Renewable Energy Installations in WI

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Keynote speakers set for Energy Fair, June 19-21

From details of the Energy Fair, sponsored by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, in Custer, Wisconsin:

Friday, June 19 at 1 pm
Antonia Juhasz

Antonia Juhasz is an author and political activist. She was the author of The Bush Agenda: Invading the World One Economy at a Time in 2006, Alternatives to Economic Globalization for which she received the 2004 Project Censored award. In 2008, she published The Tyranny of Oil.

Saturday, June 20 at 1 pm
Alan Weisman

Alan Weisman spoke at the 10th Anniversary Energy Fair, and we’re happy to have him join us another ten years later to celebrate our progress and help us look forward to another 20 years.

Alan Weisman is an author and journalist whose reports from around the world have appeared in Harper's, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, Orion, Wilson Quarterly, Vanity Fair, Mother Jones, Discover, and more.

His most recent book, The World Without Us, (a staff favorite) is a bestseller, and was named the Best Nonfiction Book of 2007 by both Time Magazine and Entertainment Weekly.

Sunday, June 21 at 1 pm
Wendy Williams

Wendy Williams, an is the author of Cape Wind: Money, Celebrity, Class, Politics, and the Battle for Our Energy Future on Nantucket Sound. The Wall Street Journal called Cape Wind "a ripe subject, populated with the sort of people who would be among the first to count themselves as friends of the Earth but the last to accept an environmentally friendly energy source if it meant the slightest cloud on their ocean views."

Williams has written for many major publications, including Scientific American, The Christian Science Monitor, The Boston Globe, The Providence Journal and The Baltimore Sun. She has been journalist-in-residence at Duke University and at the Hasting Center. The author of several books, she lives on Cape Cod.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Wisconsin Public Service partners with Google in effort to understand energy usage

From a news release issued by Wisconsin Public Service:

Green Bay, WI – Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), Google and eight utility companies around the globe have recently joined forces to test a software tool that allows customers to view their home electricity use online. Google PowerMeter will enable a limited number of users to access detailed information about their power consumption through a secure Google gadget that displays data on a personalized iGoogle homepage.

Fifty WPS electric customers, (mostly WPS employees and their families) are testing Google PowerMeter on their iGoogle homepage. "This pilot isn't about watching your electric meter; it's about understanding how you use energy, how to conserve, and how you save money," stated Barb Nick, Senior Vice-President – Energy Delivery & Customer Services for WPS. "By seeing their electric consumption on the Google gadget, pilot customers will understand their energy patterns. The theory is you can change what you can measure. Since electricity is "invisible" the gadget is a way for customers to literally see their use. Our hope is that customers make more informed choices about conservation and energy efficiency. That is good for their pocketbooks and good for the environment."

"Comprehensive Energy information can help people make smarter choices about how they use electricity," said Ed Lu, lead engineer for Google PowerMeter. "We are excited to work with WPS to test the potential of this software."

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

MGE will expand solar program

From a news release issued by Madison Gas and Electric:

Madison, Wis., May 19, 2009 . . . Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) will expand its Clean Power Partners solar energy program by more than three times.

MGE received permission last week from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to increase this pilot program from 300 kilowatts to 1 megawatt, said Gary Wolter, chairman, president and CEO, at the 2009 MGE Energy Annual Meeting.

In 2008, the program's capacity was doubled from its original 150 kilowatts. Clean Power Partners is now fully subscribed with a total of 62 solar installations—40 residential and 22 commercial/industrial projects.

Clean Power Partners encourages customers to install solar photovoltaic systems on their homes or businesses and then sell the energy back to MGE for $0.25 per kilowatt-hour. The solar energy is part of MGE's green pricing program—Green Power Tomorrow.

MGE's green pricing program was recently recognized for having the second highest participation rate of all investor-owned utilities in the country by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewal Energy Laboratory.

In addition, MGE ranks in the top 1% nationwide in green power sales as a percentage of total retail electricity sold. MGE ranks sixth out of a total of 850 utilities. The company increased wind power capacity by more than 12 times in 2008 as four new wind farms in Wisconsin and Iowa began production.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Alliant Energy offers free, online business efficiency check up

From the site for Alliant's Business Efficiency Check Up:

Have you ever wondered how energy-efficient your business is? Alliant Energy's Business Efficiency Check Up can help!

This free interactive, online tool will help you find where your energy is going and how you can cut energy costs throughout your facility.

- Efficiency Fast Track: Identify energy-saving opportunities and get started on them - fast!
- Detailed Analysis: Make an in-depth energy assessment to get detailed recommendations and project assistance specifically for your business.
- My Benchmark: Compare your energy use to see how you stack up against the competition.
- Case Studies: View quick tips and examples of how similar businesses save energy.

After you've completed your check up, you can return at any time to review, track and evaluate the projects you've selected for your facility.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

State senator calls missed wind opportunities ‘sad commentary’

State Senator Jeff Plale (right) of Milwaukee testifies in support of identical companion bills (Senate Bill 185 and Assembly Bill 256) that he co-authored with State Rep. James Soletski (left). The bills direct the Public Service Commission to begin a process to set state-wide uniform standards for wind project permitting.

From an article by Paul Snyder in The Daily Reporter:

In addition to missing out on an estimated $3.5 million of economic opportunity for each wind turbine not built in Wisconsin, the state also is missing out on new energy without uniform standards.

“We’re looking at about 600 megawatts of stalled energy right now,” said R.J. Pirlot, director of legislative relations for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce.

State Sen. Jeff Plale, D-South Milwaukee, author of the statewide wind farm siting bill and chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Utilities, Energy and Rail said the inactivity is disappointing.

“That’s a lot of missed opportunity,” he said. “And it’s a sad commentary for this state when we’re out there saying we want more renewable energy.”

RENEW Wisconsin's executive director Michael Vickerman also testified.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Midwest group unveils cap-and-trade climate change plan

From a story by Stephanie Hemphill on Minnesota Public Radio:

St. Paul, Minn. — Representatives from six Midwest states and one Canadian province completed a plan today to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The advisory group recommends a cap-and-trade program that calls for close to 20 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and 80 percent reduction by 2050.

Under the plan, most of the permits to emit carbon dioxide will be allocated to utilities and industry for a small fee at first. But they'll gradually be shifted to an auction, where the price is expected to go up over time. After 18 years, all the permits will have to be acquired by auction.

When the advisory group was set up, the president was George W. Bush, who made it clear he was not interested in government action on climate change. Now, Congress is moving quickly to present President Barak Obama with a plan, which he pushed strongly during his campaign.

Members of the Midwestern group, with representatives from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan and Manitoba, all said they think a national plan is a better way to go. But they wanted a regional plan to influence the national debate. Some members say the Midwest has special needs that Washington might overlook.

"Our region is coal-dependent, and has a lot of heavy industry, and so could be affected disproportionately compared to other areas like the Pacific Northwest," said Ron Thilly, CEO of a Wisconsin utility. "So it's important that the Midwest do a good job in influencing the structure of a cap and trade program so that it mitigates the costs to consumers while at the same time achieving the environmental objectives."

Environmental groups pushed for even more aggressive goals, but compromised. Henry Henderson of the Natural Resources Defense Council says his group supported an auction for permits from the very beginning, arguing that the money could be used to help homeowners deal with higher energy costs, and to invest in weatherization and other energy-efficiency programs.

But in the give-and-take of the advisory group meetings, Henderson says he came to recognize the needs of industry too.

"There are parts of heavy industry in the Midwest, including the coal generators, who need to invest to clean up their emissions," he said. "They need to have the resources to do that, and we have an understanding of this from this intense discussion."

That willingness to bend has been a hallmark of the process, according to Jesse Heier, a staff member for the Midwestern Governors Association.

Monday, May 11, 2009

PSC seeks comment on "Energy Efficiency and Customer-sited Renewable Potential in Wisconsin"

From a notice issued by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin:

By notice dated April 3, 2008, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (Commission) opened an investigation to consider the adoption and achievement of increased conservation and energy efficiency goals. As part of this investigation, the Commission contracted with the Energy Center of Wisconsin to conduct an energy efficiency and customer sited renewable energy potential study. A draft of the Energy Efficiency and Customer-Sited Renewable Resource Potential in Wisconsin is now available for review. The study and the appendices can be accessed using the Commission’s Electronic Regulatory Filing (ERF) system. The ERF system can be accessed though the Commission’s website at http://psc.wi.gov. (See PSC REF #112571, #112572, and #112573.)

The Commission requests that parties interested in commenting on the draft potential study file written comments by Tuesday, May 26, 2009. Party comments must be filed in docket 5-UI-115 using the ERF system. Members of the public may file comments using the ERF system or may file an original in person or by mail at Public Service Commission, 610 N. Whitney Way, P.O. Box 7854, Madison, WI 53707-7854. Comments shall include the phrase “Docket 5-UI-115 Potential Study Comments” in the heading.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Riding the current of change

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

Chicago - Anyone looking for signs that sectors of the economy have found some shelter from the recession needed only to walk the halls of the McCormick Place convention center Thursday.

With more than 1,200 exhibitors, the world's largest trade show for the wind power industry saw record attendance in its bid to prove that energy from wind has escaped the label "alternative."

"When you look at this show, you wouldn't know there's a slowdown in the economy," Kim Zuhlke, an executive at Alliant Energy Corp., said while standing between massive booths at the conference Thursday.

Organizers of Windpower 2009, sponsored by the American Wind Energy Association, weren't sure how their conference would do, but the show ended up attracting more than 20,000 people. That's 60% more than attended last year in Houston, the association said.

The recession has hit the wind power industry just like every other sector of the economy, as projects stalled for lack of financing. In an industry forecast earlier this year, the association said the wind industry is likely to slow this year after setting records for new projects last year.

"Everyone's been in a holding pattern. It's not just wind energy - the entire country had taken a pause," said Ellen Shafer of Broadwind Energy, based near Chicago.

But the mood at the convention this week has been one of optimism, said Shafer, whose company has two Wisconsin subsidiaries - TowerTech, a Manitowoc maker of wind towers, and Badger Transport of Clintonville, a trucking company specializing in hauling the oversized components that are the ingredients of a wind farm development.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Wisconsin 5th in energy efficiency

From an article by Matt Tanger in The Badger Herald:

The state of Wisconsin is ranked fifth in the nation for energy efficiency, according to a study released Friday by The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

The report, “Meeting Aggressive New State Goals for Utility-Sector Energy Efficiency: Examining Key Factors Associated With High Savings,” aimed to identify the nation’s 14 most energy-efficient states and analyze energy savings and efficiency spending, while highlighting those factors associated with energy savings.

According to the report, expert review and an analysis of energy efficiency spending and savings data was used. The findings also highlighted methods of energy efficiency recommended to states.

The council judged Wisconsin on its Focus on Energy Program, developed in 2007. The program recommends the state adopt annual targets aimed at reducing electric load, the amount of electricity used by the state’s citizens and natural gas use throughout the state.

In 2009, the targets are to reduce the electric load of the state’s citizens by .75 percent and statewide reduce natural gas use by .5 percent, according to Gov. Jim Doyle spokesperson Lee Sensenbrenner.

The reduction targets will continue to increase gradually until 2010, when the yearly targets will be a 2 percent reduction for electricity use and 1 percent reduction for natural gas use. Following 2010, the reduction targets will then continue to increase during each following year.

Friday, May 1, 2009

RENEW Wisconsin's spring newsletter now onoline

The spring edition of RENEW's newsletter includes the following articles:

Legislature to Tackle Wind Permitting
The Importance of Doing the Math
Stimulus Package 101
Policy Drives Solar Hot Water Market
PSC Investigates Renewable Tariffs
Open Letter from RENEW President
Calendar