by jboullion | Sep 24, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Marie Rohde in The Daily Reporter:
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is poised to enter into a 20-year contract to buy methane gas to run the Jones Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, a move district officials say will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
But the project will cost $94.7 million in infrastructure improvements.
“We will be able to purchase methane gas at 48 percent of the cost of natural gas,” said Kevin Shafer, MMSD’s executive director.
The district could begin using methane as early as January 2013, but the system would not be fully functional for several years after that.
While methane gas is increasingly used as a fuel to produce electricity, this plan is unusual in that it requires piping the gas 17 miles from the Emerald Park Landfill on the eastern edge of Muskego.
by jboullion | Sep 23, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a story on WQOW, Eau Claire:
Dunn County (WQOW) – Millions of dollars in federal aid are heading to rural Wisconsin to help our farms and businesses. Part of the goal is for them to become more energy efficient. It’s part of a program to reduce energy consumption and stir the economy.
Deborah Dillaway hopes to lead the way with her 90-foot wind turbine.
“We see people driving a car that’s fuel efficient,” Deborah says. “We see people with solar panels. As it comes more commonplace, more people will think of supplementing the use or dependence they have on fossil fuels.”
This tower does just that, sitting on Deborah’s 200-acre farm in Dunn County.
The turbine produces electricity, which is then transferred to the local energy cooperative, where it’s used by other customers on the grid. For that, Deborah gets a credit on her bill.
She’s one of the first in the area to make this investment.
“It has to start somewhere and people will see it,” Deborah says.
And with a $93,000 dollar price tag, it is an investment. But the USDA helped, giving a $19,000 grant through a program meant to reduce rural energy consumption and stimulate local economies.
Forty-five farms and businesses in Wisconsin have received similar funding, totaling nearly $3 million in aid for projects.
by jboullion | Sep 23, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a column by Gregg Hoffman on WisBusiness.com:
Contrary to stereotypes of the gloomy, cloudy Midwest, Milwaukee, and Wisconsin in general, are very conducive to effective use of solar energy, and in fact have developed into leaders in the country in that field.
That fact will be highlighted during Milwaukee Solar Week, Sept. 28-Oct. 2. Milwaukee Shines, the city of Milwaukee’s solar program, will team with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) and other organizations and businesses to showcase renewable energy successes and opportunities during the week.
We Energies and Focus on Energy also are hosting solar events during the week. Milwaukee Shines is coordinating the week.
“The city is fortunate to be hosting two premier professional solar conferences, which will highlight all Milwaukee has to offer a growing solar market,” said Matt Howard, director of Milwaukee’s Office of Environmental Sustainability.
Professionals and the general public will both find things of interest during the week.
“Milwaukee Solar Week has something for everyone,” said Amy Heart, Milwaukee’s Solar Coach and MREA’s Milwaukee Director. “This is a perfect chance to get information on installing solar on your home, find out how to get in the solar business or establish business connections in this growing industry.”
Heart emphasized that Milwaukee and Wisconsin do get an average of 4 ½ hours of sunlight per day. “That’s more than Germany, and Germany is an energy exporter,” she added.
by jboullion | Sep 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Governor Jim Doyle:
CUBA CITY – Governor Jim Doyle today announced up to $1,506,000 in assistance to Wausaukee Composites and Grant County to support the company’s efforts to create 200 full-time jobs. The funding comes from the Community Development Block Grant for Economic Development program overseen by the Department of Commerce.
“My top priority this year has been to help move companies and communities forward and create good-paying jobs for our citizens,” said Governor Doyle. “I’m pleased that we could help Wausaukee Composites expand its business and bring these new jobs to Grant County.”
Wausaukee Composites will use the state funding to build and equip an addition to their Cuba City facility. The company has committed to creating 200 new full-time positions to manufacture wind turbine components. The total project cost is $5,023,000.
Wausaukee Composites manufactures highly engineered composite components for original equipment manufacturers in the construction equipment, agricultural equipment, mass transportation, wind energy, medical imaging, commercial site furnishings, therapeutic systems, corrosion-resistant materials handling and recreation industries. They are a subsidiary of Sintex Industries, headquartered in India, with textile and structural plastics plants on four continents.
by jboullion | Sep 21, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article in the Stevens Point Journal:
The front design for the Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum new site at 1100 Main St. will blend in with the surrounding older buildings.
On Wednesday, the Stevens Point Historic Preservation/Design Review Commission approved the design by Arc Central, the architectural and design firm working on the renovations.
The Main Street front is part of an ongoing project to move the Children’s Museum from the CenterPoint MarketPlace to its new location in what was called “The Connection.” Because it is in the Main Street Historic District, the Main Street side of the building needed to be approved by the city commission.
Jim Lucas, project designer with Arc Central, said the idea was to “capture the flavor of downtown.”
The museum’s front also will have solar panels to collect light for the museum. The museum will sell back the excess energy to Wisconsin Public Service.
The museum will use the panels to teach children about alternative energy in a hands-on manner.
by jboullion | Sep 21, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article on BizTimes Daily:
When the new high-speed rail network is established in the Midwest, it will create 13,000 new jobs in Wisconsin, eliminate 780,000 car trips every year and conserve 2.76 million gallons of gasoline annually, according to a new report released today by the WISPIRG Foundation.
The organization attributed the estimate of the jobs created to the Midwest High-Speed Rail Association.
Kyle Bailey, program associate with WISPIRG, said the 13,000 jobs include both private development in and around intermodal stations and rail lines, manufacturing jobs related to train and car construction, and the development, maintenance and operations of the trains and intermodal stations.
Bailey said he did not know how many of the 13,000 jobs would be with private companies or the state.
“High-speed rail is part of the solution – boosting our economy and creating jobs, modernizing our transportation system and helping to solve our nation’s oil dependency, worsening congestion and pollution,” Bailey said. “High-speed rail gets us moving in the right direction.”
Bailey noted the growing popularity of the Amtrak Hiawatha line between Chicago and Milwaukee, which saw a 63-percent increase in ridership from 2004 to 2008, when more than 766,000 passengers rode the line.
Wisconsin’s Midwest regional rail line upgrades will speed the Hiawatha service up to 110 mph, reducing trip time from Chicago to Milwaukee to about an hour, and extend it to Madison and eventually La Crosse or Eau Claire and the Twin Cities.
