by jboullion | Feb 11, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Governor Doyle:
MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today awarded $500,000 in Recovery Act funds to communities moving toward a clean energy future. The Governor announced 11 grants totaling $500,000 to help 24 communities develop plans to reach his “25 by 25” energy independence goals.
“These grants will help Wisconsin communities across the state seize the opportunity to save money through energy efficiency and grow a strong new part of our economy in clean energy,” Governor Doyle said. “Through the Recovery Act, our communities will lead as the world moves rapidly in the direction of clean energy and energy efficiency. We spend $16 billion on fossil fuel energy every year in Wisconsin, and all those dollars are lost to our economy. By working toward these ambitious renewable energy goals, we will create good jobs and continue our state’s clean energy leadership.”
The grant program is funded through the Recovery Act’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. The 24 communities will create “25×25” plans to meet the Governor’s goal of generating 25 percent of the state’s electricity and transportation fuels from renewable resources by the year 2025.
The 2010 Wisconsin Energy Independent Community Partnership Pilots are: City of Altoona, Crawford County, City of Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, City of Fennimore, Village of Ferryville, Green Lake County, City of Gays Mills, City of Jefferson, City of Kaukauna, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Village of La Farge, City of Monona, Polk County, City of Prairie du Chien, Shawano County, Village of Soldiers Grove, Vernon County, Village of Viola, City of Viroqua, Waukesha County, and City of Whitewater.
The 25×25 plan process begins this month and will be completed by December 2010. During the process, opportunities will be available for other communities to learn from the experiences of the pilot communities. Open meetings on the topic will be held by the Office of Energy Independence during the months of April, August and December.
The program builds on Governor Doyle’s work to make Wisconsin a clean energy leader. Last month, Governor Doyle launched the Clean Energy Jobs Act, a landmark legislative package to accelerate the state’s green economy and create jobs.
by jboullion | Feb 11, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by the Wisconsin Farmers Union and posted on the Web site of WQOW-TV (Eau Claire):
Chippewa Falls, Wis. (Press Release) — The Wisconsin Farmers Union joined renewable energy producers at a senate hearing held in the Capitol today to ask elected leaders to support the Low Carbon Fuel Standard as a part of the Clean Energy Jobs Act.
“The Low Carbon Fuel Standard will support Wisconsin farmers by creating new markets to sell crops to power our homes, schools, and businesses,” said Mike Stranz, Government Relations Specialist at the Wisconsin Farmer’s Union.
Under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), fuel providers in the state must gradually reduce the average carbon content of the mix of fuels sold in the state. An LCFS benefits the agricultural community by increasing demand for crops capable of producing low-carbon fuels such as switchgrass, woody biomass and crop residue.
“By growing our own low-carbon fuels, we can become more energy independent and put money into the pockets of hard-working Wisconsin farmers,” said Jamie Derr, Owner and Operator of Derr Solarmass LLC. “Why spend billions buying foreign fossil fuels when Wisconsin farmers can grow much of our fuel right here at home?”
by jboullion | Feb 10, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Govenor Doyle:
MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle announced today that the City of Madison, Kenosha County and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) have joined the Wisconsin Energy Independent Community Partnership. They have pledged to work toward Governor Doyle’s “25×25” goal of generating 25 percent of the state’s electricity and transportation fuels from renewable resources by the year 2025. . . .
“I welcome Madison, Kenosha County and MMSD as new partners in working toward energy independence that keeps energy dollars in our state, creates good jobs and cleans our air and water,” Governor Doyle said. “Every year, we send $16 billion out of state to power our homes and businesses and fuel our cars. Building a clean energy economy is not only an enormous opportunity to capture those dollars, but also create good jobs here in Wisconsin.”
Last month, Governor Doyle launched the Clean Energy Jobs Act, a landmark legislative package to accelerate the state’s green economy and create jobs. The package calls for updating renewable portfolio standards to generate 25 percent of Wisconsin’s fuel from renewable sources by 2025 and sets a realistic goal of a 2 percent annual reduction in energy consumption by 2015. A comprehensive economic assessment of the package found that it would directly create at least 15,000 green jobs in Wisconsin by 2025.
by jboullion | Feb 9, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a story by Kristen Elicerio on WKBT-TV (La Crosse):
$16 billion dollars leaves the state of Wisconsin each year in fuel costs. In an effort to get a portion of that money back, the state has set a goal to have 25 percent of the state’s fuel come from renewable sources by the year 2025.
Monday members of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission and Wisconsin Department of Commerce toured renewable energy projects in La Crosse.
One of their stops was the City Brewery to tour the project that converts brewery waste into electricity for Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center.
“Some people do these projects because they feel it’s the right thing to do, and I think that’s an appropriate way to approach it. Others are going to do it because it makes economic sense and that’s going to drive a lot of these projects,” said Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Chairperson, Eric Callisto.
Policy leaders say that by adding more projects like this it’s estimated nearly 15,000 jobs will be created in the sate, something that makes Wisconsin a leader.
by jboullion | Feb 9, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an editorial in The Journal Times (Racine):
Gov. Jim Doyle doesn’t want to talk about his legacy just yet and wants to get things done, but that’s not likely because the Legislature has largely checked out for the year.
When Doyle presented his State of the State address, and also in a meeting with The Journal Times Editorial Board, he talked about his energy ideas and the need to move Wisconsin and its economy toward a different energy future. He said quite rightly that if the United States had pursued the alternative energy ideas which sprouted in the wake of the Arab oil embargo 37 years ago, we would not today be burdened by gasoline at $3 and $4 a gallon. He also rightly commented that Wisconsin spends billions every year on fuel — money which quickly leaves the state instead of being put to other uses in the local economy.
China and Europe are not standing still, he said, but are pushing into alternative energy technologies. Look at the wind turbines sprouting all over Wisconsin. Many of them bear the logo of Vestas. That’s not a Wisconsin company. It’s a Danish one. The question is whether Wisconsin will join these producers, putting to use its manufacturing base and skilled workers.
But to do any of this, Doyle needs legislators to meet. A newspaper story which followed his State of the State address noted that lawmakers will meet at most a dozen times between now and May. Then they’ll take the rest of the year off for elections and won’t return to the Capitol until January 2011, when the new Legislature will be seated and begin work on the biennial budget.
