by jboullion | Sep 27, 2011 | Uncategorized
I’m sending this out to you as an invite to the first ever official meeting of the Wisconsin Electric Vehicle Association! (WiEVA)
The meeting will be held at:
Milwaukee Makerspace
3073 S. Chase Ave, Bldg 34
Milwaukee, WI 53207
On Sunday, October 9th at 1:00 PM.
The Wisconsin Electric Vehicle Association is a chapter of the Electric Auto Association, whose goal is to promote electric vehicles through education, and help owners and drivers of electric cars connect with each other. We are just starting up, and want to become THE state-wide organization for those interested in electric vehicles and clean transportation. If you are interested in a Chevy Volt, NIssan Leaf, or are already DRIVING your own electric car, we want to hear from you!
The Milwaukee Electric Car Club is an informal group of guys in the greater Milwaukee area who get together to convert their own vehicles to electric. They already meet at the Milwaukee Makerspace, so we are piggly-backing on when of the days when their members are in working on their cars. Those coming out to the meeting are welcome to arrive early and stay late to visit with Milwaukee Electric Car Club members, and take a look at their vehicles. They typically meet from 10AM to 4PM for electric car work.
If you are getting this e-mail, then you have already expressed interest in electric vehicles at an event such as the MREA, Green Drive Expo, EcoFair 360, or other event we have already been displaying vehicles at.
We would like to have as many electric vehicles at our meeting as possible. So, if you have an electric car, truck, scooter, motorcycle, lawn mower, Chevy Volt, or other vehicle you would like to s how off, bring it out. If you are interested in buying or selling an electric vehicle, or converting your own, this will be the place for you as well. If you know what Electrathon is, or have ever wanted to drag-race a “PowerWheels”, come on out! Electric Vehicle Dealers WELCOME!
If at all possible, please bring your electric vehicle with you. If you can make it, but can’t bring your EV, please bring photos or any other information you have on it. We will also have computers and internet access for anyone who wants to show off any web content about their vehicle.
We hope to do a round-robin of introductions, do a little general education on EVs, and show off a number of different vehicles, with informal tours by their builders. We’ll have some snacks and beverages there for you as well!
Please tell anyone else you think would be interested in this event about it. If you are on an eco or transportation mailing list, please share it with your other members.
While this meeting will be held in Milwaukee, we hope to hold meetings in other locations around the state in the future. We need your help deciding how to make our organization as useful as possible to members, and educating the general public.
I genuinely hope that you can make it!
See you there,
Ben Nelson
Member:
EAA, Wisconsin Electric Vehicle Association, Milwaukee Makerspace
ben@hdvideoguy.com
414-403-0021
PS: It’s worth coming out just to see the Milwaukee Makerspace – a collaborative creative workshop concept making amazing real-world projects. See their web page for directions to the Makerspace, its members, and projects. If you receive a duplicate of this e-mail, my apologies, I am a member of several mailing lists that have overlapping memberships. If you received this message in error, let me know, and I’ll remove you from my list. Also, plenty of parking there, and smaller vehicles, motorcycles, and convertibles can be parked inside in case of poor weather.
by jboullion | Sep 26, 2011 | Uncategorized
from an article in The Sounder, September 22, 2011
An open house and dedication will be part of Sunday’s program to dedicate the 100-kilowatt wind turbine on the Preder farm west of Random Lake. The wind turbine was erected jointly by the Jeff and Kathy Preder family, and the Ed and Stephenie Ritger family, who are neighbors living on County Rd. I.
Sunday’s open house from 1-4 p.m. will have exhibits about renewable energy, tower inspections, farm tours and light refreshments. Among the exhibitors will be the Lakeshore Technical College wind energy program and the Random Lake High School Science Club. The 2 p.m. dedication ceremony will include a talk about the theology of environmental stewardship by Fr. Ed Eschweiler. Among his writings is the prayer, “Beatitudes for Stewards of Earth,” and the book, “Celebrating God’s Good Earth in Prayer, Discussion & Action.”
There will be comments by elected officials, including Cong. Tom Petri (R-Fond du Lac) and State Rep. Dan LeMahieu (R-Cascade). Northern Power Systems of Barre, Vermont, will give a jobs report. Visitors can park at the Preder Farm, N254 County Rd. I, west of Random Lake.
The turbine is expected to produce all the electrical power needed to run the Preder household and the farming operation with enough electricity left over to power 12 to 15 additional homes. That additional power will be sold to the We Energies utility.
by jboullion | Sep 23, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article on ControlDesign.com:
It was like the Egyptian obelisk going up in “The 10 Commandments,” only it was a lot faster, and the slaves were replaced by portable hydraulics. Oh, and there was a 32 ft diameter fan at the top.
This was the scene on a sunny, early-September afternoon as Wago installed a 100 ft tall wind turbine next to its U.S. headquarters in Germantown, Wis. And, as if the gleaming white tower wasn’t impressive enough, it was “tipped up” in an amazing 8-10 minutes by a portable hydraulic unit hooked up right next to the tower. After that, it took only another 15 minutes to bolt down the tower, hook up its electronics, and get it spinning in the breeze of Wisconsin’s famous “dairy air.”
Capable of generating 20 kW for Wago’s multi-function facility, the small-scale, commercial-grade VP-20 turbine was built by Renewegy in nearby Oshkosh, Wis. The turbine employs Wago’s 787 Series power supplies, 756 Series cables/connectors, 288 Series fuse blocks and backup capacitor module.
The wind turbine’s initial cost was $80,000, but state and federal incentives allow Wago to reduce its bill by about $35,000. Other VP-20s have been installed at SCA Tissue in Neenah, Wis., and at the North Texas Job Corp Center in McKinney, Texas. Renewegy reports that it can install single 20 kW units on farms, 40 kW dual units to serve schools, and 100 kW five-unit systems for small wind farms and commercial applications.
by jboullion | Sep 22, 2011 | Uncategorized
From a news release by Dairyland Power:
Methane digester located in Eau Claire Energy Cooperative’s service territory
LA CROSSE, WI— Dairyland Power Cooperative has signed an agreement with Bush Brothers & Co. to purchase the renewable energy and capacity from a new anaerobic wastewater system located in Augusta, Wis. The system will be served by Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, a Dairyland member.
Construction on the renewable energy facility is nearing completion, and commercial operation is expected in early 2012.
“It is a significant milestone when three entities work together to create yet another renewable energy facility for the benefit of the communities we all serve. Renewable energy facilities, including the new one at the Bush Brothers facility at Augusta, have added a positive element to the way we provide electricity for our co-op members,” said Eau Claire Energy Cooperative CEO and President Lynn Thompson.
The digester plant at the industrial wastewater facility is designed to process biogas produced in a covered lagoon to power a 635 kW generator. This is projected to produce enough renewable energy to power nearly 500 homes in the Dairyland system.
“The anaerobic digester represents a responsible method for handling plant waste and we are glad to have it as a part of our manufacturing process,” said Joe Breid, Director of Operations for the Bush Brothers plant in Augusta.
Once operational, the Bush Brothers facility will represent the seventh methane digester within the Dairyland system, and the first industrial use. The first six digester f if acilities are “cow power” plants, utilizing dairy cow manure as the source from which methane gas is derived to fuel the generators and create renewable energy. . . .
About Bush Brothers
Founded in 1908, Bush Brothers & Company is a privately owned food processor headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn. Best known for their baked beans, Bush’s also offers more than 30 varieties of canned beans including kidney, pinto and black. Bush Brothers & Company is still family owned and operated, working for the same ideals that were set forth by A.J. Bush more than 100 years ago – ensuring the highest quality and best taste can be found in all their products. Bush’s sells one-third of all canned beans in the U.S., making it the top bean brand in the country. Its signature commercials of Jay Bush and his Golden Retriever, Duke, have made Bush’s Beans a familiar household name. For more information, visit www.bushbeans.com.
by jboullion | Sep 20, 2011 | Uncategorized
We are having a “Lake Country Moving to Solar” bash at Lake Country Unitarian Universalist Church, W299N5595 Grace Drive in Hartland from noon to 4 this Saturday, celebrating our 19.68 kW solar PV system which came on-line last month. We are having speakers INCLUCING MICHAEL VICKERMAN, musicians, tours of the solar installation and community garden on the premises, solar tea and other snacks, informational tables including a petition to Obama, Kohl, and Johnson to Move Away from Fossil Fuels, and children’s activities. We will have preferred parking for bikes and hi-mpg vehicles!
Hope you all can make it to this. Call me (Gerry Flakas) at 262-646-2703 if you have any questions.
by jboullion | Sep 15, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Held and Thomas Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
A project to build a wind turbine adjacent to the Port of Milwaukee’s administration building will move forward after a contractor agreed to increase its use of businesses owned by minorities or women.
The Board of Harbor Commissioners gave the project a go-ahead at a meeting Wednesday morning. The board had delayed action on the contract last month because of concerns about participation levels of minority and female-owned businesses.
“We’re excited to see this project move forward and we’re glad that the issues the board raised were able to be resolved successfully,” said Matt Howard, the city’s environmental sustainability director.
The low bidder on the project, Kettle View Renewable Energy of Random Lake, offered to boost minority hiring on the project in order to keep the project on track. The vote to approve the $520,922 contract was unanimous.
Construction of a foundation is expected to start in the coming weeks, with the tower and turbine to be installed in the spring.
The 154-foot turbine would be located just north of the port administration building on South Lincoln Memorial Drive, west of the Lake Express ferry terminal.
Kettle View was the low bidder among five firms that submitted proposals for the project.
As proposed, a combination of $400,000 in federal renewable-energy stimulus money and grants of up to $100,000 each from the state Focus on Energy Program and We Energies would pay for the wind turbine.
The turbine for the project would be made in Vermont by Northern Power Systems. Kettle View is considering a Wisconsin contractor for the turbine tower, said Erick Shambarger of the city’s environmental sustainability office.
The project aims to demonstrate the city’s commitment to clean energy and provide more than enough electricity to meet the needs of the port administration building.
The wind turbine that the city selected is less than half the height of a utility-scale wind turbine, such as those erected in Fond du Lac County in recent years.
It’s shorter than the Bay View Terrace condominium tower along the lake, but taller than the small turbines that are outside the Discovery World museum.
It would generate enough electricity over a year’s time to power up to 15 typical homes.
The city is forecasting savings on utilities plus energy-related revenues totaling $14,000 to $20,000 a year.
The turbine that’s planned for the site is the same model as those built in recent years around the state, at Wausau East High School, the Fort Atkinson campus of Madison Area Technical College and the Village of Cascade in Sheboygan County.
