by jboullion | Jan 14, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:
MADISON, Wis. (January 14, 2009) – With the help of Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, Ball Corporation has completed a number of energy saving improvements and upgrades at its Wisconsin plants in Milwaukee, DeForest and Watertown.
The changes made in Ball’s three plants are expected to provide $560,636 in savings annually due to reduced energy consumption. Ball received $431,181 in cash incentives through Focus on Energy in 2008 to boost its efforts toward becoming more energy efficient.
“Ball Corporation has made a huge investment in its Wisconsin facilities,” said Ken Williams, Focus on Energy’s business programs director. “By making energy management a priority in its business plan, Ball Corporation will reduce its energy use, experience cost savings and benefit the environment for years to come.”
“These projects were part of our ongoing sustainability program,” explained Doug Barndt, principle energy-demand engineer for Ball. “Focus on Energy was very straightforward and easy to work with, and the incentives they provided were an important catalyst in making lasting, meaningful changes in our Wisconsin operations.”
The Milwaukee facility, which manufactures two-piece beverage and food cans, received the majority of incentive funds for projects that will reduce energy consumption by 2,523,540 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 470,875 therms of natural gas annually – enough energy to power 738 homes for a year.
The biggest energy saver was an innovative heat recovery system that captures waste heat from its regenerative thermal oxidizer and uses it to supply preheated water to the boiler of its heating system. The plant also installed new energy management controls for its HVAC system and replaced nearly 600 light fixtures with high efficiency models.
by jboullion | Jan 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:
MERCER, Wis. (Jan. 6, 2009) – With the help of Focus on Energy, Action Floor Systems, LLC, a manufacturer and worldwide distributor of sport facility wood floors, recently installed a wood-fired boiler system at the company’s headquarters in Mercer, Wis. The boiler system, which was completed in November 2008, eliminates the need for natural gas in the company’s manufacturing process and also meets the space heating needs of the facility.
“The installation of the system made sense for our company, as it replaced an outdated system that was becoming increasingly inefficient and required a lot of maintenance,” said Karl Anderson, plant manager for Action Floor Systems. “More importantly it helped us comply with environmental codes, and will save the company a significant amount of money in operating cost down the road.”
The completion of the wood-fired boiler system is due in part to technical assistance and a $200,000 Implementation Grant from Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative. The project represents a total investment of $1,055,000, and has a projected payback period of about three and a half years when compared to the alternative of using natural gas to meet facility needs. The wood-fired boiler system will offset 658,300 therms of natural gas, enough energy to heat nearly 700 homes.
According to Anderson, the new wood-fired boiler system is used to produce steam for the wood-drying kilns and the buildings’ heating systems. Residual waste wood left from their manufacturing process is used to power the system. Previously the company was using two boiler systems. One was a natural gas-fired system and the other a 50-year-old wood-fired boiler. Due to limited steam generating capabilities and breakdowns of the wood-fired system, operation of the gas-fired boiler was routinely required to satisfy a portion or all of the steam demand. Because of obvious inefficiencies of the previous system, Action Floor Systems decided a new wood-fired boiler that satisfied the entire facility’s steam demand was a smart investment.
by jboullion | Jan 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:
MADISON, Wis. (January 6, 2009) – Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, announced today that New Lisbon Municipal Light and Water officially became a program member beginning January 1, 2009. The utility serves approximately 850 customers in Juneau County.
“I welcome New Lisbon Municipal Light and Water into Focus on Energy and am delighted its customers will be able to benefit from the services the program offers,” said Eric Callisto, Chairperson of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, the agency that manages the state’s Focus on Energy Program. “New Lisbon Municipal Light and Water’s decision to participate in Focus on Energy will result in a healthier environment for Wisconsin and will provide options for its customers to make sound energy decisions.”
New Lisbon Municipal Light and Water will participate in the Business, Residential and Renewable Energy offerings under the Focus on Energy umbrella. The benefits of participating include:
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 | Jan 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Rick Barrett in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The old Shell Oil terminal at the Port of Milwaukee has been sold to a New York-based biodiesel company that plans to use the terminal for distributing biodiesel and other renewable fuels in the Midwest.
The terminal, built in the 1950s, includes a 20,000 square foot warehouse, offices and a garage. It also has access to railroad service and an idled connection to a petroleum pipeline.
by jboullion | Jan 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a letter to the editor by Marty Anderson in the Marshfield News Herald:
In my capacity as chairman of the Sustainable Marshfield Committee, I’ve had the opportunity to present throughout central Wisconsin about sustainability principles. In each presentation, I begin by defining what sustainability is, because the word is often overused and not well defined when it is used.
Put simply, sustainability is defined as living and working in ways that do not jeopardize our current and future social, environmental and economic resources. In other words, we can’t take away from the ability of future generations to have a standard of living similar or better than our own conditions today.
In February 2007, the city of Marshfield approved a resolution to become one of the first sustainable communities in the state. In doing so, we also adopted the sustainability framework called The Natural Step, originally founded in Sweden by Dr. Karl Henrik Robèrt in 1989. The Natural Step is made up of four basic principles:
• Reduce dependence upon fossil fuels and extracted underground metals and minerals.
• Reduce dependence on chemicals and other manufactured substances that can accumulate in nature.
• Reduce dependence on activities that harm life-sustaining ecosystems.
• Meet the hierarchy of present and future human needs fairly and efficiently.
These principles are purposely general in their scope. Dr. Robèrt was trying to create a vision for a sustainable definition that everyone can agree with and support. In addition, it gives those working on implementing sustainability a litmus test to determine if what they are doing is moving their community towards sustainability.
Anderson, a former alderman and the current chairman of the Sustainable Marshfield Committee, be reached by e-mail at mande047@solarus.net.
by jboullion | Jan 9, 2009 | Uncategorized
Solar installer Shawn Young (H&H Solar), RENEW’s Michael Vickerman, and the City of Madison’s Kay Schindel (left to right) inspect the solar hot water system on Station No. 1 with the downtown Madison skyline in the background.
From an article by Julian Emerson and Andrew Dowd in the Leader-Telegram:
Eau Claire city officials have outlined 58 infrastructure projects totaling $70.58 million that could be started this year if they receive money.
The proposed city projects span a range of infrastructure improvement initiatives and have not been prioritized. Besides the Hobbs remodeling, other big-ticket items on the list include a $6.8 million L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library upgrade, $6 million to relocate the Police Department, a $5 million North Barstow Redevelopment District parking ramp and a $4 million city bus transit center.
The list includes some less costly endeavors too, such as City Hall heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements costing $117,000 and a $23,200 rooftop solar water heating system for City Hall and fire station No. 2.
