by jboullion | Jul 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article in the Dunn County News:
Last year, the Menomonie City Council approved the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. This year, the Plan Commission is urging the council to adopt Governor Jim Doyle’s “25×25 Goals.”
Both are more than just pieces of paper, explained Wendy Sander of Cedar Corporation at the commission’s June meeting.
“The governor’s goal is to be generating 25 percent of our state’s electricity and transportation fuel from renewable sources by 2025,” she said, noting that by signing the agreement, the city would become eligible to receive grant funds to help pay for projects aimed at energy efficiency and sustainability.
“A specific one we’re looking at is the energy block grant,” Sander said. “We’re doing some work on the fire station right now that is extremely eligible for that program. It would score higher if the council had passed the 25×25 plan. … It’s similar to the climate protection agreement.”
Several months ago, the city council authorized upgrades to the aging mechanical and electrical systems in the downtown fire station, city engineer Charlie Jones told the commission.
“When we were in the process of doing the plan and getting ready for the bid, through diligent research, we found the grant,” he said. “That actually delayed the bidding process, because we believe we can get some grant dollars to help pay for the upgrades to make it more efficient.”
by jboullion | Jul 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an announcement on Next Step Wisconsin:
It’s time to see megawatts of wind up close and personal. In fact, you’ll have a hard time missing this awe-inspiring string of 20 towers slowly spinning a total of 30 megawatts of green power 330 feet over your head.
Carol Anderson has welcomed our Next Step group and friends for a tour of the 3 wind turbines she has on her property near Montfort on July 25th. . . . Carol will give us a lot of facts about the windmills on her property and wind energy in general. . . .
Food following? We will be brown bagging it at a local park. I’ll bring along ice water and drinking cups and emergency snacks for the not-so-prepared.
Contact Carol Gruba to confirm your tour spot-please email info@fullspectrumsolar.com
by jboullion | Jul 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Joe Potente in the Kenosha News:
The vetoes Gov. Jim Doyle issued and the state budget he signed into law Monday produced a mixed bag for backers of the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail proposal.
While the adopted budget retains an $18 fee on rental car transactions to fund KRM, it strips provisions allowing for a Milwaukee regional transit authority and dedicated funding for the Kenosha and Racine bus lines.
KRM supporters say the latter initiatives are necessary to secure federal funding for KRM. That, they say, leaves the Legislature to return to the drawing board to devise an acceptable funding source for regional transit.
“It definitely has an impact, because the federal government made it very clear that to have a successful new-starts application, the region would have to address both reliable funding for KRM and show that there is reliable dedicated funding for the existing bus systems in Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha,” said Karl Mueller, a spokesman for the existing Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority.
The Milwaukee authority provision that Doyle vetoed would have allowed Milwaukee County to levy up to a 0.65 percent sales tax to fund the area’s bus system and other county expenses.
by jboullion | Jun 30, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a brief guide published by Focus on Energy:
Cities and towns across Wisconsin are seeking ways to address concerns about global climate change while improving the environment and their local quality of life.
Environmentally-friendly or “green” options for communities have long included programs to encourage recycling and the purchase of recycled products, improving public transportation and developing new zoning ordinances that reduce urban sprawl.
Recently, many communities have begun to seek strategies for achieving carbon reduction goals as a way of becoming greener. Because fossil energy use is the primary source of carbon emissions, communities are turning to energy efficiency and
renewable energy to make their energy production and use more sustainable.
The guide answers the following questions:
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY?
HOW DOES SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PLANNING FIT
INTO OTHER GREEN COMMUNITY GOALS?
HOW DO COMMUNITIES GET STARTED?
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES
by jboullion | Jun 30, 2009 | Uncategorized
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From a news release issued by Madison Gas and Electric:
MADISON, Wis. – (Business Wire) Wisconsin’s first large-scale wind farm began producing clean, renewable electric power 10 years ago today in Kewaunee County. The 17-turbine, 11.22-megawatt facility built and owned by Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) is located near Rosiere. Since 1999, the facility has produced over 215,000 megawatt-hours of electricity, enough power to supply 3,000 homes annually.
The facility was built in direct response to MGE customers who wanted to purchase green energy for their homes and businesses. The wind farm’s generating capacity available for green energy sales was sold out in less than four months. Over the last 10 years, MGE has increased its wind energy portfolio by 12 times as strong customer support for renewable energy continues. MGE customers have one of the highest participation rates nationally in green energy programming offered by investor-owned utilities.
“We are grateful to the landowners and communities that support this project,” said Lynn Hobbie, MGE senior vice president. “We also thank the customers who have made our green pricing program so successful.”
“In 10 years, wind generation has completed the transition from boutique energy to a bulk power,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin. “Early commitments to wind power from utilities like MGE helped make that happen and were instrumental to that industry’s subsequent growth and maturation.”
At the time, MGE’s Rosiere facility was the largest wind farm in the Eastern United States. Today the wind farm is one of nine commercial facilities in Wisconsin. Wind-generating capacity in Wisconsin totals nearly 450 megawatts.
by jboullion | Jun 30, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a brief guide published by Focus on Energy:
Cities and towns across Wisconsin are seeking ways to address concerns about global climate change while improving the environment and their local quality of life.
Environmentally-friendly or “green” options for communities have long included programs to encourage recycling and the purchase of recycled products, improving public transportation and developing new zoning ordinances that reduce urban sprawl.
Recently, many communities have begun to seek strategies for achieving carbon reduction goals as a way of becoming greener. Because fossil energy use is the primary source of carbon emissions, communities are turning to energy efficiency and
renewable energy to make their energy production and use more sustainable.
The guide answers the following questions:
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY?
HOW DOES SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PLANNING FIT
INTO OTHER GREEN COMMUNITY GOALS?
HOW DO COMMUNITIES GET STARTED?
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES
