by jboullion | Sep 2, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Judy Newman in the Wisconsin State Journal:
Art and Mindy Shrader have a new conversation piece in the back yard of their log home near Reedsburg: a wind energy turbine, designed to help power their house.
“We live up on a ridge and the wind is always blowing there,” Shrader said. “We thought it would be nice to do something about that.”
Gene Frakes has had a wind turbine on his property in the town of Perry, in the southwestern corner of Dane County, for two and a half years. The 10-kilowatt turbine produces an average of 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity — or about $110 worth — a month, enough to power his home and send some extra electricity out to the grid for his utility company to use. “There’s five months a year when they owe us money,” said Frakes, who also installs wind power equipment.
In the past several months, interest in individual wind turbines has revved up in Wisconsin and beyond. Residents are signing up to buy them, and companies are springing up to sell and install them. Part of the popularity stems from new federal tax credits.
Nationwide, the number of small wind generators installed for home or commercial use grew 78 percent in 2008 over the previous year, and residential sales in early 2009 were 15 to 20 percent higher than a year ago, according to a study by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), in Washington, D.C.
In Wisconsin, about 65 small wind turbines have been installed over the past six years with commitments for 25 or 30 more, according to Focus on Energy, a public-private partnership, funded by utility ratepayers, that facilitates renewable energy and energy efficiency.
by jboullion | Sep 2, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an editorial in the Wausau Daily Herald:
The news that Milwaukee’s We Energies is planning to build a massive 50-megawatt power plant at the Domtar paper mill in Rothschild is an almost immediate boon to the local economy. Beyond that, it could be a promising sign for future economic development in central Wisconsin.
. . . .the new plant will burn waste generated by Domtar — sawmill waste and other recycled mill waste, as well as waste wood — to produce steam that will fuel turbines that generate electricity. That electricity will make the Domtar mill virtually self-sufficient, and the rest of the power will be sent to We Energy’s grid.
It’s estimated that the new, $250 million biomass plant will create 150 permanent jobs throughout the supply chain. And locally it will create 400 temporary construction jobs between now and 2013.
That alone promises to hold create economic benefits for local workers and construction companies.
Beyond economics, the expansion of biomass power is a part of a broad movement toward renewable energies and away from fossil fuels, which are polluting and increasingly expensive. Since 2002, Domtar has increased its use of renewable fuels by 12.5 percent.
This move comes with a series of benefits to the environment and to the economy. To the extent that cleaner, renewable and local resources can be used, it makes sense that all sorts of manufacturing companies would want to move in this direction.
by jboullion | Sep 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by We Energies:
ROTHSCHILD, Wis. – We Energies announced today the proposed construction of a $250 million biomass-fueled power plant at Domtar Corporation’s Rothschild, Wisconsin paper mill site. Wood, waste wood and sawdust will be used to produce 50 megawatts of electricity and will also support Domtar’s sustainable papermaking operations. The project would be funded by We Energies.
The partnership between We Energies and Domtar will result in a highly efficient use of resources and will add another technology to We Energies’ renewable energy portfolio.
That portfolio includes the state’s largest wind development — the 145 megawatt Blue Sky Green Field Wind Energy Center in Fond du Lac County and the proposed 162 megawatt Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County. Together, these three projects will be capable of delivering nearly 360 megawatts of renewable energy, enough to supply approximately 120,000 homes. . . .
Under Wisconsin law, utilities statewide must use renewable energy to meet 10 percent of the electricity needs of retail customers by the year 2015.
The project is expected to create approximately 400 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs in the surrounding community, including independent wood suppliers and haulers from northern and central Wisconsin who will secure waste wood for the project.
by jboullion | Sep 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by We Energies:
ROTHSCHILD, Wis. – We Energies announced today the proposed construction of a $250 million biomass-fueled power plant at Domtar Corporation’s Rothschild, Wisconsin paper mill site. Wood, waste wood and sawdust will be used to produce 50 megawatts of electricity and will also support Domtar’s sustainable papermaking operations. The project would be funded by We Energies.
The partnership between We Energies and Domtar will result in a highly efficient use of resources and will add another technology to We Energies’ renewable energy portfolio.
That portfolio includes the state’s largest wind development — the 145 megawatt Blue Sky Green Field Wind Energy Center in Fond du Lac County and the proposed 162 megawatt Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County. Together, these three projects will be capable of delivering nearly 360 megawatts of renewable energy, enough to supply approximately 120,000 homes. . . .
Under Wisconsin law, utilities statewide must use renewable energy to meet 10 percent of the electricity needs of retail customers by the year 2015.
The project is expected to create approximately 400 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs in the surrounding community, including independent wood suppliers and haulers from northern and central Wisconsin who will secure waste wood for the project.
by jboullion | Sep 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by We Energies:
ROTHSCHILD, Wis. – We Energies announced today the proposed construction of a $250 million biomass-fueled power plant at Domtar Corporation’s Rothschild, Wisconsin paper mill site. Wood, waste wood and sawdust will be used to produce 50 megawatts of electricity and will also support Domtar’s sustainable papermaking operations. The project would be funded by We Energies.
The partnership between We Energies and Domtar will result in a highly efficient use of resources and will add another technology to We Energies’ renewable energy portfolio.
That portfolio includes the state’s largest wind development — the 145 megawatt Blue Sky Green Field Wind Energy Center in Fond du Lac County and the proposed 162 megawatt Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County. Together, these three projects will be capable of delivering nearly 360 megawatts of renewable energy, enough to supply approximately 120,000 homes. . . .
Under Wisconsin law, utilities statewide must use renewable energy to meet 10 percent of the electricity needs of retail customers by the year 2015.
The project is expected to create approximately 400 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs in the surrounding community, including independent wood suppliers and haulers from northern and central Wisconsin who will secure waste wood for the project.
by jboullion | Sep 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article
Wood County Energy Assistance Office will begin taking early-season applications at various locations throughout Wood County starting [September 1].
The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program is available to qualifying households to help maintain utility and heating services.
To qualify for the Energy Assistance Program, household income must be below 60 percent of the Wisconsin State Median Income. Gross income for the prior three months is used to determine eligibility, and there is no asset limit. Eligible households will receive a one-time heating season payment to help pay heat and/or electric costs.
Wood County will be accepting Energy Assistance applications at Outreach Sites only. Applicants will be seen on a first-come, first-serve basis. No appointments will be scheduled for the regular-season applications during this time.
Click for outreach sites for September and October.
