by jboullion | Jan 9, 2018 | Uncategorized
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 9, 2018
Jim Boullion Named RENEW Wisconsin’s Director of Government Affairs
MADISON
– Renew Wisconsin’s Executive Director Tyler Huebner has named Jim Boullion as
Director of Government Affairs to lead the organization’s policy and advocacy
efforts in Madison.
“Jim brings us years of
experience in Wisconsin politics and a broad network of relationships with
utilities, business, labor and other politically active organizations that are
critically important in our efforts to advance renewable energy in Wisconsin.”
Huebner said.
In his new role, Boullion will be working on state and federal
issues to increase the utilization of Wisconsin generated renewable energy that
will power a strong, healthy and vibrant Wisconsin through lower energy costs,
increased energy security and stable, good paying jobs.
“I joined RENEW because of its leadership role in the
exciting changes that are happening in the renewable sectors of the energy
industry. Renewable energy technology and pricing has reached a tipping point
where it is becoming a mainstream and critical component of our energy mix, now
and in the future.” commented Boullion.
Jim is a life-long resident of Wisconsin and attended the
University of Wisconsin – Madison. He
has served as Director of Government Affairs for various trade associations in
Wisconsin over the past 25 years, including 16 years with the Associated
General Contractors. He is a Past President of the Association of
Wisconsin Lobbyists, worked in the Wisconsin State Assembly for 9 years and
served in Governor Walker’s administration as Administrator of the Division of
Policy Development in the Department of Safety and
Professional Services.
RENEW Wisconsin is
a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing renewable energy in Wisconsin.
We work on policies and programs that support solar power, wind power, biogas,
local hydropower, and geothermal energy. More information is available on
RENEW’s website: www.renewwisconsin.org.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Tyler Huebner
(608) 255-4044 x1
Jim Boullion
(608) 255-4044 x4
by jboullion | Dec 19, 2017 | Uncategorized
Immediate release
December 19, 2017
More information
Tyler
Huebner, Executive Director
608.255.4044 x 1
National Leaders & Wisconsin Executives to Headline January
Renewable Energy Summit
RENEW Wisconsin will host
its seventh annual Renewable Energy Summit on Thursday, January 18th, 2018, at Monona
Terrace in Madison. The theme of the event, “Connecting to a Powerful Future,” will highlight the
significant expansion of renewable power underway in Wisconsin, both at the
customer and utility level, and the need to broaden connections to continue
this momentum.
This one-day event will
feature two keynote speakers.
Abby Hopper
is the CEO of the national Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) in
Washington, DC. The solar industry has grown at a 20% annual
clip the past five years as installation costs have declined rapidly. This is
creating great opportunities in up-and-coming markets like Wisconsin! Abby oversees all of SEIA’s activities,
including government affairs, research, communications, and industry
leadership. SEIA is at the forefront of national solar advocacy, including the
recent Federal tax overhaul and import tariff threat.
Jane Bloch
is Principal at Tusculum Consulting,
where she is a clean energy communications expert. She comes to our Summit to
share best practices on how to effectively communicate about clean energy with
different audiences. She has spent the
last decade advancing clean energy policies through strategic communications,
stakeholder engagement, and philanthropic investment. Jane grew up spending her
summers in the Northwoods, near Minocqua, where she learned to love canoeing
and loon calls.
The event will begin with
a recap of 2017 and outlook to 2018 by RENEW Wisconsin’s Board Chair Amy Heart
and Executive Director Tyler Huebner. At 9:30am, three Wisconsin utility executives will participate in a panel
session discussing their companies’ investments and programs for renewable
energy such as wind, solar, and biogas.
WI Utility Executives Roundtable
The lunch panel will feature experts from Wisconsin’s renewable energy industry.
Driving Wisconsin’s Renewable Energy Markets
The program will feature
networking opportunities with exhibitors and attendees, as well as a social
hour following the close of the formal program.
Summit registration is open
and over 100 individuals and company representatives have already signed
up. Rates are $125 for Members of RENEW
Wisconsin, $155 for non-members, $125 for government and non-profit employees,
and $35 for students and elected officials and their staff. Membership with
RENEW starts at $35 for individuals and $200 for businesses and organizations.
An impressive set of
corporate and organizational sponsors, showcased on the final page, have signed
up to attend.
RENEW
Wisconsin Summit Event Sponsors as-of December 18, 2017
-END-
RENEW
Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization which promotes renewable energy in
Wisconsin. We work on policies and programs that support solar power, wind
power, biogas, local hydropower, and geothermal energy. More information is
available on RENEW’s website: www.renewwisconsin.org.
by jboullion | Dec 18, 2017 | Uncategorized
Monday December 18, 2017, Madison.
For Immediate Release
For More Information
Katherine Klausing, RENEW Wisconsin
608-255-4044 x5
Katherine@renewwisconsin.org
http://renewwisconsin.org/action/SolarforGood.htm
RENEW Wisconsin’s Solar for Good program, funded by Deerfield-based philanthropists Cal and Laurie Couillard, will issue grants to 16 Wisconsin nonprofit organizations that seek to install solar electric systems on their buildings. The 16 grants would support a total of 573 kilowatts (kW) of new solar electric projects, planned for installation in 2018. The total value of all of the solar projects would exceed $1.2 million.
A diverse group of nonprofit organizations expects to receive the solar grants, including a food pantry in Verona, an organization that serves homeless veterans in Racine, and several houses of worship including a mosque, a synagogue, and a church. Each organization seeks to use its grant to install its own solar electric system, based on the energy needs of each facility.
“We know that the solar energy boom is having a positive impact on our Wisconsin communities” said Katherine Klausing, engagement manager at RENEW Wisconsin, a state-based renewable energy advocacy organization that administers Solar for Good. “That’s why we designed the program to help local nonprofit organizations and houses of worship, who are working every day to improve our communities, join the solar movement. Investing in solar panels means they can lower their operating costs, save money to reinvest in their missions, and align their energy dollars with their values.”
Solar for Good grants are designed to fund between 10 and 20 percent of the cost of each organization’s solar project. Organizations that have been offered the grants will have 12 months to raise the remaining funds needed and complete their solar installations. “We are thrilled that this grant program has the potential to leverage nearly 10 times its original value in solar installations,” Klausing added.
“The idea is that if we can install solar panels on churches and other nonprofits, then all the people that are going there will also see this happening. I want to spread the message that solar is not just green for the environment, it’s green monetarily. You can actually save money doing it. It pays for itself. And I want to get that word out because I don’t think a lot of people know it,” said program founder Cal Couillard.
Demand for solar energy grants far surpassed expectations. Solar for Good announced in October that it would award a total of $125,000 in grants. But when the application period closed on November 13, 23 organizations across Wisconsin had applied for over $220,000 in funding. Additional fundraising enabled the program to fund these 16 projects with over $142,000 in grants.
Solar for Good plans to issue another round of grant funding in spring 2018. Any individuals who wish to donate to the program can contribute at http://renewwisconsin.org/action/SolarforGood.htm
The following organizations have been offered Solar for Good grants and are now exploring fundraising and installation of solar electric systems:
Badger Prairie Needs Network, food pantry, Verona
Beth Israel Center, house of worship, Madison
Catholic Youth Expeditions, religious organization and retreat center, Baileys Harbor
Escuela Verde, public charter school, Milwaukee
First Congregational Church, house of worship, Oshkosh
Friends of Camp Anokijig, outdoor education program, Plymouth
Liberation Park, retreat center, Norwalk
Midwest Renewable Energy Association, education and training organization, Custer
North Pointe United Methodist Church, formerly known as Trinity United Methodist Church, house of worship, Racine
Pilgrim United Church of Christ, house of worship, Fond du Lac
Sinsinawa Dominicans, religious order and nursing care facility, Sinsinawa
United Unitarian Universalist Congregation, house of worship, Waukesha
Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin, transitional living facility for veterans, Racine
In addition, three of the recipients wish to remain anonymous at this time, including an affordable housing organization in Milwaukee, an organization serving low-income families in Madison, and a house of worship in Milwaukee.
About RENEW Wisconsin
RENEW Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization which promotes renewable energy in Wisconsin. We work on policies and programs that support solar power, wind power, biogas, local hydropower, and geothermal energy. More information is available on RENEW’s website: www.renewwisconsin.org.
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by jboullion | Dec 14, 2017 | Uncategorized
A press conference was held yesterday at the State Capitol to announce the launch of the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum, a right-leaning, state-based voice for clean energy.
Headlined by Former Governor Tommy Thompson as a Board Member, the group plans to articulate a positive narrative on clean energy, emphasizing its emergence as a cost-effective source of new jobs and business opportunities.
Scott Coenen, a former staff person for State Senator Howard Marklein, is the group’s Executive Director.
As reported by the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Scott Coenen, the group’s new executive director, insisted the group would be focused not on lobbying for bills but on converting Republicans to the potential benefits — and jobs — coming from technologies such as solar and wind power.”
“Conservatives need to emphasize the development of cheap, reliable and cost-effective energy,” said Coenen, a former aide to GOP Sen. Howard Marklein of Spring Green. “To do that, we need to recognize that advances in technology increasingly mean renewable and alternative energy fits that description: cheap, reliable and cost-effective.”
by jboullion | Nov 21, 2017 | Uncategorized
‘Solar for Good’ grant program far exceeds expectations, seeks additional supporters to help Wisconsin nonprofit organizations “go solar”
Demand for a new program of solar energy grants for mission-based nonprofit organizations has far surpassed expectations, according to RENEW Wisconsin, a state-based renewable energy advocacy organization. As a result, the program’s funders and organizers are seeking additional contributors to provide funding for all qualifying nonprofit organizations who applied.
Business owners Cal and Laurie Couillard of Deerfield conceived of and seed-funded the program, called Solar for Good, which was designed and administered by RENEW Wisconsin. (See “Wisconsin Businessman Creates Fund to Help Nonprofits Go Solar” from WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio.)
Solar for Good announced in October that it would award a total of $125,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations and houses of worship to provide them with up to 20% of the cost of installing solar electric systems.
But demand for the grants exceeded organizers’ expectations. When the application period closed on November 13th, 23 organizations across Wisconsin had applied for over $222,000 to support their solar projects, leaving a gap of $97,000 that the program seeks to raise from other donors.
If all of the grant requests were funded, the program would support over 1,100 kilowatts of solar installations worth $2,400,000.
“The initial contribution has the potential to leverage 20 times its original value in solar installations,” said Tyler Huebner, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin. “The fund was started by a single family, but with the level of interest we’ve seen, the dream is that we would grow this initiative to support all 23 of the projects. If there are other philanthropists out there who care about renewable energy and want to invest in local community organizations, we encourage them to reach out to RENEW Wisconsin and consider donating.”
A diverse group of nonprofit organizations applied for the solar grants, including a food pantry near Madison, an organization that serves homeless veterans in Racine, and several houses of worship including a mosque, a synagogue, and many churches. The applicants were asked to demonstrate their ability to serve social justice, low income, educational, or other mission-driven purposes, as well as demonstrate their ability to raise the remaining funds and educate their memberships and communities about solar energy when the projects are complete.
With solar installation costs falling dramatically and public enthusiasm on the rise, more and more people and businesses have installed solar in recent years, and the program seeks to expand the benefits of solar to not-for-profit organizations. By installing their own solar PV systems, these organizations will be able to generate their own clean, renewable energy, save money on their utility bills, and reinvest the energy cost savings back into their work.
“The idea is that if we can install solar panels on churches and other nonprofits, then all the people that are going there will also see this happening. I want to spread the message that solar is not just green for the environment, it’s green monetarily. You can actually save money doing it. It pays for itself. And I want to get that word out because I don’t think a lot of people know it,” said program founder Cal Couillard.
How to donate
Individuals can learn more and donate at
http://renewwisconsin.org/action/SolarforGoodDonation.htmhttp://renewwisconsin.org/action/SolarforGoodDonation.htm.
To make a larger donation, please contact Tyler Huebner at RENEW Wisconsin: tyler.huebner@renewwisconsin.org or 608-255- 4044 extension 1.
by jboullion | Nov 7, 2017 | Uncategorized
|
| Photo courtesy Organic Valley |
Organic Valley is set to become the largest the largest U.S. food supplier and the first Wisconsin business to go 100% renewably powered. The LaFarge-based dairy cooperative unveiled plans last week to partner with a municipal power supplier to acquire renewable energy credits (RECs) from several solar arrays to be constructed and energized next year.
When the arrays are operational, Organic Valley will be able to supply all of its Wisconsin operations with wind power and solar power generated in the Dairy State. With this announcement, Organic Valley joins a rapidly growing roster of companies that have committed to powering their entire operational footprint with renewable energy.
“Our future demands bold new thinking about our sources of energy, and there is nothing more natural to a farmer than harnessing the power of the sun and the wind,” said George Siemon, CEO and a founding farmer of Organic Valley. “So our cooperative is committed to achieving 100% renewable power, and doing it in partnership with the rural communities where we live and work.”
Organic Valley’s REC purchase will provide financial support for the development of 12 megawatts (MW) of new solar capacity in western Wisconsin. Though the electricity from these arrays will flow to member utilities in the Upper Midwest Municipal Energy Group (UMMEG), the contract enables Organic Valley to count that solar output towards its own renewable energy goals. Both UMMEG and the solar developer, OneEnergy Renewables, are working to attract other potential REC purchasers to achieve a total project build-out of 29 MW.
“The cost of electricity is going to be reduced over the life of these systems for everyone in these communities,” said Stanley Minnick, energy services manager at Organic Valley.
Until this announcement, Organic Valley’s investments in local renewable generation had taken the form of rooftop arrays on its LaFarge and Cashton facilities and a two-turbine, five MW wind power installation adjacent to its Cashton distribution center. Today, those facilities account for about 60% of Organic Valley’s electricity usage. But to attain a goal of 100% renewable energy for its operational footprint, Organic Valley needs to expand its renewable energy supplies beyond what can be produced from its behind-the-meter installations.
Organic Valley’s arrangement with UMMEG and OneEnergy Renewables purchase is emblematic of a broader trend among U.S. corporations and institutions, namely the purchase larger quantities of renewable energy or REC’s from new off-site generators. Indeed, there is clearly a growing comfort level among utilities and independent developers to supply both corporate and residential customers with solar power generated from off-site solar facilities.
 |
| Photo courtesy Organic Valley |
In addition to increasing its own use of renewable power and helping farmers in its vendor network invest in wind and solar energy, Organic Valley is a sponsor of RENEW’s annual energy policy summit held in January in Madison.
A RENEW business member, OneEnergy Renewables has committed to landscape each of the project arrays with native grasses that will provide a home for bees and butterflies. In addition to its solar venture with UMMEG and Organic Valley, the Seattle-based solar developer will also build a one megawatt solar garden in Cashton in 2018 to supply the community solar program offered by Xcel Energy’s Wisconsin utility.
