by Ed Blume | Jul 5, 2012 | Uncategorized
Highlights of an ad hoc update and planning Webinar by Don Wichert, RENEW Wisconsin – May 30, 2012. Click HERE to see the full PowerPoint presentation. (Listen to the presentation here. Requires registration.)
Webinar Topics
RENEW’s 2012 Action items
Focus on Energy Funding
Third Party Ownership
Net Metering
Interconnection
2013 Policy
RENEW’s 2012 Action Plan
- Organize WI renewable energy stakeholders
- Grow business opportunities for renewables
- Promote fair value pricing for renewable energy
- Encourage state government support
- Revive utility support
- Guide reasoned permitting
- Maintain & increase renewable energy standards
Meeting with Shaw
Asked a number of questions
- Actual 2011 expenditures in Focus and renewables
- List of commitments by tech and $ in 2012
- Copy of the Total Resource Cost (TRC) calculator
- Shaw said they are flexible in considering options for Focus renewable funds
- Need to roll out program by July 2, 2012
- RENEW to prepare options by June 1
2012 Focus Funding: Options
- $10 million is available to SPEND in 2012
- $2.1 million is available for new projects to SPEND
- Energy efficiency qualified only?
Three program options:
- Reverse auctions for res and non-res @$700,000 each, leverages ~$6 million @~$0.8 per kWh per year
- Loan program @$700,000, leverages $10,000,000 in loans and $200,000 for PR and administration
- First come-first serve residential, RFP non-residential
Questions [During the presentation, participants answered a several questions on presentation topics, including the following ones.]
Q. Should Focus spend vs. obligate the $10 million in incentives this year?
A. Spend: 43% Obligate: 39% Don’t know: 18%
Q. Do you think Focus should limit applications to only those who meet efficiency guidelines?
A. Yes: 37% No: 63%
Q. Should there be carve outs or a minimum level of funding for all technologies?
A. Yes: 61% No: 39%
Q. What percent of the funds should be allocated to residential and non-residential sectors?
A. Res: 46.5% Non-res: 53.5%
by Ed Blume | May 24, 2012 | Uncategorized
Solar Power Happy Hour, May 24
Erin’s Snug Irish Pub
4601 American Parkway, between Madison & Sun Prairie
Please join Don Wichert and Michael Vickerman for a discussion and feedback of energy issues affecting the renewable energy market at the Solar Power Happy Hour, today from 5:00 – 6:00 at Erin’s Snug Irish Pub. (See map.)
Topics for discussion include:
- Focus on Energy funding
- Third Party Ownership
- Net Metering
Simplified interconnection
- Policy goals for 2013
by jboullion | May 7, 2012 | Uncategorized
Ten-month delay harmed renewable energy businesses
RENEW Wisconsin (RENEW) praised the state’s energy regulators for responding to pleas from renewable businesses and potential customers to make a decision and get people working again.
The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) released an April 26 decision on funding for renewable energy incentives to homeowners and businesses in the next three years.
The PSC decided to allocate $10 million per year in incentives for renewable energy installations in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Beginning in 2013, three-quarters of the funds will be reserved for energy systems using biogas, biomass combustion, and geothermal heat pumps. The remaining 25% will fund incentives for solar and small wind installations.
Ten million dollars per year for renewable energy incentives is a reasonable starting place and is consistent with previous funding for incentives provided by Focus on Energy (Focus), the utility-ratepayer-supported energy efficiency and renewable energy program in Wisconsin, according to Don Wichert, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a nonprofit advocacy organization that leads and represents businesses, organizations, and individuals who seek more clean, renewable energy in Wisconsin.
“After nearly 10 months of needless uncertainty and delay, renewable energy activity has now nearly come to a complete halt in Wisconsin,” Wichert said.
“Many Wisconsin renewable energy companies told the PSC that the delay in the decision and lack of transparency have been a nightmare, forcing some renewable installers to lay off workers and move their business activity to other states, especially when the Focus program administrator, Shaw Environmental, ended all incentives for renewable technologies at the beginning of 2012,” Wichert said.
“RENEW hopes that the PSC’s response to renewable energy businesses means that it will resume collaboration between Focus and Wisconsin’s renewable energy community,” he said.
“In a time of decreased resources and increased demand, RENEW believes it is imperative for Focus decision makers to involve people who know the industry best,” said Wichert.
“Without a collaborative process, the industry and customers will always be second guessing the decisions and the assumptions behind them. It doesn’t have to be a one-way, top-down approach. The renewable energy industry is just trying to make a living and should be involved.”
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 | May 4, 2012 | Uncategorized
Ten-month delay harmed renewable energy businesses
RENEW Wisconsin (RENEW) praised the state’s energy regulators for responding to pleas from renewable businesses and potential customers to make a decision and get people working again.
The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) released an April 26 decision on funding for renewable energy incentives to homeowners and businesses in the next three years.
The PSC decided to allocate $10 million per year in incentives for renewable energy installations in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Beginning in 2013, three-quarters of the funds will be reserved for energy systems using biogas, biomass combustion, and geothermal heat pumps. The remaining 25% will fund incentives for solar and small wind installations.
Ten million dollars per year for renewable energy incentives is a reasonable starting place and is consistent with previous funding for incentives provided by Focus on Energy (Focus), the utility-ratepayer-supported energy efficiency and renewable energy program in Wisconsin, according to Don Wichert, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a nonprofit advocacy organization that leads and represents businesses, organizations, and individuals who seek more clean, renewable energy in Wisconsin.
“After nearly 10 months of needless uncertainty and delay, renewable energy activity has now nearly come to a complete halt in Wisconsin,” Wichert said.
“Many Wisconsin renewable energy companies told the PSC that the delay in the decision and lack of transparency have been a nightmare, forcing some renewable installers to lay off workers and move their business activity to other states, especially when the Focus program administrator, Shaw Environmental, ended all incentives for renewable technologies at the beginning of 2012,” Wichert said.
“RENEW hopes that the PSC’s response to renewable energy businesses means that it will resume collaboration between Focus and Wisconsin’s renewable energy community,” he said.
“In a time of decreased resources and increased demand, RENEW believes it is imperative for Focus decision makers to involve people who know the industry best,” said Wichert.
“Without a collaborative process, the industry and customers will always be second guessing the decisions and the assumptions behind them. It doesn’t have to be a one-way, top-down approach. The renewable energy industry is just trying to make a living and should be involved.”
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 | May 4, 2012 | Uncategorized
Ten-month delay harmed renewable energy businesses
RENEW Wisconsin (RENEW) praised the state’s energy regulators for responding to pleas from renewable businesses and potential customers to make a decision and get people working again.
The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) released an April 26 decision on funding for renewable energy incentives to homeowners and businesses in the next three years.
The PSC decided to allocate $10 million per year in incentives for renewable energy installations in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Beginning in 2013, three-quarters of the funds will be reserved for energy systems using biogas, biomass combustion, and geothermal heat pumps. The remaining 25% will fund incentives for solar and small wind installations.
Ten million dollars per year for renewable energy incentives is a reasonable starting place and is consistent with previous funding for incentives provided by Focus on Energy (Focus), the utility-ratepayer-supported energy efficiency and renewable energy program in Wisconsin, according to Don Wichert, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a nonprofit advocacy organization that leads and represents businesses, organizations, and individuals who seek more clean, renewable energy in Wisconsin.
“After nearly 10 months of needless uncertainty and delay, renewable energy activity has now nearly come to a complete halt in Wisconsin,” Wichert said.
“Many Wisconsin renewable energy companies told the PSC that the delay in the decision and lack of transparency have been a nightmare, forcing some renewable installers to lay off workers and move their business activity to other states, especially when the Focus program administrator, Shaw Environmental, ended all incentives for renewable technologies at the beginning of 2012,” Wichert said.
“RENEW hopes that the PSC’s response to renewable energy businesses means that it will resume collaboration between Focus and Wisconsin’s renewable energy community,” he said.
“In a time of decreased resources and increased demand, RENEW believes it is imperative for Focus decision makers to involve people who know the industry best,” said Wichert.
“Without a collaborative process, the industry and customers will always be second guessing the decisions and the assumptions behind them. It doesn’t have to be a one-way, top-down approach. The renewable energy industry is just trying to make a living and should be involved.”
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.
