by jboullion | Mar 15, 2011 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:
Completed proposals due April 30, 2011
MADISON, Wis. (March 11, 2011) – Today, Focus on Energy, Wisconsin utilities’ statewide program for energy efficiency and renewable energy, announced that businesses can compete for incentives for large renewable energy systems. The Large Renewable Energy System Competitive Incentives allow Wisconsin businesses and organizations to apply for funds to help implement large renewable energy systems.
Businesses can receive an incentive of up to 30 percent of the project costs to complete a renewable energy project that is well-researched, documented, and justified. Eligible, large-scale renewable energy systems may include: solar electric, solar hot-water, wind electric, biomass energy, and anaerobic digestion (biogas).
“Renewable energy technology offers businesses deeper energy cost savings after energy efficiency measures are implemented.” said Ken Williams, Focus on Energy’s business programs director. “Focus’ large renewable energy competitive incentives help businesses defray some of the upfront investment cost of a renewable energy system, resulting in a quicker payback.”
Any type of business, school, government entity, agribusiness, and apartments/condo facilities can apply for a Focus competitive incentive. The application and details are available online at focusonenergy.com/competitive_incentives. Applications are due by April 30, 2011.
by jboullion | Feb 28, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Chris Clayton in the Progressive Farmer:
USDA released a study Friday showing 8,569 farms nationally had either solar panels, wind turbines or methane digesters in 2009.
The study highlighted at the USDA Outlook Forum looked at the costs savings of farms producing their own energy, as well as the costs of building such facilities.
One clear takeaway from the study is that the vast majority of solar panels, methane digesters or wind turbines being used for on-the-farm power were build since 2005.
Of the three major renewable-energy sources drawn from the survey, solar power by far the largest renewable power source being used on farms. USDA showed 7,968 farms reported using photovaltic or thermal solar panels in 2009. California was the largest state in terms of farms reporting panels, and was also far and way the largest state in terms of the number of solar panels.
by jboullion | Feb 28, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Wisconsin’s first solar panel factory has opened in the Menomonee River Valley, on the site of stockyards that contributed to the city’s leadership in the meatpacking and processing industries more than 100 years ago.
Later this year, solar panels will go up on the roof of the building that replaced the stockyards, and the panels will be made downstairs in Steve Ostrenga’s factory.
Privately held Helios USA started making robots this month, using an automated production line to build high-efficiency solar panels. The goal: to help put an emerging, 21st-century industry on the map in the state.
That’s what excited Patrick Shaw of Cudahy about working at the plant, he said during a recent tour of the W. Canal St. factory.
“I wanted to get into the green field,” said Shaw, a former Marine. “All you hear about is how that’s up and coming.” Then he attended a veterans job fair where Helios was recruiting employees.
“Six months later, here I am,” Shaw said.
Production started this month after five weeks of 12-hour days getting the first manufacturing line ready.
Workers installed robots that largely automate the manufacturing process and began test production earlier this month. Finished panels sit in stacks in an area of the plant where future production lines are planned.
A ribbon-cutting at the plant is scheduled for Monday.
During the plant tour, Shaw showed pride in having helped set up the robots.
“They said people’s kids could name the robots,” Shaw said. Pointing to one hoisting a nearly complete panel, he added, “My 4-year-old named that one Buzz Lightyear.”
Shaw is one of 17 workers who, after working to open the plant, began operating its first production line two weeks ago. Ostrenga hopes to nearly triple employment by the end of the year.
by jboullion | Feb 3, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Mike Ivey in The Capital Times:
When President Obama toured the state last week, he visited two companies in Manitowoc to promote Wisconsin’s high-tech, clean-energy economy.
First, the president stopped at Tower Tech Systems, which manufactures utility-scale wind towers. Then he toured Orion Energy Systems, which makes high-efficiency lighting and solar-focused products.
“These aren’t just good jobs that can help you pay the bills and support your families,” the president told some 200 workers at Orion. “They’re jobs that are good for all of us; that will make our energy bills cheaper; that will make our planet safer; that will sharpen America’s competitive edge in the world.”
But some are wondering whether Gov. Scott Walker, despite his “open for business” mantra, and the new Legislature share the same enthusiasm for emerging technologies and the promise of high-paying jobs.
During his first month in office, Walker has proposed strict rules that could hamper the wind power industry, nixed the Charter Street Biomass Project on the UW-Madison campus and returned more than $800 million in federal money for upgrading Wisconsin’s passenger and freight rail infrastructure. There’s also talk about limiting embryonic stem cell research, an issue that’s more symbolic than substantive.
Put together, it’s not exactly what economic development advocates were hoping to see from a governor who’s vowed to create 250,000 new private sector jobs.
“I don’t want to get in trouble here … but there’s some hand-wringing among our members,” says Bryan Renk, who heads BioForward, a trade association for the state’s bioscience and biofuel industry.
Both Gov. Tommy Thompson and Gov. Jim Doyle were big supporters of emerging technologies. Doyle in particular backed clean-energy initiatives and pushed a sweeping renewable energy bill in his last term that eventually died in the Legislature.
by jboullion | Jan 27, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Liam Marlaire in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram:
A solar panel company’s move to Wisconsin could create hundreds of jobs in Eau Claire.
Chatsworth, Calif.-based W Solar Group is in the process of moving its headquarters and research-and-development operations to Dane County, and contenders for a manufacturing plant include Eau Claire and Wausau.
More about Wausau possibility.
