Renewable Energy Installations in WI

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

20 MW solar energy farm proposed in Jefferson

From an article by Ryan Whisner in the Jefferson Daily Union:

JEFFERSON - A proposal to build the second-largest solar-generation farm in the United States was presented to City of Jefferson officials Wednesday night.

Green States Energy Inc. of Deerfield Beach, Fla., unveiled plans to build a solar energy farm on 100 acres of the city's north industrial park that would generate approximately 20 megawatts of electricity.

Jefferson Sun One would have approximately 100,000 individual solar panel modules on the 100-acre parcel. The site - just north of the former Brigg & Stratton plant - would generate approximately 3.5 million kilowatt hours per year, equivalent to generating sufficient electricity for about 3,500 homes. An interconnectivity agreement with Jefferson Utilities and WPPI is intended.

"This is a big deal if it can be brought to fruition and can be built," said David Jenkins of the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence.

Currently, he noted, Wisconsin has approximately 6.5 megawatts of installed solar capacity. Only two cities in the state are labeled by the U.S. Department of Energy as solar cities.

"Overnight, if this project were built, the City of Jefferson would have three times as much solar energy as there is in the entire state," Jenkins said. "As far as I'm concerned, if you had 20 megawatts of power here, you would be a solar city."

Approximately five to six weeks ago, Jefferson city officials were approached by representatives from Green States Energy about locating the solar energy farm in Jefferson. Green States representatives presented its proposal Wednesday to a joint session of the Jefferson Common Council, Jefferson Plan Commission and Jefferson Redevelopment Authority.

"It is an opportunity for us to not only provide a lot of good jobs in the construction phase and also the operational stage, but it is also an opportunity for the City of Jefferson to create an identity of being a nationwide leader in renewable energy," Mayor Dale Oppermann said. "We have the task, the challenge and the opportunity to reinvent the economy of Jefferson and the surrounding area."

He said Green States Inc. is offering the city the chance to get involved with state-of-the-art technology and create an identity for the city as being clean and green.

Green States Energy Inc. chief executive officer Jeffrey Lord described the company as a group of people who have come together under a common principle.

"The planet and the people on it will be better off if we can start using less fossil fuels to get the energy we need," Lord said, citing the company's mission.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Fond du Lac Hearing on wind farm siting draws crowd

From an article by Colleen Kottke in the Fond du Lac Reporter:

They came from near and far, packing Legislative Chambers at the City County Government Center in Fond du Lac Monday to voice their opinions about proposed wind farm siting rules to be crafted by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.

The proposed rules would ultimately result in uniform wind farm siting standards for local units of government, replacing a patchwork of different rules and moratoriums that have been imposed by counties and towns around the state in relation to small wind power projects.

The public hearings, scheduled around the state this week, were launched by the state Legislature after it passed a uniform siting law in October.

Using citizen input, the PSC will draft legislation touching on controversial issues such as maximum sound levels and setback requirements. Once passed, municipalities considering ordinances for wind farms would not be allowed to make their local ordinance more restrictive than the state model. . . .

"Right now the proposed rules are just a draft; that's why the public comments are very important. There are a lot of interested parties and we want to make sure this is a balanced process," said Deborah Erwin, renewable energy policy analyst for the PSC.

Energy slacker
Barnaby Dinges, owner of a public relations firm and member of the American Wind Energy Association, warned that more restrictive rules for siting wind farms would further harm the state's quest to build its alternative energy portfolio.

"Wisconsin is already an energy slacker. We're the only Midwest state that doesn't currently have a major wind energy project under construction," Dinges said. "New restrictions will make the state even less desirable for development of wind projects."

He pointed out that the Wisconsin PSC already has a rigorous wind farm approval process in place for wind farms over 100 mega watts.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Stevens Point spent over $1.5 million on energy usage in 2009

From an article by Nick Paulson in the Stevens Point Journal:

Stevens Point in 2009 spent more than $1.5 million on energy, used more than 73,000 million BTUs and emitted more than 21 million pounds of carbon dioxide, according to an inventory taken by the city.

As the city develops and implements a plan to cut its energy use, that inventory will be used as a benchmark with which to compare future use.

Where the biggest problems are depends on what the city's goal ultimately is: decreasing energy use, energy cost or carbon emissions.

Sustainability coordinator Joe Kottwitz said the Stevens Point Energy Team, which is creating the plan, hasn't decided specifically which to focus on yet. However, decreasing one likely will have positive effects on the others.

"If we use less energy and less electricity, odds are the taxpayers and ratepayers will receive those benefits," said Mayor Andrew Halverson, who also is a member of the team.

Regardless of which avenue the city chooses, the primary focus likely will be electricity, which has the highest consumption (41 percent), cost (64 percent) and carbon dioxide emissions (71 percent) in the city.

That is because the electricity comes from coal-fueled power plants, Kottwitz said, which kick out a lot of emissions. Lighting is the most expensive use of energy for the city, costing almost $1 million, partially because it is powered by electricity, and partially because about half the streetlights are owned by Wisconsin Public Service, which charges a maintenance fee in addition to electricity fees.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Environmentalist Bill McKibben: We're losing climate battle

From an article by Nathan Vine in the Stevens Point Journal:

CUSTER -- Bill McKibben said he considered himself fortunate to be at the 21st annual Midwest Renewable Energy Fair.

Being in a Midwestern atmosphere that he characterized as "very clear, practical and ready to get things done," McKibben said it was a great backdrop for the theme of his keynote address at the fair Saturday.
McKibben, an internationally known environmentalist and founder of the 350.org campaign, said those who seek to fight the planet's climate problems face a difficult task.

"We're losing, and losing pretty badly to do what we need to make this planet work," McKibben said. "If we are going to win, it's going to take an enormous amount of that practical spirit."

In between being honored by a pair of standing ovations, and the announcement that the MREA had planted a tree in his honor next to others planted for founding members of the event and past speakers at the event, McKibben focused on the work that still needs to be done.

He pointed out that despite the obvious effects of too much carbon in the atmosphere -- which now stands at 392 parts per million, and which he hopes to reduce to 350 -- from the increase of global temperature to the pollutive effect on the oceans, political forces and the fossil fuel industry have successfully kept substantive change from being made.

"The only way we are going to have the kind of change we need is to radically increase the cost of fossil fuels," McKibben said. "To do that, we need to be engaging in the political battle that we haven't been able to."

McKibben has tried to rally support to that battle through his work with 350.org. In 2009, he and his team coordinated some 5,200 events in 181 countries in one day to bring awareness to the problem of carbon. This year on Oct. 10, they are planning a global work party, where people can take on environmentally friendly projects.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Want to Speak at AESP's National Conference?

The Association of Energy Services Professionals invites abstracts for conference papers and panels for its 21st National Conference & Expo to be held January 17-21, 2011 at Hilton Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. AESP is interested in showcasing presentations that reflect the latest thinking, best practices and trends affecting the energy services industry.

Don’t miss the opportunity to present at an event that will attract over 700 attendees to one of the best meeting locations in the U.S.!
All abstracts must be submitted using AESP’s Abstract Submission Web site managed by Precis Abstract Management. Please read the abstract requirements carefully before submitting your abstract.

To submit your abstract, click here.

Questions on abstracts? Please contact Meg Matt at meg@aesp.org.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Visit RENEW at the Energy Fair, June 18-20



Visit RENEW in booth C2 at the 21st Annual Energy Fair June 18-20, 2010.

Each year the MREA Energy Fair transforms rural Central Wisconsin into the global hot spot for renewable energy education. The Energy Fair brings over 20,000 people from nearly every state in the U.S. and several countries around the world to learn, connect with others and ready them for action at home. The Energy Fair is the nation's longest running energy education event of its kind.

Advance Energy Fair tickets and Reservations for Back 40 Camping will be available starting April 1st.

The Energy Fair features:

•Over 275 exhibitors - sustainable living and energy products
•Over 200 workshops - from introductory level to hands-on education
•Clean Energy Car Show - demonstration vehicles and workshops
•Green Home Pavilion – focused on building and remodeling in a sustainable way
•Sustainable Tables – workshops, chef demos, and a farmers market bringing sustainability to your dinner table
•Inspirational keynotes, lively entertainment, great food, and local beer.
The Energy Fair is held in Custer, WI just seven miles east of Stevens Point. Join us for the 21st Annual Energy Fair June 18-20, 2010. For more information about the Fair, contact the Midwest Renewable Energy Association at 715-592-6595 or visit the website: www.the-mrea.org.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Energy Fair to host renowned author, June 19

From an article by Nicole Strittmater in the Wausau Daily Herald:

An environmental superstar will visit Custer this week to help inspire central Wisconsin residents to go greener.

Bill McKibben, who wrote the first book about global warming 21 years ago and recently created an international campaign called 350.org to solve the climate crisis, is a keynote speaker for the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair on Saturday.

"I very much wanted to come, particularly because the kind of people who will be at the fair are the kind of people we need to reach," said McKibben, 49, from his home in Ripton, Vt.

He spends the majority of his time traveling the world promoting his 350.org campaign, which draws its name from the parts per million of carbon that can safely be in the atmosphere. His focus is to get the planet from 392 parts per million of carbon, where it is currently, to 350 by encouraging people to take on environmentally conscious projects.

"We want all kinds of people who are good at doing practical things -- putting up solar panels, community gardens, starting bike programs," he said.

In 2009, he and his 350.org team coordinated 5,200 rallies and demonstrations in 181 countries in one day, which news outlets dubbed the largest globally coordinated rally of any kind.

This October, he's organizing a global work party. He wants people worldwide to do environmentally friendly projects, such as putting up solar panels Oct. 10.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Homes waste watts of power, study finds

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

TVs, computers, others leach energy and money

In one of the first studies of its kind, energy researchers in Madison have uncovered a simple way that most consumers can save on their electric bills: pull the plug.

The researchers set up more than 700 in-home metering devices in about 50 homes to monitor the proliferation of electronic devices in our homes, and how they affect our energy use.

Thirty years ago, federal data shows, a typical home had about three plugged-in devices. The new study shows our wall sockets are jammed, with each home hosting 30 or more devices. All told, computers, printers, televisions and other devices account for 15% to 30% of a home's total electricity use - about 20% on average, the study found.

The Energy Center of Wisconsin study was able to quantify the impact of having so many devices plugged in and ready to go - sometimes on, sometimes off, and sometimes in standby mode.

Case in point: Home computers that are left on around the clock in some cases suck power even when they're sitting idle.

"Most computers are set up to turn the monitor off after about 20 minutes," said researcher Scott Pigg. "So we turn it on and use it and walk away and come back into the room and see the monitor's off. We think: 'Well, my computer is managing its power and it's shut down.'

"What they don't realize is that two-thirds of the electricity draw is the thing that's sitting on the floor - not the thing that's sitting on the desk," he added. "And the only visual indication that you have that computer's on is a little fan noise and a little green light somewhere."

A step as simple as changing the power management settings on a home PC will take less time than running to the store and buying another energy-saving light bulb, Pigg said.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Village of Cascade installs two wind turbines at wastewater plant


From a news release issued by RENEW Wisconsin:

With the start-up of two 100-kilowatt (kW) wind turbines, the Village of Cascade became the first Wisconsin community to power its municipal wastewater treatment plant with 100 percent locally produced wind energy.

The impetus behind Cascade’s embrace of wind power was the avoided utility expenditures associated with operating a wastewater treatment plant. In the first year of operation, Cascade stands to save $30,000. With anticipated increases in electric rates, the Village of Cascade should save more than one million dollars over the thirty-year life of the turbines.

Additional revenue will come from the sale of excess power to We Energies.

“With these two turbines, the Village of Cascade has taken a giant step toward energy independence,” said Michael Vickerman. “Its prudent investment in wind energy will enable the community to control its energy budget, saving money for current and future residents.”

Kettle View Renewable Energy, LLC, a wind system installer located in nearby Random Lake, installed and commissioned Cascade’s turbines.
“We are proud that our local efforts on this project made this the first net-zero wastewater treatment plant in Wisconsin,” said project manager Randy Faller. “It speaks volumes to the commitment by the Village of Cascade to generate clean, domestic energy while saving their community money.”

These two turbines double the number of Northwind 100s operating in Wisconsin to four, all installed in the last 12 months. The first two installed turbines serve schools in Wausau and Fort Atkinson.

Northern Power Systems, the Vermont turbine manufacturer, “couldn’t be more pleased that our technologically advanced, American-made Northwind 100 turbines are delivering real energy solutions for municipalities, schools, businesses and farms across Wisconsin,” said Mr. Brett Pingree, Vice President of Americas at Northern Power Systems.

Grants from Milwaukee-based We Energies and Focus on Energy were instrumental in supplementing Cascade’s investment in the project.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Smart grid stimulus grant to benefit MGE customers

From a news release issued by MG&E:

Madison, Wis., June 9, 2010—Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) is receiving a $5.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. MGE will use the grant to install technologies to boost efficiency, enhance service and improve reliability for customers.

The stimulus grant will help fund the following projects, which will begin next month:

Advanced metering infrastructure
MGE will install meters capable of two-way communication for all large commercial and industrial customers. The equipment monitors and analyzes customers' energy consumption patterns on an hourly, daily and seasonal basis. The information will be used to educate customers about their energy use and how they can conserve energy and lower emissions. The meters also will be used for outage notification and tracking power quality.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles support
MGE will also install a network of up to 18 public and 25 residential charging stations for electric and electric hybrid vehicles in the Madison area. MGE will study the impacts of vehicle charging on the electric power grid and on home energy use and demand.

Distribution management
MGE will also install new distribution/management capabilities. During an outage, MGE system operators will be able to quickly identify the best options for restoring and rerouting power to reduce outage times.

Friday, June 4, 2010

DOE program recognizes Vickerman for wind advocacy

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2010

MORE INFORMATION
Michael Vickerman
RENEW Wisconsin
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org

Wind Energy Advocacy Award Presented to RENEW Wisconsin Director

RENEW Wisconsin Executive Director Michael Vickerman was presented with an award by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America program. Vickerman received the Midwest Regional Wind Advocacy Award at the program’s annual state summit following the WINDPOWER 2010 Conference & Exhibition in Dallas, Texas. At this event, Wind Powering America recognized wind energy advocates in three regions across the country: East, West and Midwest.

The award cites Vickerman’s “vision and creative leadership in RENEW and his leadership of the Wisconsin Wind Working Group.” Under the auspices of Wind Powering America, RENEW Wisconsin has been facilitating the Wisconsin Wind Working Group since 2007.

“Recognition by one’s peers is a tremendous honor,” Vickerman said, “and it’s especially sweet coming from a national program that serves wind energy advocacy and education networks in 38 states.

“I am particularly pleased that the award specifically recognizes RENEW Wisconsin, which has been the state’s leading voice for strong renewable energy policies since 1991,” Vickerman said. “Wisconsin is a regional leader in many aspects involving renewable energy, and RENEW Wisconsin has been instrumental in making that happen.”

Wind Powering America is a national initiative to dramatically increase the use of wind energy in the United States. Through various partnerships and programs, it aspires to enhance power generation options as well as protect the local environment and increase our energy and national security.

“We in Wisconsin are indebted to Wind Powering America for providing us with the tools to put wind energy development in our state on a sustainable growth trajectory,” Vickerman said.

END

RENEW Wisconsin (www.renewwisconsin.org) is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that acts as a catalyst to advance a sustainable energy future through public policy and private sector initiatives.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

With biomass, green and not-so-green lines blur

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

Wisconsin power projects spark questions about emissions from biomass vs. fossil fuels

How green can the energy produced by a biomass power plant be if it releases carbon dioxide into the air just like a coal or natural gas-fueled plant?

That's the question being raised about biomass projects, including one proposed by We Energies in Rothschild and another Xcel Energy Corp. is considering in Ashland.

"You can't assume that biomass is carbon-neutral. It depends on how many trees you plant and how fast they grow, and all sorts of variables," said Katie Nekola, energy program director at the conservation group Clean Wisconsin. "It's right to look at it case by case to see exactly what the carbon balance is going to be for any plant. . . ."

Milwaukee-based We Energies is proposing a $255 million, 50-megawatt power plant at the Domtar Corp. paper mill in Rothschild. Some residents in Rothschild, south of Wausau, have objected to the project because of concerns about air pollution that would be released by a new power plant located not far from a $770 million coal-fired power plant in Weston and south of Rothschild.

The utility said it proposed the biomass project as a way to help it comply with Wisconsin's renewable power mandate because it can generate electricity around the clock, unlike a wind farm. The project would supply steam to Domtar's paper mill and create up to 150 jobs, the utility said.

Critics call for a review


Critics of the project are asking the state Public Service Commission and Department of Natural Resources to do a full environmental review of the project.

A detailed review is not required and was not performed for the proposed Xcel Energy biomass plant in Ashland.

The agencies have not decided whether the review, known as an environmental impact statement, will be done for the We Energies project.

"Stop this biomass project now, please," Rebecca Simms of Rothschild said in a public comment filed with the state. "Biomass should no longer be considered an alternative to fossil fuels and should no longer be considered carbon-neutral, because it is not."

In a filing last week in response to an inquiry by state regulators, We Energies disclosed that carbon dioxide, or CO2, emissions from the Rothschild plant would be about 590,000 tons a year.

The utility says that will be offset by the replanting of trees in the forest that will absorb carbon dioxide. . . .

In Madison, the state of Wisconsin has proposed a $250 million biomass and natural gas plant to replace a coal-fired plant that serves the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In Ashland, Xcel Energy would replace a coal-fired power plant with a biomass gasifier. The status of that project is uncertain, however, after the utility's cost estimate for the project ballooned by nearly 37% to $79.5 million.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Johnson Controls to host 'Clean Technology' Analyst Day

From a news release issued by Johnson Controls:

MILWAUKEE, June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Johnson Controls, Inc. will hold a "clean technology" analyst day at its corporate headquarters in Glendale, Wisconsin on Thursday, June 10, 2010, beginning at 8 a.m.

The all-day event will provide an in-depth review of Johnson Controls clean technology offerings for commercial buildings and hybrid vehicles. Clean technology refers to products or services that improve operational performance, productivity, or efficiency while reducing costs, energy consumption, waste or pollution. Johnson Controls is the world's largest provider of energy efficiency solutions for commercial buildings and a leading provider of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles.

Presentations by executive management will be followed by four breakout sessions, providing an interactive, small-group environment on key topics. Breakout session subjects include: performance contracting / bundled solutions / renewable energy; the potential market impact of legislation and regulation on building energy efficiency and vehicle fuel efficiency; current and future HVAC energy efficiency technologies; and hybrid vehicle battery technologies.

The event is open to institutional investors. Attendance is limited to a maximum of 60 participants. For more information or to register to attend, please contact Glen Ponczak, executive director of investor relations, at 414-524-2375 or at Glen.L.Ponczak@jci.com.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

We Energy project under way to propose of 12.5 MW of solar power generation

An announcement by We Energies:

We Energies has a commitment to propose the development of approximately 12.5 MW of solar power generation. This solar commitment entails 5 MW by Jan. 1, 2013, and the remaining 7.5 MW by Jan. 1, 2015. With the development and permitting phase of the Glacier Hills Wind Park completed, Andy Hesselbach, wind farm project manager, will be taking on the added responsibility of developing a plan to comply with this commitment.

To assist in these planning and development efforts, Carl Siegrist, senior project strategist - Regulatory Affairs and Policy, has been assigned to work under Hesselbach’s direction. Siegrist serves on the board of directors of two national solar organizations, has been involved with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin solar task force, and has a network of contacts in all aspects of the solar business and Wisconsin's clean energy advocacy community.

Hesselbach and Siegrist will collaborate with a broad range of regulatory, legal, finance, business planning, engineering and operations personnel during 2010 to develop a plan for compliance with this commitment.