by jboullion | Jun 3, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an announcement issued by the USDA:
On May 26, 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is accepting applications for Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants and loan guarantees. REAP (Section 9007 of the 2008 Farm Bill) is the former Section 9006 under the 2002 Farm Bill and provides incentives for the development/construction of renewable energy projects, such as anaerobic digester projects.
REAP renewable energy grants can provide up to 25 percent of eligible project costs, up to $500,000. Loan guarantees or grant and loan guarantee combinations are capped at 75 percent of eligible project costs. More details are available in the Federal Register at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-12178.pdf or on the USDA Web site http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/busp/9006grant.htm.
Application materials may be obtained by contacting one of USDA Rural Development State Offices, which are listed at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html or by downloading at http://www.grants.gov. Applications are due on July 31, 2009.
by jboullion | May 22, 2009 | Uncategorized
From details of the Energy Fair, sponsored by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, in Custer, Wisconsin:
Friday, June 19 at 1 pm
Antonia Juhasz
Antonia Juhasz is an author and political activist. She was the author of The Bush Agenda: Invading the World One Economy at a Time in 2006, Alternatives to Economic Globalization for which she received the 2004 Project Censored award. In 2008, she published The Tyranny of Oil.
Saturday, June 20 at 1 pm
Alan Weisman
Alan Weisman spoke at the 10th Anniversary Energy Fair, and we’re happy to have him join us another ten years later to celebrate our progress and help us look forward to another 20 years.
Alan Weisman is an author and journalist whose reports from around the world have appeared in Harper’s, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, Orion, Wilson Quarterly, Vanity Fair, Mother Jones, Discover, and more.
His most recent book, The World Without Us, (a staff favorite) is a bestseller, and was named the Best Nonfiction Book of 2007 by both Time Magazine and Entertainment Weekly.
Sunday, June 21 at 1 pm
Wendy Williams
Wendy Williams, an is the author of Cape Wind: Money, Celebrity, Class, Politics, and the Battle for Our Energy Future on Nantucket Sound. The Wall Street Journal called Cape Wind “a ripe subject, populated with the sort of people who would be among the first to count themselves as friends of the Earth but the last to accept an environmentally friendly energy source if it meant the slightest cloud on their ocean views.”
Williams has written for many major publications, including Scientific American, The Christian Science Monitor, The Boston Globe, The Providence Journal and The Baltimore Sun. She has been journalist-in-residence at Duke University and at the Hasting Center. The author of several books, she lives on Cape Cod.
by jboullion | May 22, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Kathleen Gallagher in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
A California couple has pledged $5 million to endow a chair at Marquette University’s engineering school.
The Thomas H. and Suzanne M. Werner Chair in Secure and Renewable Energy Systems will lead a multidisciplinary research cluster of four to six faculty members and develop an advanced curriculum, said Stan Jaskolski, Marquette’s dean of engineering.
Marquette is working with the Milwaukee School of Engineering and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to create a major research cluster for sustainable energy, Jaskolski said.
“Gifts like this are just tremendous momentum builders,” he said.
Thomas Werner said his vision for the program is that it “trains new technologists in a new field and primes the pump for America to be the innovator in renewable energy.”
“Our hope is that we see tangible accomplishments in a field that’s important to the planet,” Werner said.
The gift will position Marquette as a leader in southeastern Wisconsin in this academic area, where students will work with faculty to pursue fields such as solar electric energy generation, modern electric drives and the design of products that make energy consumption more efficient, said Jaskolski, who was previously Eaton Corp.’s chief technology officer.
It also will help strengthen Wisconsin’s growing “clean tech” sector, which includes water, wind, solar, geothermal and biofuel technologies spread across many areas of the state, said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council.
by jboullion | May 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
From details of the Energy Fair, sponsored by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, in Custer, Wisconsin:
Friday, June 19 at 1 pm
Antonia Juhasz
Antonia Juhasz is an author and political activist. She was the author of The Bush Agenda: Invading the World One Economy at a Time in 2006, Alternatives to Economic Globalization for which she received the 2004 Project Censored award. In 2008, she published The Tyranny of Oil.
Saturday, June 20 at 1 pm
Alan Weisman
Alan Weisman spoke at the 10th Anniversary Energy Fair, and we’re happy to have him join us another ten years later to celebrate our progress and help us look forward to another 20 years.
Alan Weisman is an author and journalist whose reports from around the world have appeared in Harper’s, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, Orion, Wilson Quarterly, Vanity Fair, Mother Jones, Discover, and more.
His most recent book, The World Without Us, (a staff favorite) is a bestseller, and was named the Best Nonfiction Book of 2007 by both Time Magazine and Entertainment Weekly.
Sunday, June 21 at 1 pm
Wendy Williams
Wendy Williams, an is the author of Cape Wind: Money, Celebrity, Class, Politics, and the Battle for Our Energy Future on Nantucket Sound. The Wall Street Journal called Cape Wind “a ripe subject, populated with the sort of people who would be among the first to count themselves as friends of the Earth but the last to accept an environmentally friendly energy source if it meant the slightest cloud on their ocean views.”
Williams has written for many major publications, including Scientific American, The Christian Science Monitor, The Boston Globe, The Providence Journal and The Baltimore Sun. She has been journalist-in-residence at Duke University and at the Hasting Center. The author of several books, she lives on Cape Cod.
by jboullion | May 14, 2009 | Uncategorized
From Mid-State Technical College:
Get a solid foundation in the fundamental design, operation, maintenance and installation techniques to work with renewable technologies. Workshops and a visit to the energy fair will keep you engaged and on the cutting-edge of technology.
Take advantage of this FREE hands-on opportunity to learn about renewable energy!
Renewable Energy Workshops
• Growing Biofuels – Biorefinery. Find out how crops and waste products turn into ethanol and biodiesel. Learn how these fuels are used and what the limitations are. Discover how to make your very own batch of biodisel from oil!
• Personal Energy – Energy Efficiency. Explore your energy use patterns at school or home. Discover ways to reduce your personal energy use.
• Solar Car – Renewable Electricity. Students will examine solar cells by building a solar powered model car. Test out the performance of the model car under various conditions.
• Cookies – Renewable Thermal. Learn to construct a solar water heating system and enhance your experience by baking cookies from the sun!
MREA Energy Fair
The Energy Fair features hundreds of workshops and exhibits all emphasizing clean energy & sustainable living.
Register early! Space is limited.
Registration deadline is Friday, June 12.
For more information or to register contact:
Kris Buss, Administrative Assistant
Phone: 715.422.5375
Email: kris.buss@mstc.edu
All hand-on workshops, the energy fair, transportation, lunch & snacks are at no cost to high school students. Student’s will receive one MSTC college credit for participating all three days.
