by jboullion | Aug 20, 2013 | Uncategorized
Paralleling Tom Content’s article for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mike Ivey’s story for the Capital Times offers his interpretation of the opinions and events influencing the PSC’s deliberation over whether or not to finalize the decision to suspend Focus on Energy incentives for wind and solar. Commenting in this article, RENEW’s Tyler Huebner notes that “Judging by the extraordinary outpouring of support for continuing
incentives to solar and small wind, it’s clear that the PSC’s move to
suspend incentives struck a nerve with the public”.
By Mike Ivey
Will Gov. Scott Walker’s Public Service Commission reverse course on renewable energy development in the state?
Clean
energy advocates hope so and are reporting a “massive outpouring” of
support for continuing incentives for residential solar or wind projects
in Wisconsin.
Under its Focus on Energy Program, the state is authorized to spend up to $10 million per year on renewable energy incentives.
But the PSC voted 2-1 in July to suspend the incentives through the end of 2013.
The
move stems from a previous directive from the commission to shift more
renewable energy incentives to biofuel projects — such as manure
digesters or waste wood burning — which some analysts say offer greater
energy savings.
A final ruling is expected in the coming weeks,
but since July, more than 630 comments were submitted to the PSC urging
the panel to maintain the incentives. The three-member commission has
two Walker appointees and one holdover from former Gov. Jim Doyle.
“Judging
by the extraordinary outpouring of support for continuing incentives to
solar and small wind, it’s clear that the PSC’s move to suspend
incentives struck a nerve with the public,” says Tyler Huebner,
executive director of RENEW Wisconsin.
[READ MORE]
by jboullion | Aug 19, 2013 | Uncategorized
State Renewable Energy Initiative Picking Up Momentum
Statement by RENEW Wisconsin Program and Policy Director Michael Vickerman
RENEW Wisconsin is pleased to announce that our Clean Energy Choice initiative has earned the endorsement of the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin. By its action, the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin joins more than 90 other organizations, businesses and local governments across the state that believe that customers should have the legal right to purchase renewable energy produced on their premises, regardless of who owns the energy system.
Most energy customers cannot afford the installed cost of a brand-new renewable energy generator to supply them with electricity. But most could afford to have a renewable electricity service if the equipment were owned by someone else. We thank the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin for standing up for the right of customers to enter into long-term contracts to access clean energy produced on-site.
In the 22 states that have affirmed this policy, you’ll find many citizens, businesses and nonprofit entities working with local contractors to supply their buildings with renewable electricity produced on-site. Clean Energy Choice provides the financing flexibility that enables these citizens to supply themselves with the technologies they prefer. Because of that flexibility, those 22 states have some of the healthiest renewable energy markets in the country, and they are happily reaping the economic and environmental benefits associated with that policy.
Wisconsin’s energy policy should aim to make it easier for customers to host clean energy systems on their premises. It should also aim to create jobs and expand business and investment opportunities for local firms. By adopting Clean Energy Choice, Wisconsin policymakers would in a single stroke affirm their commitment to freedom of choice, economic development, environmental protection and property rights. We call upon the Legislature to seize this opportunity when it reconvenes next month and start working to adopt this policy.
A full list of organizations, companies and local governments supporting Clean Energy Choice can be accessed at the link below. http://renewwisconsin.org/action/CleanEnergyChoice.htm
by jboullion | Aug 15, 2013 | Uncategorized
Tom Content’s article for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel provides an informative summary of the events and motivations leading up the outpouring of comments submitted to the PSC on behalf of Wisconsin businesses in the wind and solar industry. Comments from RENEW, local solar installers and utility customers emphasize the negative economic repercussions that Wisconsin will experience if this decision is finalized.
By Tom Content
Supporters of renewable energy are weighing in urging the state Public Service Commission to reverse course and rethink a decision that suspended incentives for business and homeowners to install solar power systems.
The state Focus on Energy program announced last month that it would suspend the granting of renewable incentives for the second time in three years.
Program administrators cited a recent ruling by the PSC that gives preference to renewable energy projects that use biomass or biogas, which are more cost-effective than wind and solar projects. The PSC’s decision ties funding of any solar projects to biomass projects, which take longer to develop. Because of the longer lead times, solar funding will stop while more biomass projects get closer to being built, according to Focus.
The PSC was initially considering a final decision on the matter this week but that decision is now expected later this month. Instead, the agency asked for public comments, and the response was significant.
Renew Wisconsin, an advocacy group, says 630 people or businesses have weighed with comments on the matter,
“It’s really an impressive outpouring of support to continue these incentives,” said Tyler Huebner, who joined Renew Wisconsin as executive director earlier this year. “It’s clear that the PSC’s move to suspend incentives struck a nerve with the public.”
The incentives are provided by the state Focus on Energy program, an initiative that’s overseen by the state PSC as well as the state’s utilities. Focus on Energy was created to help utility customers receive incentives to make homes and businesses more energy-efficient and install renewable energy systems.
The PSC’s rationale is to ensure ratepayers’ dollars are spent wisely. Most of the Focus on Energy program’s budget is allocated toward energy efficiency projects, which deliver a stronger payback than renewable energy systems.
The move comes as utilities are also scaling back their commitment to customer-sited renewable generation. We Energies of Milwaukee in 2011 suspended a $6 million a year commitment to renewable energy, saying it was focusing its renewables spending on large projects like the state’s two biggest wind farms and a biomass power plant set to open this year in north-central Wisconsin.
[READ MORE]
by jboullion | Aug 13, 2013 | Uncategorized
Wisconsin Residents Urge PSC to Reconsider Funding Suspension
Immediate Release –
Between August 2nd
and yesterday, more than 630 individuals, businesses and organizations
submitted comments urging the Public Service Commission (PSC) not to
suspend Focus on Energy incentives for solar and small wind energy
systems. The comments were posted following a preliminary PSC decision
to suspend solar and small wind incentives for the duration of 2013.
“The
overwhelming majority of Wisconsin residents favor clean energy
development, and thousands of Wisconsin citizens and companies have
built renewable energy systems with assistance from Focus on Energy,”
said Tyler Huebner, Executive Director of RENEW Wisconsin. “Judging by
the extraordinary outpouring of support for continuing incentives to
solar and small wind, it’s clear that the PSC’s move to suspend
incentives struck a nerve with the public.”
At
issue is the PSC’s decision in late July to base the level of funds
available for solar and small wind on actual expenditures instead of
obligations, which had been the standard practice with Focus on Energy’s
renewable energy program since its inception in 2002.
“There
is no need to let administrative formulas create an uncertain,
unpredictable business environment for Wisconsin’s solar and small wind
markets. There are simpler and less disruptive ways of balancing
allocations among different renewable technologies, which would allow
customers to continue accessing these incentives and our small renewable
energy installation businesses to keep their doors open.“
“Though
Focus on Energy is authorized to spend up to $10 million per year to
help customers use more renewable energy, a suspension would ensure that
funding in 2013 will fall well short of the target. We urge the PSC to
take note of this show of support for clean energy and allow funding for
solar and small wind to continue.” Huebner said.
Update: RENEW Wisconsin was contacted by the Focus on Energy Rewards Program to notify RENEW that as of Wednesday, August 14, 2013, the PSC has not issued
the final order. The Residential Rewards Program will continue to
process new reservation applications for Solar Thermal and Solar
Photovoltaic until the order has been issued OR funds have been exhausted.
-END-
RENEW
Wisconsin is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that
leads and represents businesses, organizations, and individuals who seek
more clean renewable energy in Wisconsin. More information on RENEW’s
Web site at www.renewwisconsin.org.
by jboullion | Aug 12, 2013 | Uncategorized
With comments from RENEW’s executive director Tyler Huebner, Mike Ivey’s article for the Capitol Times dissects the Public Service Commission’s decision to suspend Focus on Energy incentives for wind and solar. According to quoted Focus on Energy officials, the incentive program is looking to the PSC for direction, direction that Wisconsin residents must work to steer toward investment in the state’s once growing wind and solar industry. You have the opportunity to voice your concern over the PSC’s decision until 12pm today. Please add your voice to the 500+ comments that have already been submitted to the PSC.
Efforts to develop the solar and wind energy industry in Wisconsin have taken another hit, although not a completely unexpected one.
Under orders from the Public Service Commission, the state has stopped offering grants to help homeowners and rural residents install solar or small scale wind projects.
The move stems from a previous PSC decision to shift renewable energy incentives offered through the Focus on Energy program to biofuel projects.
The Focus program is overseen by the PSC in conjunction with state electric utilities, who fund the effort via money collected from ratepayers.
Up to $10 million in renewable energy funds are available annually. The commission last year voted to commit 75 percent of that funding to biofuels, with the remaining 25 percent going to solar and wind projects.
The commission says biofuels in Wisconsin offer greater energy efficiency potential than solar or wind.
But biofuel projects — which include burning waste wood or using manure digesters to generate electricity — have been slow to develop and won’t come close to using all the available funding this year. Focus projects it will spend $3.05 million total on renewable, with a breakdown of $1.6 million for solar and $1.4 million on biofuels.
So to maintain a 75-25 split in renewable spending for 2013, the commission ordered a halt to the solar and wind grants through the end of this year.
Suspension of the grants was made public last week by the environmental group Renew Wisconsin, which is urging concerned citizens to weigh in with PSC prior to its meeting on Aug 13.
[READ MORE]
