by jboullion | Aug 31, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Charles Brace in the Wisconsin State Journal:
TOWN OF BYRON — Retired mail carrier Gerry Meyer said he only sleeps two hours a night because of the constant swooshing sound and that his wife has started taking sleep medication.
His neighbor Nick Gonnering in South Byron, who lives just as close to the noise, said he finds the sound “relaxing.”
Either way, the sound of wind turbines is making more ears perk up as a bill moves forward in the Legislature that would empower the Public Service Commission to create statewide rules governing wind power and pre-empt local government control over their placement.
The rules would govern the distance between turbines and homes along with their noise and the flicker effects of shadows from their turbine blades. . . .
Connie Reich of the town of Byron in Fond du Lac County said she felt like she had no say in the wind project near her home. But, she said developer Invenergy does give $500 every December to her and other people in the community and that residents with turbines on their land get paid significantly more.
“If I had a choice, I’d rather have a turbine than a subdivision,” Reich said.
Byron resident Gerry Meyer said the noise has led to sleep loss and, as a result, high blood pressure.
“This wind factory has completely taken away our quality of life. We can rarely go outside without being stressed by the various sounds,” Meyer said in an e-mail.
Timothy Allen, professor of botany and environmental studies at UW-Madison and an expert on renewable energy, said any health effects are likely self-induced and psychological.
“I think it’s people who don’t want their skyline messed up,” Allen said.
by jboullion | Aug 28, 2009 | Uncategorized
The energy track presentations have been release for the Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing Pavilion at the Wisconisn Machine Tool Show, October 6-8, at State Fair Park:
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2009
9:00am Green and Lean
Presented by Dr. Joe Jacobsen of MATC
11:00am Controlling Your Energy Costs – An Overview Of Focus On Energy
Presented by Nate Altfeather of Focus on Energy
1:00pm Opportunities To Supply The US Wind Industry
Presented by Jeffrey Anthony of American Wind Energy Association
3:00pm Energy Efficiency In Manufacturing Facilities
Presented by Orion Energy Systems
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2009
10:00am A Case Study On Energy Efficiency
Presented by Nate Altfeather of Focus On Energy
11:30am Starve The Beast! Revolutionary Ideas On How To Save Money Operating Your Ventilation Systems
Presented by DuWayne Bohrer of iVEC™ Systems and Kevin Rohde of Hastings Air Energy Control Inc
1:00pm New Manufacturing Opportunities In Stimulus Funding
Presented by Maria Redmond of Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence
3:00pm Opportunities For Cooperation In The Renewable Supply Chain
Presented by Mark Tomkins of GermanAmerican Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2009
10:00am Sociable Responsibility In Industry
Presented by American Society for Quality
12:00pm Save Energy, Save Money
Presented by Alex Dodd of Focus on Energy
Energy track seminars sponsored by Focus on Energy.
by jboullion | Aug 27, 2009 | Uncategorized
A news release issued by RENEW Wisconsin:
At its open meeting today, the Public Service Commission (PSC) called for the expansion of voluntary utility programs that offer premium rates for in-state sources of renewable energy. Today’s discussion marked the first time the PSC took up the issue of premium renewable energy buyback rates since it opened a docket in January to investigate the viability of a statewide policy governing utility purchases of solar, wind and biogas energy generated by their customers.
“While we would have preferred a policy-driven approach to making homegrown renewable energy a bigger part of Wisconsin’s energy future, we are heartened that the PSC will direct utilities to produce plans for encouraging more customer investments in this market sector,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a Madison-based sustainable energy advocacy organization.
During the PSC’s investigation, RENEW Wisconsin submitted comments advocating for the establishment of fixed-rate, technology-specific payments pegged at the production cost of the facility. Where offered, these premiums—also known as Advanced Renewable Tariffs—have significantly increased private investment in distributed sources of renewable energy. Earlier this year, the State of Vermont passed a law mandating premium rates for renewable energy, the first in the nation to do so.
Several years ago, RENEW and other organizations helped We Energies design and launch a voluntary program for encouraging customer ownership of renewable energy systems, including the state’s first premium solar rate.
“We hope the state’s utilities will take advantage
of our experience in this area and work collaboratively to develop renewable energy premium plans that will work,” Vickerman said.
by jboullion | Aug 26, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article in the Business Journal of Milwaukee:
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Marquette University and several regional companies have formed an energy technology and research center, it was announced Wednesday.
The Southeastern Wisconsin Energy Technology Research Center, which will be administered out of UWM, brings together regional resources to establish a national center that will develop high-potential research in the energy field, attracting large-scale funding and leading state-of-the-art technology that can foster economic growth, the institutions said in a press release.
Seven collaborative research projects centered at various locations are under way, with the support of $200,000 in federal funding and nearly $500,000 from several regional industries and foundations, including the Rockwell Automation Charitable Corp., the Wisconsin Energy Foundation, The Bradley Foundation, Eaton Corp., Kohler Co., American Transmission Co., DRS Technologies and ReGENco. . . .
Researchers from the universities and industries will collaborate on research into wind power, new materials for rechargeable batteries, algae for carbon recycling and fuel, ultra-efficient nanomaterials for cogeneration, sustainable building retrofitting, integration of renewable energy, and cutting nitrogen-oxide emissions and energy consumption.
by jboullion | Aug 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From Milwaukee Shines:
The . . . map features 65 of the estimated 175 homes and businesses with solar energy installations in the 7-county Milwaukee metro area.
The City of Milwaukee, through the Solar America Cities program, has a goal of installing at least 100 solar electric systems and 50 solar hot water systems with a combined production of one megawatt of solar energy in Milwaukee by 2012.
Using data from Focus on Energy, Milwaukee Shines estimates that the City of Milwaukee currently has approximately 30 solar electric systems and 20 solar hot water systems in operation that produce a combined 350 kW of energy.
Help us reach our goal! Solar is a viable energy source in southeastern Wisconsin. Contact Milwaukee Shines, Focus on Energy, or We Energies to find out if you qualify for a solar installation incentive.
Finally, if you have a solar energy system on your home or business and would like to be featured on our map, please contact Andrea Luecke at 414-286-5593 or aluecke@milwaukee.gov.
