by jboullion | Sep 28, 2009 | Uncategorized
“Green Jobs: Growing Wisconsin Employment” is part of a series of forums at Discovery World and aims to assess Wisconsin’s future in the green jobs market.
The forum, sponsored by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, UW-Milwaukee, Midwest Renewable Energy Association, We Energies, Wisconsin Environmental Initiative and Johnson Controls, begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 9 a.m. Breakfast begins at 7:15 a.m.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett will provide remarks about his city’s efforts to cultivate green jobs.
Confirmed panelists include:
* UW-Milwaukee Engineering School Dean Michael R. Lovell
* Tom Boldt, CEO of Boldt Construction
* UW-Madison School of Agriculture Dean Molly Jahn
* Clay Nesler, Vice President, Global Energy and Sustainability, Johnson Controls, Inc.
The event is organized by WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com with the help of MMAC, Discovery World, and UW-Milwaukee. More sponsorship opportunities are available; contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 or greer@wispolitics.com.
The event is open to the public, and the price is $30 per person. But WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com subscribers, members of the Wisconsin Academy, the UW-Milwaukee community, and members of MMAC and Discovery World are able to attend for $20 per person.
The price includes the breakfast buffet but not parking.
Call Debra Jordan (414) 287-4127 or djordan@mmac.org to register.
by jboullion | Sep 28, 2009 | Uncategorized
Focus on Energy announced that customers of Trempealeau Municipal Electric Department will become eligible for programs and services from Focus on Energy:
Customers will be able to participate in the Business, Residential and Renewable Energy offerings under the Focus on Energy umbrella:
· Business Programs that help manufacturers, commercial businesses, farmers, schools and local governments reduce operating costs, increase their bottom line and improve productivity and employee and customer comfort. The programs offer technical expertise, training and financial incentives to help implement innovative energy management projects.
· Wisconsin ENERGY STAR Homes, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR and Apartment & Condo Efficiency Services Programs that encompass new and existing homes, multi-family construction and remodeling projects for all types of residential dwellings. These programs help homeowners and landlords integrate energy improvements into their remodeling projects, as well as deliver newly-built homes, apartments and condominiums that are comfortable, safe, durable and energy efficient.
· Lighting and appliance programs that increase the availability of ENERGY STAR qualified products ranging from compact fluorescent light bulbs to heating and cooling equipment. These efforts deliver lower energy bills for residents and businesses and increased sales for retailers and contractors.
· Renewable Energy Programs that help residents and businesses harness energy from sunlight, wind and organic materials.
· Targeted Home Performance that reduces energy bills while increasing comfort and safety for income-qualified participants.
by jboullion | Sep 28, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Panel by panel, small-scale solar power is building around the state.
Solar photovoltaic systems capable of generating about 15 kilowatts of electricity were connected to the power grid Friday at the intermediate and high schools in Shorewood. That’s about enough to power two homes.
It’s among nearly 600 projects installed across Wisconsin with financial support from the state Focus on Energy program.
The two systems in Shorewood were installed by UrbanRE Vitalization Group LLC of Milwaukee.
The Shorewood project was financed with the help of a $35,000 grant from the state Focus on Energy program and a $50,000 grant from We Energies.
“By helping clients work with both Focus on Energy and We Energies, we will be able to extend our reach and get more people to start thinking about renewable energy,” said Lisa Schaal of UrbanRE.
by jboullion | Sep 25, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Sarah Lozanova in RenewableEnergyWorld.com:
Currently about 85,000 people are employed in the wind energy industry, up from 50,000 last year. These jobs are very diverse, and include turbine manufacturing, wind farm development, wind farm construction, and turbine maintenance.
Developing an industrial-scale wind farm requires a team of people with a variety of abilities. Here’s a look at some of the jobs involved as well as the skills necessary for this line of work. . . .
by jboullion | Sep 25, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Kyra Shishko in The Badger Herald (Madison, WI):
A forum regarding the rise of green jobs is slated to take place at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Monday.
The event is following a similar forum held in Madison this past Friday, which was sponsored jointly by the Wisconsin School of Business, the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Counsel and the Law Firm of Godfrey and Kahn.
Green jobs are jobs that not only create opportunities for unemployed individuals, but also help to reduce waste and pollution and benefit the environment, said Thomas Egger, associate director of the Business, Enviornment and Social Responsibility program at the Wisconsin School of Business.
“What we wanted to do was bring some very knowledgeable people together to talk about both what’s happening in our climate and identify why we’re talking about climate change and green jobs together,” Eggert said. “Most of what we are talking about links to green jobs.”
Eggert added the key topic of the discussion Friday was how to prepare for climate change in residences and how to create more jobs involving re-insulating houses, putting in new windows and other energy-efficient changes.
“We ask the public to look at how they are heating their houses,” Eggert said.
Eggert added these ideas could create up to 200,000 to 300,000 jobs.
Government Affairs Director of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce Steven Bass agreed the importance of the correlation between the struggling economy and the opportunity to create new jobs to help the environment is the driving force behind next week panel discussion in Milwaukee.
“Everyone in business knows that a strong economy and a good environment do not need to be mutually exclusive. The economic landscape, both nationally and globally, is more competitive than ever,” Bass said. “If a state can put itself at the forefront of energy efficiency it has the potential to create a competitive edge, especially for us here in Wisconsin.”
by jboullion | Sep 25, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a story by John DesRivieres on WSAW-TV:
With issues like the economy and health care on every body’s mind, it can be easy to forget about environmental issues.
But there’s a little known place in the Northwoods, where scientists are working with government officials to help make a greener nation.
“It’s used by legislators, policy makers, forest managers,” says Eric Gustafson, the Director of Applied Eco-Systems Studies.
Eric Gustafson says he knows as well as anybody how important energy independence is.
“The nation has a growing demand for energy, we’ve come to realize for a number of reasons that dependence on foreign oil is not a good thing,” Gustafson says.
Gustafson and a team of scientists are conducting several studies that will help shape the nation’s environmental policies.
At the top of the list, renewable energy.
The Institute is researching how to grow hybrid poplar trees that can grow up to four times faster than an average tree.
Poplar trees are a great source of ethanol and can be burned to create electricity.
“The ability to grow trees rapidly and convert them into energy has a great impact not only for the climate but the stability of politics in the world,” says Gustafson.
