by jboullion | Jul 23, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Ricardo Lopez in the Pionerr Press, St. Paul, MN:
River Falls has launched a program to encourage homeowners and businesses to install solar energy systems.
While a few months into the project and only one resident — who owns a solar installation company — has signed up, the western Wisconsin city is confident more residents will take part.
Known as the Renewable Energy Finance Program, city and community leaders say the program shows River Falls’ commitment to the environment and renewable energy.
With an $18,000 loan, Mike Harvey is installing solar panels and an electrical system to the home he shares with his fiancee. The money will be paid back through an assessment added to his property taxes.
“I went the day they had the paperwork available to fill it out,” Harvey said of his eagerness to sign up.
The lone resident to take out a loan through the program, Harvey owns River Falls-based Synergized Solar, a solar panel distribution company.
He estimates the panels, which are wind and weather rated, should pay for themselves in about 11 to 12 years with saving on electrical costs.
River Falls has been recognized as a regional leader in pushing “green” energy. This new initiative has been in the works for two years, said Mike Noreen, conservation and efficiency coordinator for River Falls Municipal Utilities, which administers the program. Residents can qualify for a loan of up to $50,000, and Noreen said the agency set aside $500,000 for the loans.
It is designed to help homeowners who previously thought renewable energy systems were out of their financial reach, said Kelly Cain, sustainability director at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
“From a social justice equity perspective, it helps to level the playing field for everyone,” said Cain, adding the River Falls program is the most significant step any city has taken. Cain is also a member of the Powerful Choices committee, a River Falls group heavily involved in renewable energy planning, including the new solar program.
by jboullion | Jul 20, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Molly Newman in the Marshfield News Herald:
When Doug Petznick’s roof needed to be replaced last year, he invested $14,000 in the project — about twice the average cost for a new roof. But thanks to federal and state green energy rebates, Petznick will end up paying only half of that amount for his solar electric roof.
Petznick is one of five Marshfield homeowners who have installed solar electric panels in the past year. He chose photovoltaic panels, which convert sunlight into energy, both to save money in the long term and to reduce his family’s carbon footprint.
He already was considering installing a metal roof when he arrived at Kulp’s of Stratford and learned the company offers solar electric metal roofing, Petznick said.
John Maggitti, solar specialist at Kulp’s, said the roofing and insulation company has been offering photovoltaic panels for about a year, since customers started asking about them two years ago.
Since last year, Kulp’s has installed about 12 photovoltaic roofs statewide and has six more projects pending, Maggitti said.
The panels are an investment that offers an average 6.5 percent return after 15 years, Maggitti said. The systems last about 25 years, so homeowners can expect 10 years of profit on the investment.
“People are acutely aware that the cost of energy is rising, and there’s no indication that the cost of energy is going to come down anytime in the future,” Maggitti said.
Petznick said he saw an immediate change in his electric bill as a result of his installation, and he now pays about one-third less each month.
by jboullion | Jun 30, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Ryan Whisner in the Jefferson Daily Union:
JEFFERSON – A proposal to build the second-largest solar-generation farm in the United States was presented to City of Jefferson officials Wednesday night.
Green States Energy Inc. of Deerfield Beach, Fla., unveiled plans to build a solar energy farm on 100 acres of the city’s north industrial park that would generate approximately 20 megawatts of electricity.
Jefferson Sun One would have approximately 100,000 individual solar panel modules on the 100-acre parcel. The site – just north of the former Brigg & Stratton plant – would generate approximately 3.5 million kilowatt hours per year, equivalent to generating sufficient electricity for about 3,500 homes. An interconnectivity agreement with Jefferson Utilities and WPPI is intended.
“This is a big deal if it can be brought to fruition and can be built,” said David Jenkins of the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence.
Currently, he noted, Wisconsin has approximately 6.5 megawatts of installed solar capacity. Only two cities in the state are labeled by the U.S. Department of Energy as solar cities.
“Overnight, if this project were built, the City of Jefferson would have three times as much solar energy as there is in the entire state,” Jenkins said. “As far as I’m concerned, if you had 20 megawatts of power here, you would be a solar city.”
Approximately five to six weeks ago, Jefferson city officials were approached by representatives from Green States Energy about locating the solar energy farm in Jefferson. Green States representatives presented its proposal Wednesday to a joint session of the Jefferson Common Council, Jefferson Plan Commission and Jefferson Redevelopment Authority.
“It is an opportunity for us to not only provide a lot of good jobs in the construction phase and also the operational stage, but it is also an opportunity for the City of Jefferson to create an identity of being a nationwide leader in renewable energy,” Mayor Dale Oppermann said. “We have the task, the challenge and the opportunity to reinvent the economy of Jefferson and the surrounding area.”
He said Green States Inc. is offering the city the chance to get involved with state-of-the-art technology and create an identity for the city as being clean and green.
Green States Energy Inc. chief executive officer Jeffrey Lord described the company as a group of people who have come together under a common principle.
“The planet and the people on it will be better off if we can start using less fossil fuels to get the energy we need,” Lord said, citing the company’s mission.
by jboullion | Jun 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a story by Heather Sawaski on WAOW, Wausau:
It takes about 500 gallons of hot water to brew a batch of beer at Red Eye Brewery and Restaurant. Soon, that water will get its heat from the sky. Once installed, 10 solar collectors will soak up the sun’s rays, mix them with water down through 6 tanks, and come out piping hot and ready to use. Red Eye will be the first Wisconsin brew pub to heat water with solar energy.
“We use a large amount of water in the brewing process and we thought that was how we could utilize the sun the greatest and get the biggest and best payback,” said Brew Master Kevin Eichelberger.”
And he added, the payback is substantial. The project is funded through a combination of loans and federal green energy grants. Eichelberger said the solar power should pay for itself in about 5 years. That’s not to mention the environmental payback.
“We’ve calculated the equivalent carbon footprint to being equivalent of driving a car about 8,500 miles,” Eichelberger said. “So we’ll be reducing our carbon footprint by that amount.”
Going green is nothing new for the restaurant. Owners said they’ve always used recycled plastic for to-go containers and utensils. And they donate all used grain from the brewery to an area farmer.
by jboullion | Jun 7, 2010 | Uncategorized
An announcement by We Energies:
We Energies has a commitment to propose the development of approximately 12.5 MW of solar power generation. This solar commitment entails 5 MW by Jan. 1, 2013, and the remaining 7.5 MW by Jan. 1, 2015. With the development and permitting phase of the Glacier Hills Wind Park completed, Andy Hesselbach, wind farm project manager, will be taking on the added responsibility of developing a plan to comply with this commitment.
To assist in these planning and development efforts, Carl Siegrist, senior project strategist – Regulatory Affairs and Policy, has been assigned to work under Hesselbach’s direction. Siegrist serves on the board of directors of two national solar organizations, has been involved with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin solar task force, and has a network of contacts in all aspects of the solar business and Wisconsin’s clean energy advocacy community.
Hesselbach and Siegrist will collaborate with a broad range of regulatory, legal, finance, business planning, engineering and operations personnel during 2010 to develop a plan for compliance with this commitment.
