by jboullion | Apr 22, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Clean, Responsible Energy for Wisconsin’s Economy (CREWE):
MADISON, Wis.— CREWE supports the current legislative proposal recommending uniform standards for the siting of large and small wind energy systems to be set by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
The bill proposed by State Sen. Jeff Plale (D- South Milwaukee), chair of the Senate Energy and Utilities Committee advocates that the Public Service Commission develop uniform siting standards for wind power projects across the state. The bill is circulating in the legislature but has not yet been introduced.
The current siting rules are just not fair says Curt Pawlisch, attorney for Wind for Wisconsin, a member of CREWE. Recent disputes over municipal ordinances have had a negative impact on developing energy alternatives and a greener economy.
Wind power is a growing and maturing industry that can play a significant role in Wisconsin. Perhaps the single greatest barrier to the development of this sector of energy policy is a lack of consistent and stable policy.
“Adopting a consistent and uniform siting policy will signal to land owners, wind developers, wind turbine manufacturers and in essence, to the rest of the nation, that Wisconsin is open for business in terms of wind development and growth.” Supporters of this legislation also contend that the single biggest constraint to increasing wind generation in Wisconsin is the current permitting environment which is far more problematic in Wisconsin than other states in the region. . . .
CREWE members include Wisconsin Energy Corp., Alliant Energy, Xcel Energy, EcoEnergy LLC MillerCoors, Johnson Controls, the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe, Madison Gas & Electric, Orion Energy Systems, C5•6 Technologies, American Transmission Co., Wind for Wisconsin, WPPI Energy and Emerging Energies of Wisconsin.
by jboullion | Apr 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an announcement by the Wisconsin Sierra Club:
Wisconsin is on the threshold of modernizing our transit system. With these new opportunities come key decisions that will affect our economy and our future. Come to a FREE discussion and learn more about this critical issue.
Wed, April 29, 2009, 6:30 p.m.
DeKoven Center, 600 21st Street, Racine
Featuring presentations and a panel discussion with:
Kevin Brubaker, Environmental Law & Policy Center
Lori Richards, SE WI Regional Transit Authority
Kerry Thomas, Transit NOW
Following the panel, attendees will hear local perspectives from minority, labor, faith & business leaders. Panelists and community leaders will also be available to answer YOUR questions on transit.
Please RSVP for this FREE event by April 27, 2009
by jboullion | Apr 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
A list of events, ranging from poetry readings to a scrap metal drive, in and around the greater Milwaukee area.
Events include:
Earth Day for Afternoon Nappers
Earth Day Festival at Riverside Park
22nd Annual Earth Poets & Musicians Festival
In Celebration of Trees
Earth Day Festival at Washington Park
St. Sebastian Scrap Metal Drive
Party for the Planet
by jboullion | Apr 17, 2009 | Uncategorized
From RENEW Wisconsin’s Michael Vickerman:
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory today released its annual assessment of leading utility renewable energy subscription programs across the nation. Several programs offered by Wisconsin utilities finished in the Top 10 in four categories of performance. Deserving of kudos are We Energies, Madison Gas & Electric and two municipal utilities–River Falls and Lake Mills–served by WPPI Energy. Congratulations on a fine performance last year!
Individual program rankings are as follows:
* We Energies’ Energy for Tomorrow program came in 8th in total renewable energy sales and 10th in total number of customer participants.
* Madison Gas & Electric’s Green Power Tomorrow program posted the 4th highest customer participation rate and ranked 6th in terms of program sales as a percentage of overall retail electricity sales.
* The River Falls municipal utility posted the 9th highest customer participation rate and ranked 3rd in terms of program sales as a percentage of overall retail electricity sales.
* The Lake Mills municipal utility posted the 10th highest customer participation rate.
Though NREL does not keep track of solar capacity that were supported by renewable energy subscribers, it’s worth mentioning that from 2006 to 2008 We Energies leveraged the installation of 1 MW of customer-owned solar capacity through its Energy for Tomorrow program. Alliant and MGE also offers a 25 cent/kWh solar rate that is also supported by program subscribers.
For more information about NREL’s 2008 assessment, go to: http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2009/679.html
by jboullion | Apr 15, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Ixonia – Zero is the latest buzzword for green building – as in houses that generate as much power as they use. Although going green often is seen as more expensive than conventional construction, some homebuilders are trying to change that. Instead of granite countertops and fancy playrooms, the homes have solar panels and heat pumps.
Tom and Verona Chambers of Black River Falls recently moved into a new home that includes solar panels on the roof, a ground source heat pump and a gizmo that reuses shower water to preheat water coming in from the city.
“We don’t have a gas line into the house – zero cost for gas. We have an electric line, but the goal is to produce as much as we use so we don’t have any electric bill,” Tom Chambers said.
There’s a higher upfront cost to having a completely green home. But federal tax credits and grants from the energy conservation group Focus on Energy and a local utility, WPPI Energy, helped bring down that extra cost.
“The other side of the coin is the ongoing utility costs that we will not have,” Chambers said.
Closer to Milwaukee, developer Mark Neumann wants to take zero-energy construction a step further.
After touring a green home last summer, Neumann and his son began designing a house that would go beyond zero-energy.
The result: a home now under construction in Ixonia that will produce all the energy that would be consumed in the house – as well as the electricity that a plug-in hybrid vehicle would need for a daily commute.
