by jboullion | Sep 17, 2010 | Uncategorized
See more video here.
From a news release about the ribbon cutting issued by MATC:
MILWAUKEE (Sept. 15, 2010) – Milwaukee Area Technical College hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its 32-acre, 540 kW Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory on Wednesday, Sept. 15. The PV Lab is located at 810 E. Capitol Dr., Milwaukee.
MATC and Johnson Controls, the global leader in delivering products, services and solutions that increase energy efficiency in buildings, collaborated on the project, the largest operating photovoltaic facility in Wisconsin and is believed to be the first entirely portable photovoltaic facility in the United States. The project was unanimously approved by the Wisconsin Technical College System State Board on Sept. 30, 2009, and ground was broken on May 5, 2010.
“The Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory showcases several outstanding attributes of MATC: innovation and creativity at work; partnering with local businesses to provide new educational opportunities; advancing the world of technology to heights we have not seen before; and becoming a leader for other educational institutions and businesses to follow,” said MATC President Dr. Michael L. Burke. “This physical location has changed dramatically in just over four months. It started as a non-descript, unwanted, unmarketable tract of land that had stumped experts for decades on what exactly to do with it. Now, it represents what can really be called a new American dream.”
. . . The site features:
• 2,590 PV panels;
• two training centers for technicians, designers, site assessors, electricians, sales personnel and other professionals in renewable energy fields;
• over-parking and over-road array placement;
• data collection capabilities; and
• the first public television transmitter in the country that will approximate energy grid neutrality.
by jboullion | Sep 17, 2010 | Uncategorized
North Wind Renewable Energy installed this flush-mounted solar electric system on a home near Wisconsin Rapids.
by jboullion | Sep 15, 2010 | Uncategorized
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Amy Heart
MREA Milwaukee Director
414-431-0758
amy@the-mrea.org
CITY ADDS SOLAR TO FIRE STATIONS AND TRAINS WORKFORCE
Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee’s solar program is bringing solar hot water to two local fire stations, while training the local solar workforce. The City of Milwaukee’s Solar America City program, Milwaukee Shines, organized this one-of-a-kind opportunity through a partnership with Midwest Renewable Energy Association, Caleffi North America and Milwaukee Solar.
Milwaukee’s Fire Station #13, located at 2901 N 30th Street, and Fire Station #23, located at 2130 W Oklahoma Ave, will both receive solar hot water systems this October, as part of training workshops lead by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA).
The MREA, a non-profit organization, is a national leader in providing high quality training programs for renewable energy professionals. These install workshops will provide specialized training for individuals who would like to learn how to install solar hot water systems.
Matt Howard, Director of Milwaukee Office of Environmental Sustainability, said this installation is a perfect fit. “Solar hot water on fire stations is an excellent and efficient application of this technology,” said Howard. “The City of Milwaukee is excited to showcase a good use of the technology and off-set some of our energy use as well.”
Amy Heart, MREA’s Milwaukee Director, said this is a unique opportunity to not only save money for the City of Milwaukee, but also provide hands-on training for future solar installers. “By training local installers, we are working to expand the local solar market, reduce costs for consumers, and ensure quality installations that can demonstrate how solar works for Wisconsin,” said Heart.
Caleffi North America, headquartered in Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley, donated the solar hot water systems for the installation workshops. Dean Wolff of Milwaukee Solar, will serve as the installer and instructor on the project.
Milwaukee was selected as a Solar America City in 2008 by the U.S. Department of Energy. Milwaukee Shines, the city’s solar program, works to increase solar electric and solar hot water installations through education, awareness and financial assistance. For details on the City of Milwaukee’s solar program visit www.MilwaukeeShines.com or call 414-286-5593
Pre-registration for the workshops is required, and pre-requisites must be met. To get more information on the MREA fire station install workshops visit www.the-mrea.org or call 414-431-0758.
Installation Schedule
Fire Station #13 Solar Hot Water Installation
Monday, October 4 – Thursday, October 7
City of Milwaukee Fire House #13
2901 N 30th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53210
Fire Station #23 Solar Hot Water Installation
Monday, October 25 – Thursday, October 28
City of Milwaukee Fire House #23
2130 W Oklahoma Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53215
# # #
by jboullion | Aug 6, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Eric Decker, Alysha Schertz, and others on BizTimes.com:
Steve Ostrenga is bringing jobs to Milwaukee at a new Helios USA plant, which will manufacture solar panels. . . .
Milwaukee is known for manufacturing. Companies such as Harley-Davidson, A.O. Smith, Falk, Rockwell Automation and many breweries played large roles in the city’s development.
Manufacturing will drive the city’s future. However, what Milwaukee’s manufacturers produce is changing.
Helios USA LLC, a startup solar panel manufacturer that is developing a 40,000-square-foot plant in the city’s Menomonee Valley, is new to the city. So are its products.
But when the company begins shipping its solar panels throughout the U.S. in early 2011, it will become another of the city’s nationally known manufacturers, tapping into the city’s heritage of supplying the world with parts and components it needs.
“This is a manufacturing center – we put the plant here because of the strong heritage in energy,” said Steve Ostrenga, chief executive officer of Helios. “We’ve got ZBB and Johnson Controls and a lot of other firms that are in the (energy) industry already. And manufacturing is the backbone of this (community) already.”
Helios will hire production workers as early as September as it installs automated manufacturing and assembly equipment. The company hopes to begin full production by January and will have 20 to 40 employees at that time, Ostrenga said.
When it begins production, Helios will use about 15,000 square feet of the total space. The company anticipates several phases of expansion over the next several years. By the time it uses all of the 40,000 square feet of space for production, it will have about 100 employees.
Helios’ production system will be highly automated, using equipment that most workers in the area will not be familiar with, which is why the company will begin hiring this fall, Ostrenga said.
“We’re spending a lot of money on training because this process is unique,” he said. “The solar industry is new.”
by jboullion | Aug 2, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Thomas Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The new Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory harnesses solar energy and offers engineering students a way to plug in to powerful possibilities
People seeking training for careers in renewable energy – especially solar power – will benefit from an ambitious project by Milwaukee Area Technical College and local firms.
The project includes a solar charging station for plug-in vehicles, a solar-powered highway sign demonstration and a training area for solar installers and electricians. They’re all built on portable concrete pads.
When it’s completed later this month, the MATC Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory on the east side along the Milwaukee River will become the largest solar installation in the state.
“It’s here to generate power, reduce our carbon footprint, but it’s mainly for training and education,” said Mike Sargent, the college’s chief financial officer and co- chairman of its sustainability committee.
The $7.1 million solar panel project will be a research center for students at MATC, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and other engineering schools.
The reason: Hundreds of sensors linked to the panels will give detailed real-time data about the solar power produced based on factors including temperature, haze, and cloud conditions, said Joe Jacobsen, director of the Center for Energy Conservation and Advanced Manufacturing at MATC.
The project consists of several “fields” of solar panels, all sitting underneath television towers for Milwaukee Public Television and WDJT-TV (Channel 58).
The project showcases a variety of panel designs and technologies – including residential- and commercial-size systems – as well as some new features.
