by jboullion | Nov 12, 2013 | Uncategorized
A 50 MW baseload facility should produce about 350 million kilowatt-hours of electricity in a year. That comes to one-half of one percent of annual electricity sales in Wisconsin (almost 70 billion kWh).
This marks the last utility-owned renewable energy project in the development pipeline. To the extent that any Wisconsin electricity providers will need to add to their supplies of renewable electricity to meet the 2015 requirement, those supplies will be purchased from nonutility generators.
by jboullion | Nov 4, 2013 | Uncategorized
One of two Solar America Cities in Wisconsin, Madison has attracted a cluster of businesses, consultants and supporters working to light up the local economy with the power of the sun. InBusiness Greater Madison Editorial Director Joe Vander Plas interviews the people that are leading the solar power shift in Madison, including Full Spectrum Solar Director Burke O’Neal, American Family Insurance Facilities Director Mark Pauls, City of Madison Facilities and Sustainability Director Jeanne Hoffman, RENEW Wisconsin Program and Policy Director Michael Vickerman, Sustain Dane Interim Executive Director Jessie Lerner, Willy Street Co-op Operations Director Wynston Estis and Kate Schachter of Union Cab.
“Despite fewer incentives for installing solar energy systems, advocates say it’s still a good bet for businesses- and getting better all the time.” – InBusiness Greater Madison
by jboullion | Oct 28, 2013 | Uncategorized
One of Wisconsin’s signature industries — food and beverage processing — is getting a cutting-edge flavor in a new renewable energy project scheduled to start operating this week.
The project, located in the Menomonee River Valley, just west of the Potawatomi Bingo Casino, will convert food wastes into renewable energy, with the power to be sold to We Energies.
Read more from Journal Sentinel
by jboullion | Oct 24, 2013 | Uncategorized
On distributed generation, how does Wisconsin stack up against neighboring states?
Among Midwestern states, Wisconsin trails its neighbors in a ranking of solar policies and practices according to “Freeing the Grid”, a report by the Vote Solar Initiative and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc.(IREC).
|
State
|
Net metering grade
|
Interconnection grade
|
|
Illinois
|
B
|
B
|
|
Iowa
|
B
|
B
|
|
Michigan
|
B
|
C
|
|
Minnesota
|
B
|
C
|
|
Wisconsin
|
C
|
D
|
Read the press release announcing the report for an overview or view the report on the IREC website.
by jboullion | Oct 17, 2013 | Uncategorized
The Wisconsin Public Service Community Foundation recently funded its 51st SolarWise for Schools project. A new article in the Eagle Herald details a large 24-kilowatt solar-electric system now generating electricity for the Coleman Elementary School. The project was funded in part by the WPS Community Foundation, along with Eland Electric Corporation and a Focus on Energy Grant. RENEW praises WPS’s foundation for supporting projects like this.
On the flip side of this solar story, WPS, the private utility, wants to prevent systems of this size from being eligible for net metering in the future! Yesterday, Michael Vickerman and RENEW just submitted our brief concluding our arguments to improve net metering for WPS customers!
by jboullion | Oct 11, 2013 | Uncategorized
People who host wind turbines on their properties and derive rental
income from wind energy companies have important stories to tell about
living alongside turbines, but they’ve largely been absent from the
debate on wind farms and health. Australian filmmaker and researcher
Neil Barrett is finally giving this critical group a voice in his new
short film, The way the wind blows, released today.
In Barrett’s short film, 15 hosts and some of their neighbours from
the central Victorian district near the town of Waubra tell what it’s
like to live surrounded by large turbines.
Read the rest of the story…
