by jboullion | Jan 5, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Kertscher in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Mequon – The largest wind turbine on a technical college campus in Wisconsin has been erected at Milwaukee Area Technical College in Mequon, where officials hope that what’s been dubbed “Blades of Freedom” will reduce campus energy costs and help train students for sustainable energy jobs of the future.
The turbine, which at 160 feet high and 56 feet wide easily is visible from Highland Road, also is aimed at raising awareness among the public about renewable sources of energy, said Michael Townsend, vice president of the Mequon campus.
Questions about the turbine’s appearance, noise and other issues initially caused City of Mequon officials to pause when they took up MATC’s request in April 2006. But four months later, after hiring a consultant, the city gave the turbine a green light.
The school purchased a reconditioned 90-kilowatt, V-17 turbine from Vestas, a company in Denmark.
The original cost to MATC was pegged at $150,000, but it has since climbed to $188,000. With $67,000 in grants from We Energies and the state’s Focus on Energy program, the total cost is about $255,000.
The MATC portion rose because a vendor that the school originally intended to use withdrew from the deal, said MATC spokeswoman Kathleen Hohl. And after the turbine was purchased, it sustained damage while being stored on the Mequon campus as the school waited for approvals from the city, she said.
MATC expects to recoup its investment because the turbine will generate about 8% of the Mequon campus’ electricity. . . .
by jboullion | Jan 2, 2009 | Uncategorized
A column by Mike Nichols in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel seems to present an either/or dicotomy between wind-generated electricity and digester-generated electricity. Nichols wrote:
This is something to ponder as we head into a new year – and a new era. We are developing huge wind farms in Wisconsin. People are talking about setting turbines out on our Great Lakes. Breaking wind could be the key to the future. The only question now is “What kind?”
Do we harness our skies or our pies?
The Journal Sentinel published the following response from RENEW’s executive director Michael Vickerman:
The statement that Wisconsin can generate more electricity from manure than from windpower is not supported by the numbers.
To make biogas from manure, a dairy farm operator has to keep the cows inside and under a roof at all times. Only in a confined setting is it possible to collect cow manure and break it down in an oxygen-free digester that results in methane. Of Wisconsin’s 1.3 million dairy cows, only one-eighth of them live in confined animal operations. The average dairy cow here is part of a small herd and spends a considerable amount of time in pasture.
As stated in the column, Wisconsin is well ahead of other states in capturing energy from dairy cow manure and generating electricity with it, and there is certainly room for growth. Bear in mind, however, that takes more than 2,000 dairy cows to produce enough methane to equal the output from one commercial wind turbine. Yes, Wisconsin now boasts about two dozen biogas generation systems attached to dairy farms. But compared with the output from the 251 wind turbines installed this year at four different projects, their electrical production is quite modest.
Though other locally available resources–solar, small hydro, woody fuels and biomethane—will certainly play a larger part in contributing to Wisconsin’s electricity mix, wind energy will remain the renewable energy workhorse for the foreseeable future.
Finally, the Governor’s Global Warming Task Force recommended a raft of policies to achieve a renewable energy goal of 25% by 2025, no small undertaking I can assure you. If we are serious about achieving that goal, we must accept expanded contributions from all eligible resources. We do not have the luxury of playing favorites.
by jboullion | Jan 2, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a the first of two articles by Adam Wise in the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune:
Note: This is the first of a two-part report on how the Wisconsin Rapids School District is spending money that residents approved in a 2006 referendum. The second story will appear Friday.
Wisconsin Rapids School District leaders plan to cope with rising utility costs by increasing energy efficiency with money approved through the referendum process.
A little more than two years ago, residents in the district approved a four-question, approximately $10 million referendum for building, technology and curriculum upgrades.
With most of the money — about $8.3 million — slated for district facilities, Buildings and Grounds Director Tom Helgestad and staff members developed a three-year plan to conduct a majority of the work during the district’s summer breaks.
As an example of the upgrades, Helgestad said the district achieved an almost 45 percent decrease in natural gas usage at Grove Elementary School after replacing the old heating system.
“Because of the age of the equipment, our infrastructure and heating systems were between 50 and 60 years old,” said Helgestad, specifically referring to Howe, Mead, and Grove elementary schools. “They were at the end of their life; parts were unavailable. We had to retrofit to keep things going.”
Wisconsin Rapids School Board members have been receiving periodic updates from Helgestad regarding the progress of the three-year plan.
“We’re actually going to be able to save even though the prices have gone up,” board member Mary Rayome said.
by jboullion | Jan 2, 2009 | Uncategorized
From the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA):
PV Systems For Your Home
Course Instructor: Jim Funk, Energize LLC
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Metropolitan Builders Association
N16 W23321 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI 53188
Thursday, March 19, 2009
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Outpost Natural Foods – Bay View
2826 S. Kinnickinnic
Milwaukee, WI 53207
Saturday, April 25, 2009
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Keep Great Milwaukee Beautiful
1313 Mount Vernon Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53233
Saturday, May 16, 2009
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Urban Ecology Center – Riverside Park
1500 E. Park Place
Milwaukee, WI 53211
Solar Water Heating for Your Home
Course Instructor:
Roak Parker, Beyond Green
Thursday, March 5, 2009 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Metropolitan Builders Association
N16 W23321 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI 53188
Thursday, March 26, 2009
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Outpost Natural Foods – Bay View
2826 S. Kinnickinnic
Milwaukee, WI 53207
Saturday, April 25, 2009
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Keep Great Milwaukee Beautiful
1313 Mount Vernon Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53233
Saturday, May 16, 2009
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Urban Ecology Center – Riverside Park
1500 E. Park Place
Milwaukee, WI 53211
Course descriptions and registration details
PV (Solar Electric) Systems for Your Home: Participants in this two hour seminar will learn about: how photovoltaic (PV) systems create electricity from the sun; what components make up a PV system; how to determine what size system will meet your needs; where to locate a system on your home or property; what PV systems cost and the financial incentives that are available. This program includes handouts, demonstrations, and a question and answer period. We Energies and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) have partnered to offer this seminar, and it is only available to We Energies Customers. Cost: $15/person, or $5/We Energies’ Energy For Tomorrow Customers. To register visit: www.we-energies.com/RE, or call the MREA at 715-592-6595.
Solar Water Heating for Your Home: Participants in this two hour seminar will learn how to supplement their existing water heating system with a solar water heater that uses the sun’s energy to heat water. They will also learn about the components that make up a solar water heating system, the most reliable system types for cold climates, where to locate a system on a home or property, what solar water heating systems cost and the financial incentives available, and the steps to get started with an installation. We Energies and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) have partnered to offer this seminar, and it is only available to We Energies Customers. Cost: $15/person, or $5/We Energies’ Energy For Tomorrow Customers. To register visit: www.we-energies.com/RE, or call the MREA at 715-592-6595.
by jboullion | Dec 31, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a Business Journal interview with Ann Beier, Milwaukee’s director of environmental sustainability, conducted by Pete Millard:
1. Since your appointment just over two years ago, what’s been your most satisfying achievement?
“The most satisfying achievement has been the overall success of Mayor Barrett’s sustainability initiatives. I am also pleased with Milwaukee’s reputation as a ‘green’ city. Each year, Sustain Lane, a nonprofit group that provides information on sustainability practices for individuals, businesses and governments, ranks the 50 largest U.S. cities for their sustainability programs. In 2008, Milwaukee was ranked 12th. This a move up from 16th in the prior ranking. This is an important recognition and shows how well we are doing among much larger cities.
We’ve also been named by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of only 24 Solar American Cities, and we are working with the department to reduce barriers to installation of solar technology in Milwaukee.”
2. What are some specific examples illustrating how Milwaukee is more energy efficient today than two years ago?
“The mayor has directed city departments to reduce energy use by 15 percent over the period 2005-2012. By reducing our energy use, we are also reducing our carbon foot print and saving taxpayer dollars.
“We have focused on making our buildings more efficient. We’ve worked with Focus on Energy, the state’s energy efficiency program, to conduct audits of our highest energy-using buildings. We’ve implemented efficiency projects as a result of the audit findings. For the municipal building complex (City Hall, the municipal building and 809 Broadway building), we saved $35,000 in the first year and reduced energy use by 9 percent.
We are also converting stoplights to more efficient LED lights, reducing energy use for stoplights by about 50 percent annually. Another part of our strategy is to convert to cleaner fuels. We now fuel our diesel fleet with B-20 biodiesel fuel. We’ve also installed renewable energy in several facilities.”
by jboullion | Dec 31, 2008 | Uncategorized
From left to right, Michael Vickerman (RENEW), Paul Milbrath (Wigwam), and Dave Drapac (Seventh Generation Energy) check Wigwam’s solar thermal collectors, designed by Energy Concepts, Hudson, Wisconsin.
From a solar hot water profile written by RENEW’s Michael Vickerman and Ed Blume for Focus on Energy:
“We wanted to do something genuine, not phony,” said Bob Chesebro, president of family-owned Wigwam Mills, Sheboygan, about his company’s decision to install a solar energy system.
Initially, Chesebro wasn’t sure which kind of solar energy system to go with. But the more he delved into the question, the more he came to believe that solar hot water would provide the best fit for the 103-year-old company.
Placed in service in February 2008, Wigwam’s 27 solar collectors supply 47 percent of the hot water used by the company to shrink, bleach, antimicrobial treat, wash and soften 40,000 pairs of socks each day. . . .
