report on the targets.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Wisconsin company gets Platts Global Energy award

From a media release issued by Orion Energy Systems:

MANITOWOC, Wis. — Dec. 5, 2008 — Orion Energy Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: OESX) has received the prestigious Platts Global Energy Award for Sustainable Technology Innovation of the Year for its energy efficient and direct renewable technology.

The award recognizes the company that has made “the single most innovative technology advance in the area of green technology,” according to Platts. The award was presented at the Platts Global Energy gala Wednesday, Dec. 3, in New York City. Winners in other categories include Royal Dutch Shell, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and Edison International, among others. The gala has been described as the Academy Awards and the World Series of the energy industry. Nearly 500 top executives from more than a dozen countries attended.

Orion Energy Systems, of Manitowoc, Wis., won the Sustainable Technology Innovation award for its integrated energy management system, which permanently reduces light-related electricity consumption when replacing traditional high-intensity discharge lighting systems.

The integrated system combines Orion’s high-performance Compact ModularTM fluorescent lighting platform, wireless InteLiteTM touch screen control system and direct renewable Apollo Solar Light Pipe to automatically replace electrical lighting with daylight in a commercial or industrial facility. Users of the integrated system have experienced light-related energy cost reductions of 50-80% without compromising their lighting needs.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Utility gives green power buyers certified assurance

From a media release issued by Wisconsin Public Power Incorporated:
WPPI has been awarded Green-e Energy certification by the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) for WPPI’s renewable energy programs, including Green Power for Business and its companion program for residential customers.

Green-e Energy is a renewable energy certification program established by the nonprofit CRS to provide an objective standard for consumers to compare renewable energy options.

Both programs enable customers to make voluntary purchases of renewable energy from WPPI member utilities. By purchasing WPPI renewable electricity, customers will support currently available renewable resources as well as aid the development of new renewable resources.
WPPI serves the utilities in the following Wisconsin cities: Algoma, Black River Falls, Boscobel, Brodhead, Cedarburg, Columbus, Cuba City, Eagle River, Evansville, Florence, Hartford, Hustisford, Jefferson, Juneau, Kaukauna, Lake Mills, Lodi, Menasha, Mount Horeb, Muscoda, New Glarus, New Holstein, New London, New Richmond, Oconomowoc, Oconto Falls, Plymouth, Prairie du Sac, Reedsburg, Richland Center, River Falls, Slinger, Stoughton, Sturgeon Bay, Sun Prairie, Two Rivers, Waterloo, Waunakee, Waupun, Westby, Whitehall.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

RENEW Wisconsin proposes higher buyback rates for renewable electricity

As part of the Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign, RENEW Wisconsin prepared a Q&A -- "A Primer on Renewable Energy Producer Payments (REPP’s) -- to explain one of the four principles of the campaign:

Q. What are Renewable Energy Producer Payments (REPP’s)?

A. Renewable Energy Production Payments are premium utility buyback rates designed to encourage customer-owned or third-party-owned installations of small-scale electric generators powered by renewable energy sources as solar, wind, biogas, hydro and biomass. In many jurisdictions where this mechanism has been adopted, REPP’s are better known as feed-in tariffs.

Successfully used in Europe, REPP’s can support a large market for renewable energy and limit the impact on ratepayers by spreading costs to all electricity customers. Where established, REPP’s have fostered extraordinary growth in renewable energy and remarkably high local ownership rates for projects: 45% local ownership of German wind energy projects and 83% of Danish wind installations. In addition, REPP’s have supported a greater diversity of energy sources, such as solar photovoltaics and biogas systems. . . .

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Increasing Electricity Productivity: Myths, Barriers and Solutions

A brown bag seminar on December 18, 2008, sponsored by the Association of Energy Service Professionals"

For the past 25 years, the benefits of energy efficiency have been espoused, yet, as a nation, achievement rates fall far short of economically feasible potential. In an effort to better understand the efficiency opportunity, RMI conducted analysis on electric productivity (measured in $GDP/kWh or dollars of gross domestic product divided by kilowatt-hours consumed).

The first phase of this research was a fact-finding phase, where we validated that electric productivity among U.S. states varies dramatically. Overall, there is a huge gap between the few states with a high electric productivity and those states with average or low electric productivity. This gap, approximately 1.2 million GWh, still exists even after RMI accounted for each state’s climate and economic mix.

The second phase of RMI’s research will identify key levers within the residential, commercial, and industrial sector to increase state electric productivity. Our focus for this Brown Bag Seminar will be on the results of our phase 1 analysis and the levers that we have identified that can cost-effectively advance efficiency of major end uses in the industrial sector such as motors, facility HVAC, lighting and process heating.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Claire Cowan, AESP member, joins Energy Center of Wisconsin

From a media release issued by the Energy Center of Wisconsin:

MADISON, Wisconsin (December 1, 2008) -- The Energy Center of
Wisconsin announces five new employees joining the organization in the fall of 2008.

Claire Cowan, Project Manager, Research: Cowan comes to the Energy Center with a background in energy efficiency program design, demandside management planning and clean energy policy analysis for government and utility clients. As project manager, Cowan will conduct research and analysis to support a variety of energy efficiency policy and planning projects, including an assessment of Wisconsin energy efficiency and renewable energy potential to be released in 2009. Cowan holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California Santa Barbara, where she specialized in environmental economics and policy. Cowan is a member of the Association of Energy Services Professionals. . . .
The other new employees are:
Phil Jahnke Sauer, Education Program Administrator
Andy Mendyk, Project Manager, Research
Leslie Post, Director of Communications
Dave Vigliotta, Communications Manager

Sunday, November 30, 2008

PSC denies MGE rate request amid pension problems

A story on WISC-TV:

MILWAUKEE -- Wall Street's troubles might mean higher utility costs for Wisconsin consumers.

Madison Gas & Electric Co. has asked the state Public Service Commission for permission to raise electric rates to generate $2.5 million to offset losses in its pension fund.

The PSC denied the request on Wednesday but agreed to let the utility ask again next year.

PSC chairman Eric Callisto said that's because "this is a once-in-a-lifetime crisis."

Callisto said rising pension costs as a result of the market's downturn also are likely to play into rate increase requests from Wisconsin Power & Light Co. of Madison and Wisconsin Public Service Corp. of Green Bay.

We Energies spokesman Brian Manthey said pension costs might play a small role in its spring rate proposal.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

UW System upgrades seek energy savings

From an article by Jason Stein in the Wisconsin State Journal:
When night falls on the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Chamberlin Hall, administrators can't save energy by turning off the air units that heat, cool and ventilate the building — they're afraid the aging units might not reliably switch back on in the morning.

But a project now in planning will replace those units with more efficient models that will help cut energy use in the physics department hall by an estimated 67 percent — saving a projected $900,000 a year in a single building.

In the face of tight budgets and rising energy costs, the state is spending borrowed money now to seek long-term savings on gas and electricity used by its vast system of buildings around Wisconsin.

For three years, the state has been working toward a target set by Gov. Jim Doyle to use 10 percent less energy per square foot in major state buildings. That effort has saved roughly $23 million over two years, state officials said.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Utility Web site helps area energy users determine carbon footprint

From a story by Anita Weier in The Capital Times:

Want to know your carbon footprint?

It just got a lot easier for Madison-area residents to calculate exactly how much heat-trapping carbon dioxide they produce.

Madison Gas & Electric partnered with the University of Wisconsin Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) and 1000 Friends of Wisconsin to create www.CO2gether.org, which was to be launched at 4 p.m. Thursday.

The site can be used to find exactly how much of the greenhouse gas has been produced by an individual or a household using electricity, natural gas and motor vehicle fuel. Users can calculate information for a year, and then follow up after making any changes to the way they use energy.

Visitors to the site can enter energy and transportation data, and charts are created to track use over time.

The site is especially easy for MGE customers to use, because they can get consumption history directly from MGE. Customers of the utility can sign in with the same user ID and password as they use on the MGE Web site.

Users of CO2gether.org can also create a personal journal of actions they have taken to reduce energy use and participate in discussion groups.

"The Web site shows how much CO2 you save when you take action, for example -- turn the furnace down, car pool or buy Energy Star applicances," said Steve Hiniker, executive director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Run cars on green electricity, not natural gas


From an analysis of natural gas for vehicle fuel by Jonathan G. Dorn posted on Earth Island Institute:

On economics, driving with electricity is far cheaper than driving with gasoline or natural gas. The average new U.S. car can travel roughly 30 miles on a gallon of gasoline, which cost $3.91 in July 2008 (the latest date for which comparable price data for natural gas is available). Traveling the same distance with natural gas cost around $2.51, while with electricity, using the existing electrical generation mix, it cost around 73¢. . . .

Just like oil, natural gas is a finite, nonrenewable resource. This means that switching to a fleet of NGVs would be at best a short-term fix. As natural gas becomes more difficult to obtain and more costly, a fleet of NGVs and the 20,000 or so natural gas refueling stations that would be required to support them would simply be abandoned. . . .

Choosing natural gas to power our vehicles would send the United States down the same expensive and inefficient path that created our addiction to foreign oil and our dependence on a resource that will ultimately run out. Choosing green electricity can take us in a new direction—one that leads to improved energy security and a stabilizing climate.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Wisconsin utilities would consider buying electric cars

From an article by Rebecca Smith in the Wall Street Journal:

The auto industry's quest to launch a new generation of electric cars may get a big boost from a sector with much to gain from getting advanced vehicles on the road: U.S. electric utilities.

Top executives at several utilities are mulling the possibility of ordering thousands of the vehicles -- known as plug-in electric cars -- as an expression of support for the technology they fear could be derailed by the auto industry's financial traumas. The cars would run primarily on electricity, with gasoline to extend their range, and would recharge by plugging into standard electrical outlets.

Utilities stand to gain by selling the electricity needed to power the cars. Because power companies own tens of thousands of cars for their own company fleets, the idea under discussion involves putting in a substantial order to put weight behind development and, perhaps, persuade Congress to give the auto industry the assistance it needs.

"Our industry is interested in reducing carbon-dioxide emissions, and it seems like a good idea for auto makers and us to pull together," says Bill Johnson, chief executive of Progress Energy Inc., Raleigh, N.C.

Another reason the sector is keenly interested is that it has excess generating capacity at night when power plants mostly go to sleep because demand drops. A study by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a federal energy lab, found that 73% of the nation's light vehicles could be recharged with the existing utility infrastructure if the vehicles were plugged in overnight. Such a shift from gasoline to electricity as a primary transportation fuel could displace an estimated 6.2 million barrels of oil a day, about 52% of current oil imports.

Another report, by the Electric Power Research Institute, a utility-funded research group, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, concluded that if 60% of U.S. light vehicles were electrified by 2050, it would increase national electricity consumption by less than 8%. But it would cut total U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions by 450 million metric tons annually, equivalent to taking 82 million cars off the road. . . .

Utilities would take possession of vehicles when they debut, likely in 2010 or 2011 if development efforts stay on track for cars such as the Chevy Volt, Saturn Vue or Ford Escape.

"If we get enough of us together, we could put in a very large order and maybe a big down payment," says Dick Kelly, chief executive of Xcel Energy in Minneapolis.

"I would do it," says Gale Klappa, CEO of Wisconsin Energy, adding that his utility has about 3,000 vehicles in its fleet and replaces 20% each year.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Climate change a priority for Conservation Lobby Day, Feb. 25, 2009


From an announcement issued by the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters:

With a new legislative session comes new opportunities AND new Conservation Priorities! At the 11 Listening Sessions held around the state, local groups and citizens like YOU had a lot to say about which issues should be top priorities. In the end, only 4 can rise to the top.

In 2009-2010, the conservation community will be fighting to make sure:

+ Wisconsin adopts a strong statewide plan to tackle global warming.
+ Wisconsin returns to an Independent DNR Secretary and has timely DNR Board Appointments by the Senate.
+ Wisconsin develops a statewide plan to protect our drinking water.
+ Wisconsin creates standards for safe agricultural, industrial and municipal waste-spreading. . . .

On February 25th, 2009, join citizens from across Wisconsin at the state Capitol to tell legislators that you expect them to vote well on natural resource issues.

RSVP TODAY for Conservation Lobby Day on February 25th, 2009!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Boulder residents like smart grid

From an article posted on SmartMeters.com:

Boulder, Colorado has long had a reputation for appreciating the natural environment. Bikes outnumber cars in this city of about 100,000 and biking and hiking trails, open spaces and parks take up a significant portion of the beautiful city.

Boulder's respect for the environment has taken a technological leap in 2008 as it began the transformation into America's first Smart Grid City. Before long, 50,000 Boulder homes will be fitted with the very latest in smart meter technology that supports solar power generation, plug-in hybrid cars, and automated heating, cooling and lighting systems. The smart meter reports the level of energy used at any point in time and how much that energy costs in both monetary and environmental terms.

"We like to think of Smart Grid as bringing the world of Thomas Edison together with the world of Bill Gates," said Ray Gogel of Xcel Energy, the utility company behind the effort in Boulder. Xcel has partnered with several other green high-tech companies to invest $100 million in the project that will make Boulder a guinea pig for the rest of the country. "We're doing something that the whole world is
looking at right now," added Gogel.

G.P. "Bud" Peterson, Chancellor at the University of Colorado, and his wife, Val, were the first Boulder residents to allow Xcel to transform their home into a smart home. Xcel installed solar panels on the house, furnished them with a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and equipped them with a smart meter that serves as the connection point
between the Petersons and their power supply.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Easy to understand fact sheets on energy tax credit

The Web site awkwardly called the Database for State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency hosts two useful fact sheets for any individual or business considering a renewable energy installation.

Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit covers these eligible renewable enrgies and technologies: Solar Water Heat, Photovoltaics, Wind, Fuel Cells, Geothermal Heat Pumps, Other Solar Electric Technologies

Business Energy Tax Credits covers these eligible renewable enrgies and technologies: Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat, Solar Thermal Electric, Solar Thermal Process Heat, Photovoltaics, Wind, Biomass, Geothermal Electric, Fuel Cells, Geothermal Heat Pumps, CHP/Cogeneration, Solar Hybrid Lighting, Direct Use Geothermal, Microturbines

Monday, November 17, 2008

Utility wants to spend $153 million on pollution controls at Sheboygan plant

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Pollution controls would be installed at a 23-year-old coal-fired power plant in Sheboygan at a cost of $153 million under an application filed with state regulators Friday by Alliant Energy Corp.

Wisconsin Power & Light Co., a subsidiary of Alliant, is seeking permission from the state Public Service Commission to install pollution controls that would reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide by 75%, the utility said.

The Edgewater 5 power plant along Lake Michigan in Sheboygan is a jointly owned plant, with Alliant owning 75% and the remainder owned by We Energies of Milwaukee. That means that if the project is approved, WP&L electric customers would pay $115 million and We Energies customers would pay $38 million for the project.

The project has a six-year payback period and would keep the coal plant that opened in 1985 open for another 45 years, WP&L said. If the PSC approves the work, the project would be completed by 2011.

The filing comes days after the Public Service Commission denied an Alliant request to build a new coal-fired power plant in Cassville in southwestern Wisconsin at a cost of nearly $1.3 billion.

Nitrogen oxide is a contributor to ground-level ozone, a contributor to smog that has been linked to asthma and other respiratory problems, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Eligibility relaxed for energy-efficiency assistance

From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:

More Wisconsin residents may now be eligible for Focus on Energy's assistance program which offers limited-income homeowners low-cost efficiency improvements to improve the comfort, safety and affordability of their homes. The assistance program called Targeted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, is now seeking applications from homeowners with incomes between 150-250 percent of the poverty level, which is a significant increase from the past maximum of 200 percent. To put the new maximum into perspective, a family of four's maximum eligible annual income increased to $53,000 from the previous $42,400. . . .

Targeted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, is part of Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's energy efficiency and renewable energy program. Targeted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR offers qualifying homeowners a no-cost energy evaluation performed by a qualified program provider. Depending on the results of the evaluation, the home may receive energy efficiency improvements, such as adding insulation, finding and eliminating drafts, replacing an inefficient heating system, installing compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and more. Targeted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR will pay 90 percent of the costs of the energy efficiency improvements - the homeowner pays just 10 percent.

Energy efficient homes save energy and money all year long. In summer, a home that's properly sealed and insulated stays cooler and more comfortable, reducing the need for fans and air conditioners during hot daylight hours. In winter, energy efficient homes keep warm air inside, improving comfort and reducing heating costs during Wisconsin's coldest months.

Homeowners wishing to apply for Targeted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR are encouraged to call Focus on Energy at (800) 762-7077 or visit focusonenergy.com to download an application.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Ethical Obligations and Considerations: Working with the Public Service Commission, Dec. 5

From the introduction to the workshop hosted by the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute:

Over the past 10 years, the energy industry has become far more complex. There are more stakeholders interested in and actively participating in what happens at the regulatory level. New issues such as GHG are now more urgent concerns for commissions. This seminar will address the past and future for commissions, ethical rules and protocols, and perspectives on how to prepare a persuasive case before a commission. . . .

Topics:
+ What might the PSC of the future look like, structurally and/or procedurally?
+ What issues might trigger the need for the change in agency structure or procedures?
+ How do you decide what agency structure best suits Wisconsin's situation?
+ What are the options in use by other commissions?
+ Procedural Process Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) options and possible commission uses
+ Use of ALJ Staff as mediators outside mediators
+ How to comply with ethical challenges inherent in representations before administrative agencies while effectively representing your client

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Alliant won't close Sheboygan coal plant

From a story by Doug Carroll in the Sheboygan Press:

Alliant Energy's plans to shut down one of three coal-fired generators at its Sheboygan power plant have been scrapped in the wake of Tuesday's rejection of the company's proposal to build a new facility in southwestern Wisconsin.

Unit 3 at the Edgewater Generating Station in Sheboygan had been scheduled to be closed by 2013, but it will stay up now, according to Alliant spokesman Rob Crain. The generator, built in 1951, is Alliant's oldest coal-fired plant in the state.

Three state regulators voted unanimously Tuesday to deny Alliant's plan to build a coal-fired plant at its Nelson Dewey Generating Station property in Cassville, in Grant County. The $1.26 billion cost and concerns over future carbon-dioxide regulations were cited as factors in the decision.

"The proposal before the Public Service Commission was contingent upon the approval of Norton Dewey," Crain said. "Given our needs, we'll continue to use Edgewater (Unit) 3."

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

State panel rejects proposed coal-fired power plant

From a story by Anita Weier in The Capital Times:

The state Public Service Commission on Tuesday unanimously rejected a proposed 300-megawatt mostly coal-fired power plant proposed by Wisconsin Power & Light at Cassville.

In justifying their decision, commissioners cited the cost, inefficiency and carbon dioxide emissions of the plant.

"Based on the evidence, I find this particular project is not in the public interest," said PSC Chairman Eric Callisto.

"Public comment was really significant," said Commissioner Mark Meyer, praising the extent of public participation after he stated that he could not support the application because it did not meet fundamental requirements.

Commissioner Lauren Azar said the proposal would lock the state into a coal technology that may soon be obsolete.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Obama's plan to reduce energy use and lower costs

From the energy plan of President-elect Barack Obama:

Commitment to Efficiency to Reduce Energy Use and Lower Costs

According to the United Nations, America is only the 22nd most energy efficient country among the major economies in the world, which means we spend more on energy than we need to because our lifestyle and our built environment are wasting too much excess energy. Since 1973, the average amount of electricity each of us uses has tripled. We can do better. An Obama administration will strive to make America the most energy efficient country in the world.

• Deploy the Cheapest, Cleanest, Fastest Energy SourceEnergy Efficiency. The Department of Energy (DOE) projects that demand for electricity will increase by 1.1 percent per year over the next few decades. Cutting this demand growth through efficiency is both possible and economically sound. Barack Obama will set an aggressive energy efficiency goal—to reduce electricity demand 15 percent from DOE’s projected levels by 2020. Implementing this program will save consumers a total of $130 billion, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 5 billion tons through 2030, and create jobs. A portion of this goal would be met by setting annual demand reduction targets that utilities would need to meet. The rest would come from more stringent building and appliance standards. . . .

• Flip Incentives to Energy Utilities. An Obama administration will “flip” incentives to utility companies by: requiring states to conduct proceedings to implement incentive changes; and offering them targeted technical assistance. These measures will benefit utilities for improving energy efficiency, rather than just from supporting higher energy consumption. This “regulatory equity” starts with the decoupling of profits from increased energy usage, which will incentivize utilities to partner with consumers and the federal and state governments to reduce monthly energy bills for families and businesses. The federal government under an Obama administration will play an important and positive role in flipping the profit model for the utility sector so that shareholder profit is based on reliability and performance as opposed to total production.

• Invest in a Smart Grid. Achieving these aggressive energy efficiency goals will require significant innovation in the way we transmit electricity and monitor its use. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will pursue a major investment in our national utility grid using smart metering, distributed storage and other advanced technologies to accommodate 21st century energy requirements: greatly improved electric grid reliability and security, a tremendous increase in renewable generation and greater customer choice and energy affordability. They will establish a Grid Modernization Commission to facilitate adoption of Smart Grid practices across the nation's electricity grid to the point of general adoption and ongoing market support in the U.S. electric sector. They will instruct the Secretary of Energy to: (1) establish a Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program to provide reimbursement of one‐fourth of qualifying Smart Grid investments; (2) conduct programs to deploy advanced techniques for managing peak load reductions and energy efficiency savings on customer premises from smart metering, demand response, distributed generation and electricity storage systems; and (3) establish demonstration projects specifically focused on advanced technologies for power grid sensing, communications, analysis, and power flow control, including the integration of demand‐side resources into grid management.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

We Energies seeks approval of renewable energy plan

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
We Energies asked state regulators Wednesday to approve a plan, projected to cost up to $69 million, to help it comply with a state mandate to boost the state's supply of renewable energy by 2015.

The Milwaukee-based utility company wants the state ruling to give it flexibility to buy wind turbines and acquire potential wind farm sites well before the Public Service Commission approves a wind power project. Customers would not be billed until after the wind power projects are built.

State law requires utilities to add more renewable energy projects so 10% of the state's electricity comes from wind turbines and other renewable power sources by 2015. That will require at least three major wind power projects in addition to the one We Energies already has opened and one that it hopes to build by 2012, the utility said.

Last week, the utility asked the commission to approve Glacier Hills Wind Park, which would generate up to 200 megawatts in Columbia County at a cost of up to $530 million. Depending on the size of the project, Glacier Hills would generate enough electricity to power up to 45,000 typical homes.

The utility projects it will need to spend $45 million in down payments or reservation fees for wind turbines and $21 million for sites for renewable energy projects.

A consumer group said commission rules already allow the utility to recoup costs associated with building wind power projects, and that there is no need for state regulators to approve We Energies' proposal.

"This is an unneeded insurance policy that could put ratepayers at jeopardy for unreasonable costs," said Charlie Higley, executive director of the Wisconsin Citizens' Utility Board.

The utility also projects spending up to $3 million on a study to examine the feasibility of building a 20-megawatt wind power demonstration project on Lake Michigan.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Alliant pays premium for customer-generated solar electricity


From an article by Jeremiah Tucker in The Sauk Prairie Eagle:

The primary reason Stan Temple is installing a large solar-panel unit outside his home is environmental.

"It's the right thing to do," Temple said.

But after that, it's all about the green — and he doesn't mean energy.

Originally, Temple and his wife, Jane Rundell, were going to install the panels before Dec. 31 when a federal tax credit for solar energy was scheduled to expire.

But when Congress passed the Wall Street bailout package last month a rider was added that extended the 30 percent tax credit for eight years and removed its $2,000 cap.

"If your tax burden don't exceed that amount, you'll get a refund," Temple said.

Now Temple is waiting to activate his solar panels until Jan. 1 in order to take advantage of the new legislation.

After the federal tax credit, Temple also will receive a credit from Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program that provides financial incentives for installing renewable energy sources.

And because of a deal he struck with Alliant Energy, he won't even be using the panels to power his home.

"Alliant will buy my solar power for 25 cents per kilowatt hour, and I pay 11," Temple said.
Alliant now joins MG&E and We Energies in paying a premium rate for customer-generated solar electricity.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Energy efficiency training in Eau Claire and La Crosse, Dec. 2-3

From the Energy Center of Wisconsin:

Energy Center University is offering an outstanding training, Energy Efficiency: Continuous Improvement for Continuous Savings, December 2, 2008 in Eau Claire and December 3, 2008 in La Crosse that focuses on reducing energy use and cost.

Participants will learn about common solutions applicable to commercial, industrial and institutional facilities that save energy, get tips on how to implement an energy management plan for continuous savings and much more.

The program is presented by C. Thomas Tucker, P.E., Founder of Kinergetics LLC in Madison. His professional experience includes process optimization, heat recovery system analysis and design, evaluation of renewable energy applications, combined heat and power assessment, and the technical and economic feasibility of new technologies.

This half-day workshop is designed for facilities managers, energy managers, architects, engineers, designers, contractors and others interested in reducing energy use in their facility.

Form more information, please visit http://www.ecw.org/efficiency.

Friday, October 31, 2008

MG&E adds wind power, expands Green Power Tomorrow program

From a media release issued by MG&E:

Madison, Wis., Oct. 31, 2008—Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) increased wind power capacity by more than 12 times in 2008 as four new wind farms in Wisconsin and Iowa began production. The most recent addition to MGE's renewable energy portfolio is a 10-year agreement with Osceola Wind Power II, LLC, a subsidiary of FPL Energy, to purchase 50 megawatts of wind energy.

"With strong customer support, MGE increased wind capacity from 11 to 137 megawatts this year alone," said Gary J. Wolter, MGE chairman, president and CEO. "This exceeds the goal in our Energy 2015 plan, which set out to increase renewable energy up to ten fold."

The latest green power comes from FPL Energy's Endeavor II Wind Energy Center in northwest Iowa (Osceola and Dickinson counties), an area with some of the most robust wind resources in the Midwest. The new facility started operation this week.

Renewable energy is expected to account for more than 12% of MGE's total energy supply in 2009, up from 1.6% in 2007. The additional wind energy allows continued expansion of MGE's Green Power Tomorrow program. About 10% of MGE's residential customers participate in the program, the highest rate of all investor-owned utilities in the United States.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Proposed wind projects in Wisconsin

Click on either image to enlarge.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Wisconsin Energy 3Q profit falls on lower demand

From an Associated Press article posted on INO.com News:

(AP:MILWAUKEE) Electric and natural gas utility Wisconsin Energy Corp. said Wednesday its third-quarter profit fell 7 percent as cool summer weather lowered demand for air conditioning.

For the quarter ended Sept. 30, Wisconsin Energy earned $77.5 million, or 65 cents per share, compared with $82.9 million, or 70 cents per share, for the same quarter in 2007.

Earnings from continuing operations _ which excludes results from businesses that have been, or are in the process of being sold _ totaled $77 million, or 65 cents per share, compared with $83.1 million, or 71 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter.

Revenue declined 3 percent to $852.5 million from $881.5 million in the 2007 period.

On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected a more modest profit of 55 cents per share, on $892.8 million in revenue.

Wisconsin Energy said residential use of electricity fell 5 percent in the quarter from a year ago. Among small commercial and industrial customers, consumption was off by 1.4 percent, while use among large commercial and industrial customers was down 3.5 percent versus a year ago.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

MGE's Green Power Tomorrow

From Madison Gas and Electric:

Your choice to participate in MGE's Green Power Tomorrow program makes a difference every day. And we now have a new way to show you how! We're launching a renewable energy Web channel called Green View. We'll share video stories about people making a difference, answer your questions, and give you a chance to talk back.

Take a look.

Leave a comment and tell us what you think and what you'd like to see in the future. Your ideas are important to us. We'll send e-mail alerts to let you know about new stories. The fact that you received this launch alert means you're already subscribed to this free channel. Of course, you can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link below. Thanks for doing your part to make our world a little better!

The MGE Green Power Tomorrow Team

Monday, October 27, 2008

We Energies plans Columbia County wind farm


From a description of the project on the We Energies Web site:

The proposed Glacier Hills Wind Park is located in the towns of Randolph and Scott in Columbia County.

Project Size
The wind project is being designed to accommodate up to 90 wind turbines and is expected to generate between 100 and 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity. The final size and capacity of the project will depend on permit requirements, the turbine model installed and the configuration of the turbines. The project is anticipated to produce enough energy to power between 30,000 and 45,000 homes annually.

The Need
We are pursuing additional wind energy to meet customer demand and the state of Wisconsin’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. Our customers are demanding more renewable energy through our Energy for Tomorrow program, which allows customers – residential, commercial and industrial – to purchase all or a portion of their energy from renewable sources.

Additionally, the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard requires Wisconsin utilities to generate 10 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2015. Currently, We Energies’ supply portfolio includes approximately 3 percent from renewable energy.

Approvals and Timeline
As a regulated utility, We Energies is required to obtain authorization from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to construct the project. We expect to file the necessary applications for regulatory permits later this year.

In addition, we work with the local communities and numerous other agencies including: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Federal Aviation adinistration, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Federation, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Wisconsin State Historical Society and National Heritage Inventory.

Construction
Construction is anticipated to be completed within one year from the start of activities. Approximately six months will be needed for site preparation and the installation of turbine foundations and cabling. An additional six months is needed for turbine erection. If permitting moves along as expected, construction is anticipated to begin in late 2009 or 2010 with operation in 2011.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Milwaukee mayor will accept $400,000 grant at solar conference

From a media release issued by Milwaukee Shines:
On Thursday, October 23rd, Milwaukee will host the fourth annual Solar Decade Conference at the Midwest Airlines Center, expected to draw 400 people. Sponsored by We Energies, Focus on Energy and the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance, the conference will focus on reducing the informational, economic and procedural barriers to solar energy proliferation in the region.

“The benefits of solar energy are great,” said Mayor Tom Barrett, “Not only does solar energy provide power from a secure domestic source, promote sustainable urban development, and support greenhouse gas reduction targets, but advancing solar technology creates new economic opportunities for our residents and businesses.”

Also during the conference, Mayor Tom Barrett will accept a grant of $200,000 from Tom Kimbis, Director of Market Transformation for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Program. Earlier this year, the City of Milwaukee was named one of America’s 25 Solar Cities by the Department of Energy because of its commitment to solar technology adoption. This grant was awarded at that time.

Roman Draba, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs & Policy at We Energies will present a matching grant also in the amount of $200,000.

The awards are intended to accelerate solar adoption in cities by supporting their innovative efforts with financial and technical assistance. Selected cities are those prepared to make a comprehensive, city-wide approach to solar technology that facilitates its mainstream adoption.
The Solar Decade Conference, open to the public, will feature "renowned industry experts as they discuss the benefits of solar energy for your home, business and career!"

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The Cost of Lost Opportunities: The Bailout, the War, and Renewable Energy

From an article by Paul Gipe:
While the renewable energy industry in the U.S. celebrates a rare victory -- winning an eight-year extension of its federal tax subsidies -- no one should forget what we've lost.

Forget for a moment the recurring costs of an inflated defense budget. Chalmers Johnson has tallied those. Let's look at the two biggest items, the ones that stand out so strikingly: the war in Iraq and the recent financial bailout.

Much has been written about the lost opportunities from the enormous expense of the Iraq war. But few yet have tallied what we're missing when combining the cost of both the war and the recent bailout. At last count, the direct costs of the war in Iraq passed $550 billion. The bank bailout is budgeted at $700 billion. We're on the hook for nearly $1.3 trillion!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Alliant files "closing arguments" in Cassville proceeding

From a media release issued by Alliant:

MADISON, WI – October 17, 2008 – A decision on the future of the Nelson Dewey Generating Station is just weeks away. The final phase of the regulatory process kicked off today, as Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation (NYSE: LNT), filed its . . . brief in the case.

The brief highlights that no generating facility in Wisconsin history has ever provided the varied benefits that Nelson Dewey 3 will bring. These benefits include helping to jump start the biofuels economy in Wisconsin and establishing an estimated $50 million dollars annually in economic development from that market, creating much-needed jobs for southwest Wisconsin during the construction and operation of the plant, and increasing the transmission import capability into the state by as much as 600 megawatts.

Also addressed in the brief is the importance of strong ratemaking principles to the project. Ratemaking principles define how construction costs will be recovered in utility rates throughout the life of the generating facility. “These are clearly challenging economic times for all of us,” said William D. Harvey, Chairman, President, and CEO – Alliant Energy. “We are thankful that, in Wisconsin, our regulators have the ability to fix the financial parameters for the lifetime of the project. That certainty can help provide our customers and our company with stability, which, now more than ever, is critical.”

The proposed 300 megawatt plant will have the ability to burn not only coal, but also switchgrass (native prairie grass), corn stalks and waste wood from area fields and forests. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) is considering WPL’s proposal, with final briefs in the docket due at the end of this month. The PSCW is expected to issue an oral decision about the future of the project in mid-November, with a written order due in mid-December.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Operating in a World of Carbon Constraints: What Utilities Should Know

A brown-bag seminar from the Association of Energy Service Providers, 1:00 p.m. (Eastern), November 6:

The goal of this Brown Bag presentation is to address key U.S. greenhouse gas policy and market issues that are of increasing concern to electric utilities. The World Resources Institute* will address existing and anticipated U.S. Federal and state carbon constraint policies. Point Carbon will discuss the current and projected state of the carbon markets in the U.S. and address the issues that utilities need to be aware of in order to successfully operate in a carbon constrained environment. Participants will have a chance to obtain answers from carbon policy and market experts.

*The World Resources Institute is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to find practical ways to protect the earth and improve people’s lives.

*Point Carbon is a world-leading provider of independent news, analysis and consulting services for global power, gas and carbon markets.

Speakers:
Lisa Zelljadt, Carbon Analyst, Point Carbon
Olga Chistyakova, Carbon Analyst, Point Carbon
Nicholas Bianco, Associate, World Resources Institute
John Larsen, Associate, World Resources Institute
Register for the online seminar here.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Feasibility of Alliant Energy's biomass plans questioned

From a media release issued by Clean Wisconsin:
Madison, Wis – After publicly stating its Marshalltown, Iowa coal plant could burn 10 percent biomass, staff for Alliant Energy now question the feasibility of burning the renewable fuel in the recently approved plant according to testimony submitted in front of the Iowa Utilities Board earlier this month. This development raises questions about the company's commitment to burn 20 percent biomass in its proposed Cassville, Wisconsin coal plant.

"The similarities between Alliant's promotion of the Marshalltown proposal and its Cassville proposal are striking," said Peter Taglia, staff scientist at Clean Wisconsin, the state's largest environmental advocacy organization. "Just like its commitment to burn 10 percent biomass in the Marshalltown plant, Alliant representatives have repeatedly stated that the Cassville plant could burn 20 percent biomass should it get approved by the Public Service Commission."

Although Alliant publicly committed to burning 10 percent biomass in the Marshalltown plant, Alliant Energy project manager Jeffery Beer admits in sworn testimony submitted this month that "while [Alliant Energy] did indicate that the plant is capable of burning 10% biomass, this was a design criterion, such that the plant, for short periods, could burn that amount, not that a 10% continuous burn plan was desirable from a commercial point of view."

"Many independent experts as well as Public Service Commission staff doubt the feasibility of burning 20 percent biomass in Alliant's proposed Cassville coal plant," said Taglia. "Alliant's recent backpedaling in Iowa underscores the uncertainty of Alliant's Cassville plan."
RENEW Wisconsin also raised the feasability of finding enough biomass in testimony during the hearings on construction of the Cassville plant.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency

From the Web site of the U.S. EPA:

The National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency is a private-public initiative begun in the fall of 2005 to create a sustainable, aggressive national commitment to energy efficiency through the collaborative efforts of gas and electric utilities, utility regulators, and other partner organizations. Such a commitment can take advantage of large opportunities in U.S. homes, buildings, and schools to reduce energy use, save billions on customer energy bills, and reduce the need for new power supplies. National Action Plan Leadership Group members are identifying key barriers limiting greater U.S. investment in energy efficiency, and developing and documenting sound business practices for removing these barriers. The Leadership Group members and Observers have been joined by numerous other key stakeholders in making commitments under the National Action Plan to work within their own organizations and across their spheres of influence to increase attention to, remove barriers to, and increase investment in cost-effective energy efficiency.
The site includes a link to the Year Three Action Plan Work Plan (PDF).

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

State moves into top 10 in energy efficiency

From a guest column by Stephen Heins, Orion Energy Systems, in The Capital Times:

In an October report by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the state of Wisconsin moved into the top 10 on the "2008 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard."

In addition, Wisconsin should further improve its ranking now that the Citizens Utility Board and Wisconsin Public Service Corp., a natural gas and electric utility serving northeastern and central Wisconsin, have reached a milestone Stipulated Agreement. The pact, which begins in 2009 and ends in 2012, creates a pilot program that includes decoupling of sales and profits and also major increases in energy efficiency spending.

This is an opportune time to discuss the implications of this major change in energy policy in Wisconsin.

The Stipulated Agreement includes two of the most important recommendations of the Governor's Task Force on Global Warming: It ends the inherent disincentives for publicly traded utilities to help their customers save energy; and it increases WPSC's spending for energy efficiency above the amount being spent from 1.2 percent to 2.0 percent next year and then rising to 3.5 percent over the next four years.

CUB director Charlie Higley stated that the group would like to see similar deals with WE Energies and other state utilities.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Power player: WPPI provides electricity for 50 municipally operated utilities

From a story by Judy Newman in the Wisconsin State Journal:

It's not just the company's two snappy, little hybrid electric cars that are drawing attention to Wisconsin Public Power Inc.

The nonprofit regional power company:

• Is doubling the size of its Sun Prairie headquarters to nearly 50,000 square feet and outfitting the offices for the highest level of energy efficiency.

• Signed its 50th municipal electric company, in Preston, Iowa, as a member last month.

• Will reach state goals for renewable energy use — 10 percent by 2015 — six years ahead of time.

So maybe those hybrid vehicles — painted sky blue, with the face of a young boy blowing dandelion seeds into the wind and the slogan, "Why just wish for a clean energy future?" — symbolize what WPPI is all about.

In an industry increasingly dominated by big, powerful, publicly traded utility companies, WPPI, founded nearly 30 years ago, has carved a niche of its own.

"They are a national model, in terms of communities working together on energy issues," said David Benforado, executive director of Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

PSC approves We Energies efficiency programs

From a media release issued by the Public Service Commission:

MADISON – Today, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) approved We Energies proposal to implement voluntary electric energy efficiency and demand response programs beginning January 1, 2009.

The initiatives, ten in total, include the continuation of five existing programs and implementation of five new programs at a total estimated savings of 26,900 Megawatt hours of energy and 24.8 Megawatts of capacity during the first year. The projected energy savings are enough to power 3,000 Wisconsin homes. . . .

Among the approved We Energies programs are:

ô€‚ƒ Information Displays Program – provides customers with an in-home display with such information as the current price of electricity, cost of the electricity used to date in the month, and variance relative to a customer’s energy budget;

ô€‚ƒ Benchmarking Program – will develop peer groups for residential and small commercial customers and then identify how the customer’s electric usage compares to that of its peer group;

ô€‚ƒ Small C&I Program – provides technical and financial assistance to We Energies Cg1 and Cg2 rate class customers to help them identify and install energy efficiency equipment;

ô€‚ƒ Critical Peak Pricing – will be an optional tariff for residential customers that adds a high priced “critical peak” period to We Energies’ existing three part time-of-use tariff; and

ô€‚ƒ Peak Time Rebate – will provide residential and small commercial customers a rebate or bill credit for reducing load below a customer-specific baseline during peak hours.

Palin's Folly

by Michael Vickerman, RENEW Wisconsin
October 7, 2008

What three things do Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria and Venezuela have in common? The first commonality is that they are among the top 10 leading exporters of petroleum worldwide, which is another way of saying that they are the biggest accumulators of foreign cash on the planet.

Commonality No. 2: Gasoline prices in those nations are lower than they are in the United States. The swollen river of revenues that flows into their national treasuries enables these governments to subsidize the price of motor fuel sold to their citizens. In Iran, the portion of federal revenues spent on maintaining price caps on gasoline approaches an astonishing 40%. . . .

Considering the finite nature of their chief exports, these nations would do well to reinvest their windfalls into domestically developable sources of wind and solar energy, to name two energy sources that do not have decline curves associated with them. However, that brings up Commonality No. 3, which is their shared aversion to all energy sources that have the capacity to displace oil and natural gas in some capacity. Renewable energy sources like wind and solar certainly figure prominently in that category.

It is nothing short of amazing to watch these nations squander their colossal fortunes on ephemeral social control measures that only hasten the drawdown of their most economically valuable resource. Subsidizing gasoline is simply a wealth distribution scheme that discounts the future for the present. Its legacy will be to leave billions of people without the capital to invest in building up a sustainable energy future.

Under more enlightened regimes, these nations would be plowing their retained earnings into technologies that harvest locally available self-replenishing energy sources to serve future citizens. They would make it a point of emulating Germany, a nation bereft of native oil and gas reserves but certainly not lacking in foresight and political will. Cloudy skies and weak winds notwithstanding, Germany is deploying considerable amounts of social and financial capital to retool its energy infrastructure so that it can take full advantage of its modest solar ration.

In contrast to Germany, there is not a single commercial wind turbine operating in Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Venezuela and Russia. While Mexico and Iran look like go-getters by comparison, their efforts to date amount to less than one-half of Wisconsin’s current wind generating capacity. Moreover, even at this late date, oil-exporting nations have invested only a piddling amount of their capital investments in solar energy.

To demonstrate the aversion that oil-exporting jurisdictions have towards renewable energy, consider the example of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. According to Michael T. Klare, who covers defense and foreign policy for The Nation, Alaska is a “classic petrostate,” featuring a political system that is “geared toward the maximization of oil ‘rents’--royalties and other income derived from energy firms--to the neglect of other economic activities.”

Among the economic activities neglected is renewable energy development. Like Russia, with which Alaska shares a “narrow maritime border,” Alaska does not have a single utility-scale wind turbine in operation, a rather remarkable statistic given its sprawling size and a wind resource that in certain locations can be accurately described as “screaming.” But as long oil revenues are sufficient to allow Alaska to dispense with a state income tax, renewable energy development will remain in a deep freeze.

In a recent article, Klare recounts a talk Palin gave at a February 2008 meeting of the National Governors Association, where she said that “the conventional resources we have can fill the gap between now and when new technologies become economically competitive and don’t require subsidies.”

When asked to elaborate on that point, Palin’s antipathy towards renewable energy was revealed. “I just don’t want things to get out of hand with incentives for renewables, particularly since they imply subsidies, while ignoring the fuels we already have on hand,” Palin said.

Had those words been uttered by the Secretary General of OPEC, they would have been forgotten in a matter of seconds. Coming from someone who could become the next vice president, however, is cause for consternation, in that she is clearly recommending a course of action that would invariably lead to greater dependency on oil.

Certainly, the Palin prescription would reverse the decline in oil revenues propping up Alaska’s state government. But the amount of petroleum that could be extracted in 2020 from Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf is trifling compared with current U.S. imports of Mexican crude. Even if a mini-surge of petroleum materialized as a result of a McCain-Palin energy policy that put Alaska’s wishes above the best interests of the other 49 states, it wouldn’t even compensate for the declining yields from such aging oilfields as Cantarell or Prudhoe Bay, let alone achieve the chimerical goal of energy independence.

Like the other petrostates of the world, Alaska has no Plan B to fall back on when its endowment of fossil fuels is no longer sufficient to support a state government in the style to which it is accustomed. Let us hope and pray that the voters of the other 49 states see the “drill, baby, drill” mantra for the folly it is, and reject it out of hand in favor of an energy policy that stresses energy security through conservation and renewable energy development.

Sources and complete article here.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Tax credit extension ends ban on utility ownership of solar

From a media release issued by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA):

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The passage of H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, provides critical news for the solar industry at large, but also for regulated electric utilities looking to diversify their energy mix with solar electric generation. In addition to extending the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC) for 8 years, the legislation includes the removal of a prohibition that previously prevented electric utilities from taking advantage of the credit.

Based on announcements and discussions with utility executives this year, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) predicts that utilities will quickly become the largest and one of the most important customers for the solar industry, expanding solar markets beyond analysts’ expectations. Access to the federal tax credit will expedite the timeframe and scale to which this happens.

“U.S. electric utilities’ engagement with grid-connected solar electricity has increased significantly in 2008, with major photovoltaic and concentrating solar thermal project announcements totaling more than 5,000 megawatts,” said Julia Hamm, SEPA executive director. “Without the ability to take direct advantage of the ITC, the only viable financial option was to have these plants be owned and operated by independent power producers who then in turn sell the electricity to the utility. The change to the tax credit facilitates utility ownership as another option, which will result in additional projects and innovations.”

With the policy change, utilities that have a tax appetite and an interest in owning solar generation projects now have an added incentive to diversify and clean their energy supply with the addition of solar power.

“This is a very positive development for the utility industry as it will go a long way to putting solar power within reach of many more Americans,” said Jim Rogers, chairman, president and CEO of Duke Energy, a SEPA member. “It is exactly what we need as we explore investing $100 million to install, operate, maintain and dispatch solar panels on our customers' rooftops in North Carolina as a viable option to build a bridge to a low-carbon future.”

Outreach at the Williamson Street Fair


Michael Vickerman (left) and Jeff Riggert (middle) staffed
tables in mid-September at the Willy Street Fair in
Madison to educate people about the "Permanent Global
Peak Oil Crisis" and renewable energy. Riggert, president
of the Wisconsin chapter of the AESP, built the stand to
display the sign and peak oil poster.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Congress extends tax credits for solar and wind projects

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The $700 billion package designed to help the financial industry will result in more Wisconsin homeowners installing solar panels on the roofs of their houses in the years to come, energy industry observers said Friday.

A package of energy tax credits, adopted as part of the bailout deal, will extend for eight years the tax credit for homeowners considering adding solar.

Energy tax credits had been set to expire at the end of the year until they were included in the Wall Street bailout package.

What's significant about the solar credit, industry observers said, is the decision to remove a $2,000 cap on a federal tax credit for installing solar panels.

That means that a typical solar-electric system that costs about $16,000 is now eligible for a 30% tax credit, or $4,800, said Michael Vickerman, executive director of Renew Wisconsin, a Madison group that advocates for renewable energy.

Word that the bill had passed in the House came as visitors toured homes and businesses with solar panels across the state Friday, as part of the annual Solar Tour sponsored by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. The tours continue today.

In Milwaukee, Ann Beier, head of the Milwaukee Office of Sustainability, heard about the congressional vote during a solar tour stop at Hot Water Products Inc., a distributor of solar-hot water systems.

"It raised the mood quite a bit, because there had been such fits and starts on reinstating these tax credits," said Beier, whose office will kick off the Milwaukee Shines solar-education program this month.

The incentive should boost interest by homeowners in installing solar panels, said Don Wichert, who runs renewable energy initiatives for the state Focus on Energy program.

"With all the stuff that is going on right now with the economy, this is a happening market," he said. "There will not be layoffs in the solar and renewable market for a long time."

Other energy pieces included in the Wall Street bailout package include an extension of wind-energy tax credits for one year.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Forward Wind Center open for public tours,
Oct. 22

Join Invenergy, the project developer for the Forward Energy Center, invites the public to an Open House of the Center:

When: October 22, 2008
Open House: 1-6 PM
Tours start on the half hour from 1:00 to 5:30 PM
Brownsville Community Club
871 Main St., Brownsville (on Hwy 49)

Come learn more about the Forward Energy Center and how wind power benefits Wisconsin.

Forward began operations in February 2008, becoming one of the first large-scale wind energy projects in Wisconsin. Forward is owned and operated by Chicago-based Invenergy, which is implementing one of the largest programs of wind development in the United States, Canada and Europe, and is committed to building strong relationships with landowners, communities and utility customers.

Please wear appropriate shoes for walking on uneven surfaces. Reservations are not required.

For more information, contact Susan Dennison at sdennnison@invenergyllc.com

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Businesses and residences open for solar tour, Oct. 3-4
















Many solar-powered and energy-efficient businesses and homes around Wisconsin, including Jeff Riggert's residence (above), will be open to the public during the Wisconsin Solar Tour on October 3 and 4.

The tour demonstrates that renewable energy is practical, reliable and a realistic choice for home and business owners. Tour sites are owned, lived in, and worked in by ordinary people. They are helping others open the door to renewable energy.

Although it is officially called the Wisconsin Solar Tour, sites include all sorts of renewable energy technologies and other innovative features. On the Wisconsin Solar Tour you can see:

Wind and solar (PV) electric systems
Solar thermal and solar water heating systems
Green building construction and passive solar design
Energy efficient heating technologies
Energy efficient appliances
Environmentally friendly landscaping
And more!

Monday, September 29, 2008

ACEEE research staff opportunity in Madison

From the ACEEE:

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) is currently looking to fill a new staff position in our Utilities program, at the Research Assistant level (Master’s degree or Bachelor’s plus at least two years work experience in the energy area). The position will afford excellent exposure to the energy efficiency field, and an opportunity to work on some of the leading energy efficiency research and policy projects in the nation. The new staff member will be responsible for quantitative analysis and report writing regarding energy efficiency programs and policies in the utility sector (electric and natural gas).

We seek staff who show strong interest in public policy research, excellent analytical (e.g. Excel) and written and verbal communications skills, and the ability to balance multiple tasks and priorities. Some quantitative background in natural science, social science or equivalent is required. Excellent critical thinking capability is fundamental to success at ACEEE. We tend to be “pragmatic idealists.” Applicants should share ACEEE’s core values, including a strong interest and commitment to energy efficiency as a path to environmental protection and economic prosperity. Some work experience related to the utility energy efficiency field would be highly preferable. For information on ACEEE see: http://www.aceee.org

We are looking to fill this position by October 2008. The work location for this position is expected to be Madison, Wisconsin---out of a home-based office. Please contact Dan York, 608-243-1123 or danwyork@aol.com if interested.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Rate-hike requests go under the radar

From an article by Richard Ryman in the Green Bay Press Gazette:

In all of Wisconsin, four people showed up Thursday at public hearings for electric and natural gas rate hikes requested by Wisconsin Public Service Corp.

Two testified.

Hearings were videocast simultaneously from Green Bay, Wausau and Madison twice on Thursday.

They were regarding a 2009-2010 two-year rate hike request by the Green Bay-based utility. This is the first year in many that the state Public Service Commission is considering a two-year request.

The state commission is considering whether to approve an 11.78 percent electric and 2.9 percent natural gas increase, those percentages being based on the utility's rates as of January. It received some interim electric increases this year and those are included in the overall hike.

Wisconsin Public Service is asking the commission to approve a "decoupled" rate structure, which means the utility will receive a set amount of revenue regardless of electricity or natural gas usage. It won't make more money when usage is high, but it won't make less when it is low.

The decoupling request is part of an agreement between WPS and Citizen's Utility Board for the utility to actively support energy conservation through modified rate structures and other programs. The modified rate structures will be tested in a four-year pilot program in three mid-sized communities to be decided later.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

PSC approves $12.7 million refund for WP&L customers

From a media release issued by the Public Service Commission:

MADISON – Today the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) approved a $12.7 million refund for electric customers of Wisconsin Power and Light (WP&L)

“This is good news for ratepayers during a very challenging time,” said PSC Chairperson EricCallisto.

“Last year, when we set the 2007 electric rates for WP&L, natural gas prices were skyrocketing. The protections we have in place make sure that customers see much needed refunds when fuel prices drop.”

The PSC performs monthly fuel cost audits and monitors how much the utility is collecting from customers. The PSC determined that because of lower fuel costs, WP&L customers were due a $12.7 million refund. The average WP&L customer can expect to see a refund of approximately $7.12 on their electric bills.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Senate passes tax break bill, extends renewable credits

From an article by Jim Abrams in the Washington Post:

WASHINGTON -- The Senate passed a giant tax package Tuesday that saves more than 20 million taxpayers from the bite of the alternative minimum tax.

At a cost of more than $100 billion, the bill also nudges the nation toward greater use of alternative energy resources, renews popular tax breaks for businesses and individuals, and extends relief to disaster victims. . . .

The first segment of the three-part tax bill was a $17 billion measure to spur investment and create jobs in the renewable energy industry. The energy legislation extends for eight years, through 2016, investment tax credits for the solar power industry and for homeowners who install solar and wind equipment.

Taxpayers can claim a credit of up to $7,500 for purchasing plug-in electric cars, and production credits are extended to wind, biomass and marine _ waves and tide _ facilities. There are incentives to use smart meters for more efficient home energy use.

A study commissioned by the Solar Energy Industries Association found that the eight-year extension would more than triple investment during that period, to $325 billion, and almost triple employment in the industry, to 440,000 in 2016.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who helped put the energy package together, said the solar industry investment would provide power for more than 7 million people.

The measure drew opposition from the National Wildlife Federation, which objected to incentives for oil shale, tar sands and coal-to-liquid production it said was harmful to the environment. . . .

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

RENEW Wisconsin's summer/fall newsletter online

RENEW Wisconsin's summer/fall edition of Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly is now online, including the following articles:

Peak Oil Spices Meeting with Cong. Baldwin
Countdown to Solar Tour
Solar H2O on Madison Fire Stations
Global Warming Task Force Report
Wisconsin’s Newest Wind Projects
PHEV+Wind=Clean Air
Small Wind Conference Wrap-up

Monday, September 22, 2008

WPPI wants to fund zero energy homes

From a media release from Wisconsin Public Power, Incorporated:

Homeowners looking to build or remodel in communities served by WPPI member utilities have an opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint through WPPI’s GreenMax Home program. WPPI is now soliciting competitive proposals for grants to help fund the construction of up to three net zero energy homes within WPPI member utility service areas.

As part of WPPI’s overall efforts to encourage public and community support for renewable energy, energy conservation and energy efficiency, the GreenMax Home program will help customers build highly efficient, environmentally friendly homes. Grants will be awarded to cover part of the incremental cost of designing and building a GreenMax Home over the cost of constructing a conventional Upper Midwest house. Incremental costs will include the design elements and technologies directly related to reducing energy use or producing energy through renewable resources.

“We are pleased to present another opportunity for homeowners in WPPI member communities to build and live in homes with net zero energy use,” said Senior Vice President of Customer Services and Administration Tom Paque. “The GreenMax Home program allows homeowners to take advantage of renewable energy technologies and demonstrate practical approaches to the efficient use of energy.”

WPPI’s GreenMax Home program supports the design and lifestyle choices that move a home from “highly efficient” to “net zero.” Net zero homes combine state-of-the-art green and environmentally friendly technologies and practices with renewable energy technology to ensure that the homes produce as much energy as they consume. To the greatest extent possible, the energy consumption (heating, cooling and electrical) of the homes will be provided by renewable energy sources.
WPPI's member utilities are
Alger Delta, MI
Algoma
Baraga, MI
Black River Falls
Boscobel
Brodhead
Cedarburg
Columbus
Cuba City
Eagle River
Evansville
Florence
Gladstone, MI
Hartford
Hustisford
Independence, IA
Jefferson
Juneau
Kaukauna
L'Anse, MI
Lake Mills
Lodi
Maquoketa, IA
Menasha
Mount Horeb
Muscoda
Negaunee, MI
New Glarus
New Holstein
New London
New Richmond
Norway, MI
Oconomowoc
Oconto Falls
Plymouth
Prairie du Sac
Reedsburg
Richland Center
River Falls
Slinger
Stoughton
Sturgeon Bay
Sun Prairie
Two Rivers
Waterloo
Waunakee
Waupun
Westby
Whitehall

Thursday, September 18, 2008

There’s No Such Thing As A Free Ride(r)

The Wisconsin Chapter of the
Association of Energy Services Professionals
Invites you to Attend

There’s No Such Thing As A Free Ride(r)

This panel discussion will kick-off with the recap of two papers from the 2008 ACEEE Summer Study. The first paper is from Gay Cook, Summit Blue Consulting, and it gives an overview of the different evaluation methods being used for estimating free ridership. The second paper is from Jane Peters, Research Into Action. Jane explains why she thinks the current popular method for counting free riders will be the death of DSM programs within four years if we don’t make some changes.

Panel members (TBD) will add their thoughts to these ideas.

The Importance of Net Savings Estimates: Why Knowing FR Is Essential Stephen Heins, Orion Energy Systems

The Implementer’s Point-of-View: What Does A Real Live FR Look Like? Nick Hall, TecMarket Works

The Space-Time Continuum: Counting FR At Different Times and Places

One hour of presentation will be followed by one hour of open floor discussion.

Don’t miss your chance to get in on this lively, informal and important debate!

Time: Wednesday, November 5, 6:00 to 8:00
Place: WECC Office, 431 Charmany Drive, Madison, WI
Social hour from 5:00 to 6:00. Food and drink will be provided.
(Good food from Willy St. Coop and some home brews, too.)

Cost:
$15 AESP members and Non-Profit Organizations
$25 Non-members
$5 Students/Unemployed

RSVP to Johna before November 3.
(Checks should be made out to: AESP-WI)