by jboullion | May 18, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Bobby Tanzilo on OnMilwaukee.com:
There are always exciting things going on in Milwaukee Public Library’s Downtown Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave. But, these days, there is also some excitement on the building’s roof, too.
When the library needed to replace its 25-year-old roof last year, instead of going for a conventional roof, a 30,000-square foot green roof was constructed and 132 solar electric panels were added to generate about 36,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. That’s enough to power four homes annually.
“Everyone’s very enthused about it,” says the library’s public services manager Christine Arkenberg, on a recent visit that begins on the library’s first floor, where there is an area dedicated to the green roof initiative.
There, visitors can see books about green issues, view explanatory materials, see a monitor with status updates on how much electricity is being generated, watch a video screen slide show and pick up brochures.
by jboullion | May 17, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Don Huagen in Midwest Energy News:
One of the larger reviews of renewable portfolio standards was a 2008 report (PDF) from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The study looked at data on a dozen state renewable policies enacted before 2007. The estimated impact on electricity rates varied by state, but it was a fraction of a percent in most cases and just over 1 percent in two states, Connecticut and Massachusetts. “There is little evidence of a sizable impact on average retail electricity rates so far,” the report concluded.
One of the report’s co-authors, Galen Barbose, said in an interview that they are collecting data for an updated version of the report. So far he said he hasn’t seen any new information to suggest their conclusion about rate impacts will change significantly in the next edition.
A 2009 study by the U.S. Energy Information Administration modeled the potential impact of a 25 percent nationwide renewable electricity standard. It, too, noted that rate impacts would vary by state, with renewable-rich regions like the Great Plains and Northwest meeting the targets more easily. Overall, though, it projected no impact on rates through 2020, followed by a less than 3 percent increase by 2025. By 2030, however, it projected little difference in rates with or without a national renewable mandate.
The Minnesota Free Market Institute and American Tradition Institute reached a very different conclusion in an April 2011 report (PDF), which claims Minnesota’s renewable electricity standard is going to cause rates in the state to skyrocket by as much as 37 percent by 2025.
Utilities’ experiences vary
Xcel Energy, the state’s largest utility, has come up with a much smaller number: $0.003. That’s the difference Xcel forecasts between its projected per-kilowatt-hour energy price in 2025 under its proposed wind expansion plan compared to a hypothetical scenario in which it stopped adding new wind capacity after 2012.
Asked to comment on the Free Market Institute’s study, Xcel Energy spokesman Steve Roalstad said, “It doesn’t seem to be moving in that direction.” The cost of adding renewable energy sources, especially wind, continues to fall and has become very competitive with traditional generating sources, he said.
by jboullion | May 16, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Plans are proceeding for Milwaukee to erect a 154-foot tall wind turbine this summer next to the Port Authority building near the Hoan Bridge.
The stimulus-funded project would generate more than enough electricity to power the port office building and sell a small amount of power back to the grid.
Some Bay View residents had raised concerns about a different alternative for the project, which would have been closer to the lake, next to the Lake Express ferry terminal.
A community meeting about the project attracted hundreds of people on a snowy evening in January. At that time, about one-third of those in attendance were in favor, another third were opposed and another third were seeking more information, said Ald. Tony Zielinski.
Zielinski said he was pleased that a compromise could be reached to address concerns about the original site.
The location by the Port Administration building, 2323 S. Lincoln Memorial Drive, is an improvement, Zielinski said, for “people who were fearful of the detrimental effect on the aesthetics of the lakefront by virtue of having it so close to the lake.”
Other concerns had been raised about the other site, which would have put up a turbine or several small turbines on a confined disposal facility next to the Lake Express car ferry terminal.
“We received a lot of push back primarily because of public trust doctrine issues and the impact on waterfowl and migratory birds in that area,” said Matt Howard, director of the city’s office of environmental sustainability.
Public trust concerns were raised about whether a wind turbine would be an appropriate use of land on the lakefront site.
“They listened well and took that to heart in the planning for this alternate site,” said Aaron Schultz, spokesman for the Lake Express ferry.
The turbine is aimed to be a demonstration of the city’s commitment to renewable energy, Howard said.
“This seems to be a good compromise position. The wind profile is still great at that site, and we’re still looking at being able to generate between 110% and 150% of that building’s energy needs,” he said.
by jboullion | May 13, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
We Energies won final approval to build a $255 million biomass power plant in north-central Wisconsin Thursday.
The utility had wanted a decision this week to help it keep on target to complete construction by late 2013.
But the utility hasn’t decided whether it will proceed with the building the plant at this point. Utility spokesman Brian Manthey said We Energies and Domtar Corp., its partner in the project, are reviewing conditions that regulators attached to the deal – conditions that aim to bring down the overall cost of the project for utility customers.
The biomass plant at the Domtar paper mill in Rothschild is being proposed at a time when the utility has enough power to meet the needs of its customers but is required because of the state’s renewable portfolio standard.
That standard, adopted by the state Legislature in 2006, requires that 8.25% of We Energies’ power come from renewable sources by 2015.
If the project does not move forward, We Energies executives told investors last week they would want to have discussions with the Walker administration about alternatives, including a possible way of delaying the company’s compliance with the law.
There have been discussions of possible legislation that would help the utility delay the time frame for complying with the law, or it could take advantage of “off-ramps” built into the 2006 law that would allow it more time to comply.
by jboullion | May 11, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Helios Solar Works was awarded an additional $150,000 in financing for the purchase of robotic manufacturing equipment at its factory in the Menomonee River Valley.
Helios, which began production in February, was initially awarded a $500,000 by the Milwaukee Economic Development Corp., a business lender affiliated with the city of Milwaukee, but the size of the company’s investment in robotic equipment has increased. MEDC’s loan and finance committee awarded more funding on Tuesday. . . .
Steve Ostrenga, Helios chief executive, said the increase resulted from higher costs for robotic equipment used in the production of solar panels that it says are more efficient than competitors’ panels. . . .
Ostrenga has just won its largest order to yet for solar panels, Ostrenga said.
“We just landed a 1-megawatt order,” he said. “That’s huge, so we’re making that right now.”
The 1 megawatt order is part of a 5-megawatt solar project that is expected to be one of the largest single solar projects in Europe, he said.
