by RENEW Wisconsin | Mar 24, 2014 | Uncategorized
Legislation would allow more customer options for renewable energy
On Friday, Representatives Gary Tauchen (R-6, Bonduel) and Chris Taylor (D-76, Madison) introduced a Clean Energy Choice bill that would allow Wisconsin farms, businesses, and citizens additional financing options for sourcing renewable energy produced on their property.
The bipartisan legislation would clear up a “gray area” of Wisconsin’s public utility law, which is stifling customer efforts to access renewable energy. If adopted, the law would affirm the property rights of homeowners, farmers, businesses, and local governments to use renewable energy produced on their own property, no matter how the project is financed.
In over 23 states, renewable energy developers can install, own and operate a renewable energy system, such as a farm biodigester or a solar power system, and sell the output to the host customer. These arrangements have proven tremendously popular in those 23 states, with over $3.4 billion invested into renewable energy through these arrangements in 2013. However, very little of this investment flows to Wisconsin because of the lack of clarity in current law.
“The present situation is like walking into an automobile dealership and being told, ‘You must own the car you drive, you’re not allowed to lease it’. This is a big barrier for many customers. We are advancing Clean Energy Choice to provide common sense financing solutions for important projects that put the power in consumer hands,” said RENEW Wisconsin’s Michael Vickerman.
“This policy also helps customers lock in a fixed electricity rate from these systems today and insulate themselves from increasing electric rates,” said Vickerman. “In particular, these financial arrangements benefit school districts, local governments, houses of worship, farmers, food processors, and retailers.”
Nationally, Kohl’s Department Stores and Wal-Mart are using developer arrangements to power more than 365 of their stores with solar power, at a cost savings to the companies.
A recent national poll conducted by Zogby Analytics found that 69% of homeowners want more choices when it comes to their own energy and electricity supply. “Consistent with that finding, this bill would empower citizens to chart their own energy future. We applaud Representatives Tauchen and Taylor for reaching across the partisan divide to launch the public discussion on a policy that will prove critical for Wisconsin’s energy future,” Vickerman said.
by jboullion | Jan 31, 2014 | Uncategorized
Biomass fuel as pellets or cord wood can assist more than 250,000 propane customers in Wisconsin, reducing the impact of propane supply shortages and price spikes. Propane users predominantly live in rural areas not served by natural gas. These are the same areas where wood and other biomass products are available in large quantity in Wisconsin. RENEW Wisconsin and the Heating the Midwest organization both advocate for increased usage of this local, renewable fuel to reduce dependence on imported propane.
Click here for the RENEW’s full Biomass Press Release
by jboullion | Jan 16, 2014 | Uncategorized
Below is RENEW’s statement on AB 596, a bill to expand the universe of renewable
energy credits that utilities can use to comply with Wisconsin’s
Renewable Electricity Standard. The bill would allow utilities to apply
renewable energy credits from certified generators toward their
renewable electricity requirements, irrespective of when the generator
was placed in service. The current PSC rule on renewable energy credits
permits utilities to apply renewable energy credits created by
qualifying generators only if they were placed in service in 2010 or
after.
Statement of RENEW
Wisconsin in Opposition to AB596
Assembly Committee
on Energy and Utilities
January 9, 2014
RENEW Wisconsin leads and represents businesses,
organizations, and individuals who seek more clean renewable energy in
Wisconsin. RENEW Wisconsin has been advancing a sustainable energy future for
Wisconsin since 1991. Of our 300+ members, more than 60 are companies
headquartered in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin’s renewable electricity standard (RES), which
requires electricity providers to increase their renewable energy supplies by
six percentage points, has been the primary mechanism for expanding renewable
energy’s share of the state’s electric energy resource mix. I say “has been”
because the utilities are now effectively in full compliance with the law’s
2015 target, according to the Public Service Commission. Without a change in
the 10% target, We Energies’ 50 MW biomass generation plant at Rothschild,
which was placed in service in late 2013, shapes up to be the last
utility-owned renewable power plant leveraged by the RES. As of this moment,
none of the electric providers subject to Wisconsin’s RES has publicly
announced plans to expand their renewable generation portfolio.
The aim of AB 596 is to allow renewable energy credits
created by qualifying renewable facilities older than 2010 to be applied to
Wisconsin’s RES. Because these facilities are already producing renewable
electricity today, the adoption of this bill would not add new kilowatt-hours
to the state’s renewable energy supplies. Moreover, as noted above, Wisconsin’s
electricity providers are already in compliance with the state’s Renewable
Electricity Standard. Therefore, they have no need for the renewable energy
credits (REC’s) that would be created through the adoption of AB 596.
RENEW does not object in principle to policy changes that
allow electricity providers to acquire RECs created by older generators for the
purpose of satisfying their renewable energy requirements, provided that there
is a need for this additional supply of RECs. But that need would be created by
raising our 10% standard, which AB 596 does not do. Absent any provision to
increase the RES above its current levels, this legislation would have no
practical effect on utility resource decisions if adopted.
This legislation begs the question: what is the logic
behind creating new REC’s without creating a rationale for electric utilities
to use them?
We would support the provision proposed here if it were
grounded in legislation to expand the current RES. Sadly, no growth in the RES
is contemplated in this bill, which is why we oppose it.
Why is an expanded RES off the table?
Surely it can’t be the experience of neighboring states.
Wisconsin’s electricity rates are at the high end among Upper Midwest states,
yet it has less installed wind power per capita than its neighboring states.
In 1999, Wisconsin was the first Midwest state to adopt a
Renewable Electricity Standard. In 2006 the Legislature strengthened the
standard, from 2.2% by 2011 to 10% by 2015. Between that time and today, it has
been a highly effective mechanism for creating jobs, spurring demand for
locally manufactured equipment, and increasing the flow of tax revenues and
supplemental income into rural landowners and businesses. All the economic and
environmental objectives that can be achieved with a 10% standard have been
achieved. But the current RES has no capacity left to leverage new supplies of
renewable electricity, and the only way to continue reaping the benefits of a
cleaner, healthier and less financially risky energy mix is to expand and
extend this policy tool. Such a move
would not be rash or radical; indeed, Wisconsin has done it before.
Other states are not sitting still. By the end of 2014, renewable
energy is expected to account for more than 30% of Iowa’s electricity. By 2020,
Minnesota will become the regional powerhouse for solar. By every economic
measure, those two states are outpacing Wisconsin, and their cleaner,
lower-cost energy mix is a significant element in their ability to attract and
sustain new investments. If Wisconsin is serious about competing with Iowa and
Minnesota for new jobs and business opportunities, it needs to put itself back
on a growth track for renewables, and a higher RES is the best vehicle for
accomplishing that. The current policy
drift on energy is not going to get the job done.
Respectfully
submitted,
Don
Wichert
RENEW
Wisconsin Board member
by jboullion | Jan 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
Awards Will Recognize Innovations, Achievements, Local Pioneers
(Madison) – At its third annual Energy Policy Summit this week, RENEW Wisconsin will present
awards to municipalities, companies and individuals whose actions are fueling the expansion of
the renewable energy marketplace in Wisconsin.
Titled “We Mean Business,” RENEW’s summit
is set
for January 10, 2014, and will take place at
The Pyle Center on the UW–Madison campus.
“The people, companies and municipalities we will recognize this Friday are making a lasting impression on Wisconsin’s renewable energy landscape,” said RENEW Wisconsin Executive Director Tyler Huebner. “As Wisconsin’s preeminent
clean energy organization, RENEW benefits greatly from their pioneering innovations and hard work, which help prepare the ground for
broader policy advances.”
“We at RENEW are honored to have the opportunity to work closely with these award winners
and
take inspiration from their ongoing commitment to advancing clean energy here,” Huebner said.
Please see our previous blog post on award winners for RENEW’s class of 2013 renewable projects: http://www.renewwisconsin-blog.org/2013/12/renew-to-honor-class-of-2013-renewable.html
A list of award categories and recipients appears below.
Municipal Renewable Energy Program of the Year -Milwaukee Shines (Office of Environmental Sustainability, City of Milwaukee)
For leadership in organizing neighborhood group
purchases and establishing a property
tax
financing tool to reduce up–front installation costs of solar.
Distinguished Public Service Award
– Roger Kasper, Department of Agriculture, Trade and
Consumer Protection
Honoring his
effective behind-the scenes work in building a cohesive constituency thathas made Wisconsin a national leader in farm–based renewable energy development.
Green Power Champion of
the Year – Metcalfe’s Market
For its commitment to 100% Green Power by purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates
created by local and independent generators.
Innovative Renewable Energy Project of the Year – City of
Monona
For its commitment to energy independence by hosting third party–owned solar arrays
on
four rooftops totaling 156 kW and acquiring renewable energy credits created with
the generation.
Innovative Renewable Energy Developer of the Year – Solar Connections
For leadership in developing innovative financial arrangements to enable residential
customers and nonprofit entities to host solar electric systems on their premises.
Innovative Renewable Energy Developer of the Year – Falcon Energy Services
For innovative financial sponsorship of renewable energy projects in Wisconsin.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Lee Cullen, Cullen, Weston, Pines & Bach
Outstanding
service as counsel for numerous clean energy businesses and advocacy organizations, and outstanding leadership in crafting, shaping
and
defending
Wisconsin’s
renewable energy policy framework throughout his professional
career.
To learn more about
RENEW’s Energy
Policy
Summit, go to
by jboullion | Dec 30, 2013 | Uncategorized
Newest Wisconsin Installations Powered by Biogas, Solar, and Wind
(Madison) – At its third annual Energy Policy Summit next month, RENEW Wisconsin will recognize the six largest nonutility–owned renewable generation projects built in Wisconsin in
2013. Titled “We Mean Business,” RENEW’s
summit
is set
for January 10, 2014, and will take
place at The Pyle Center on the UW–Madison campus.
All six clean energy
projects
to
be “inducted” into RENEW’s
Million Watt Club next month have a minimum electric generating capacity of one megawatt (MW). These installations are designed either to
supply energy directly to the host facility or a Wisconsin utility. The
combined generating capacity of the Class of 2013 installations is 19.6 MW, compared with the
15.4 MW that came online in 2012.
Below are capsule descriptions of the Class
of 2013 renewable generation projects to be inducted into RENEW Wisconsin’s Million Watt Club.
- Galactic Wind Farm, a 10 MW facility in the Town of Springfield in Dane County. This plant is the
largest wind-power project in Wisconsin not owned by an energy company.
Project participants
include Verona–based Epic Systems (owner), The Morse Group (general
contractor), Cullen, Weston, Pines & Bach
(legal services), Madison Gas & Electric (interconnection facilitator), and
W.E.S. Engineering (consulting engineer).
- GreenWhey Digester, a 3.2 MW facility located in Turtle Lake. This plant is powered with biogas
derived from liquid organic wastes produced at several
food processing
companies located in Turtle Lake. Project participants include GreenWhey Energy (owner),
Miron Construction (general
contractor), Xcel Energy (long–term
electricity purchaser) Symbiont Inc. (balance–of-
system
engineer), and Geo Investors (financing).
- Forest County Potawatomi Community (FCPC) Renewable Generation Digester, a 2 MW facility located in Milwaukee. This plant is powered with biogas derived from liquid organic wastes produced at the tribally owned casino next door.
Project participants include FCPC (owner),
Miron Construction (general
contractor), Symbiont Inc. (balance–of-system engineer), Titus Energy
(consulting engineer), Godfrey & Kahn (legal services), We Energies (long–term electricity purchaser)
Greenfire Management Services (owner’s representative), and Rockwell Automation (motor controls). The GE engine generators were manufactured in Waukesha.
- Dane County Community Digester, a 2 MW facility located in the Town of Springfield in Dane County and interconnected to Madison Gas & Electric. Dane County’s second community digester, this plant is powered with biogas derived from manure produced at several adjoining dairy farms.
Project participants include Gundersen Health (owner), C.G. Schmidt (general
contractor), Dane County (catalyst and facilitator), Madison Gas & Electric (long–term electricity purchaser), and U.S. Biogas (system designer).
- Rosendale Dairy Digester, a 1.4 MW facility located near Pickett in Winnebago County.
This plant is powered with biogas derived from manure produced at Rosendale Dairy. Project
participants include
Milk Source (owner), BIOFerm (system designer), Alliant Energy (long–term
electricity purchaser),
and UW-Oshkosh Foundation (financing
and
educational
partner).
- Jefferson Solar, a 1 MW facility located in the City of Jefferson.
This plant, Wisconsin’s first commercial
solar energy plant, produces electricity for sale to the grid. Project participants include Half Moon Ventures (owner),
S&C Electric (general contractor), Jefferson Utilities
(interconnection facilitator), and WPPI Energy (long–term electricity purchaser).
“The Energy Policy
Summit is
a fitting venue to honor the people and organizations that
embraced the vision of energy self–sufficiency and job creation, and made it happen in
Wisconsin,” said RENEW Wisconsin’s
Executive Director Tyler Huebner.
“Their solar, wind, and bioenergy installations created jobs, reduced the flow of imported fossil
fuels
into Wisconsin, and demonstrated responsible environmental stewardship. They truly deserve the recognition, as well as everyone’s appreciation,” Huebner said.
