by jboullion | Mar 31, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Matthew Olson in the Kenosha News:
Kenosha could obtain more than $900,000 in federal funds to improve energy efficiency, which the city hopes can complement other funding the city is seeking.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced last week that the state of Wisconsin and Wisconsin municipalities are eligible for $37.1 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation block grants. The city of Kenosha is eligible for $902,500 as part of that funding.
These grants are intended for energy-efficiency strategies, conserving energy through transportation programs and material conservation programs, among other potential projects. Municipalities will need to submit an application to the Department of Energy for proposed projects to use these funds.
Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman said the city proposed several projects to the state while seeking federal stimulus money that would fit under these energy guidelines. Those projects include a $4 million request to convert all of the city’s street lights to light-emitting diode (LED) technology in an effort to reduce energy use and costs. The city installed LED lights along 39th Avenue, between 60th and 67th streets, last fall.
by jboullion | Mar 17, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:
MADISON, Wis. (March 17, 2009) – Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, announced new staffing grants today to help businesses, manufacturers, farms, schools and government facilities throughout the state complete energy efficiency projects.
“Businesses don’t need to let staffing issues become a barrier to energy savings,” said Ken Williams, Focus on Energy’s Business Programs director. “Focus on Energy is committed to helping companies overcome barriers that prevent them from completing energy efficiency projects.”
The grants will fund up to $80,000 for a full- or part-time employee or consultant to work on-site and manage energy efficiency projects that otherwise would not be completed due to a lack of human resources. Grant funding will go toward the salary and benefits of a project manager who will oversee and engineer energy savings projects.
The grant is designed to help businesses hire new staff or retain existing employees who might otherwise be at risk of lay-off. Partnering or neighboring companies are encouraged to submit a joint application and share an employee or consultant between businesses.
“Focus offered a similar program last year that was very popular and produced even more energy savings projects than expected,” Williams explained. “We are pleased to offer an expanded version of the program for 2009.”
Interested businesses should visit focusonenergy.com/competitive_incentives for more information. Applications must include a list of potential projects, as funding is based on the energy savings from those projects and is paid when projects are completed. Applications must be received by April 30, 2009. In addition, completed energy efficiency projects are also eligible for Focus on Energy financial incentives that can be found at focusonenergy.com/incentives/business.
by jboullion | Mar 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Rick Barrett in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Todd Nelson, owner of the Kalahari Resort, fires off in staccato fashion the belt-tightening measures taken at his Wisconsin Dells water park.
• Seventy employee cell phones eliminated. Saving: $4,500 a month.
• Wristbands for water park customers changed to a cheaper model. Saving: $60,000 a year.
• A new laundry water recycling system: $70,000 a year.
• Six company cars sold, saving thousands of dollars in fuel, insurance and maintenance.
• More than 100 employee e-mail addresses canceled. Saving: $8,000 annually in account fees.
• Employees attending trade shows now stay at cheaper hotels rather than the convention hotel.
“They can drive an extra three miles to a Comfort Inn,” Nelson said.
For most companies, cost-cutting is key to surviving this recession. Layoffs and job reductions have been the most painful measures, but other less dramatic steps also can result in significant saving and can help a company’s long-term health. . . .
Some companies have found huge savings through energy conservation.
The Kalahari installed a 103-panel solar hot water system that heats 60% of the water in the resort’s laundry room.
Low-flow shower heads were installed in guest rooms, reducing water consumption by 2.46 million gallons per year.
The resort has a goal of cutting its electric bill by 30%, using dozens of measures such as motion-sensor lights in public areas.
by jboullion | Mar 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a post on Tom Content’s blog on JSonline:
The stimulus bill and what it could mean for Wisconsin’s energy future will be discussed at several forums during the Renewable Energy Summit on March 27 in Milwaukee.
Gov. Jim Doyle, U.S. Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wausau), a lead author of the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) are all scheduled to address the conference, organizers said. Gary Wolter, who heads MGE Energy Inc. and runs the state Office of Recovery and Reinvestment, has also been invited to speak.
The summit is planned for March 25-27 at the Midwest Airlines Center.
“I thought we were missing the boat if we didn’t focus on the stimulus bill and what’s going to happen,” said Art Harrington of Godfrey & Kahn, a conference coordinator. “We should focus one day on the opportunities created by the stimulus bill on renewable energy, and that morphed into the plenary session on Friday, March 27.”
by jboullion | Feb 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by K.J. Lang in the La Crosse Tribune:
Although it’s winter, local college campuses look greener than ever.
La Crosse campuses are promoting recycling and energy conservation initiatives this year.
“In my eyes, the best place to set an example for everyone else in the community is at a university,” said Matt Groshek, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior and environmental sustainability director for the UW-L Student Association.
UW-L students voted last year to tag an additional $5 per semester onto tuition for a Green Fund for renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects.
Chancellor Joe Gow also signed the Talloires Declaration, a 10-point plan committing the university to environmental issues. One point was to set up practices of resource conservation, recycling, waste reduction and environmentally sound operations.
Sustainability efforts since have snowballed, said Groshek.
“The environmental crisis on a national level hits home,” he said. “Students look around and say, ‘What can we do?’”
UW-L is competing in Recyclemania, a challenge among colleges and universities nationwide to see which campus can reduce, reuse and recycle the most campus waste from Jan. 18 to March 28.
UW-L now ranks 183rd among 287 colleges and universities, recycling an average of about 2 pounds per person over two weeks, according to the Recyclemania Web site.
UW-L residence halls are taking on the “Chancellor’s Energy Challenge” to see which hall can conserve the most energy in one month through March 8. A tree will be planted on campus to honor the winning hall.
“The biggest challenge to making conservation changes are getting people to look at the decisions they make on a daily basis a little differently,” said Dan Sweetman, environmental and sustainability program manager at UW-L.
Another La Crosse campus has ramped up its efforts to conserve energy and recycle as well.
Recycling has increased each month since Viterbo University doubled the number of recycle bins and color coded them on campus in August, said Dennis Kolb, assistant director of Viterbo’s physical plant. The university also decided to turn down all building thermostats a few notches to 69 degrees this semester to save energy, he said.
