by jboullion | Feb 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a story on Channel3000.com:
WAUSAU, Wis. — A northern Wisconsin company is one example of how President Barack Obama hopes his stimulus plan will help the economy.
PDM Solar in Wausau received a $200,000 grant from Wisconsin’s Energy Independence Fund, which gives money to companies working on renewable energy projects.
PDM said it hopes to hire hundreds of Wisconsin workers over the next five years to mass-produce its solar-powered air conditioner.
“We’re taking a technology that was, you know, 100 years, 120 years old, and packaging it differently and using it in an application that has never been used before,” said David Baker with PDM Solar.
In order to mass-produce the product, the company will need assembly-line workers, engineers and workspace.
The company will build its first solar air conditioner in Phoenix.
by jboullion | Feb 23, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Johnson Controls has begun generating electricity from the largest solar power system in the state – nearly 1,500 panels erected on the northeast corner of the company’s headquarters campus in Glendale.
The solar power system is part of the $73 million renovation and rehabilitation of the headquarters campus and power solutions businesses for the state’s largest company – and will be a showpiece for Johnson Controls as it tries to persuade customers to incorporate renewable energy into their buildings.
Power began generating this month after We Energies commissioned the solar system, said Don Albinger, vice president of renewable energy solutions at Johnson Controls.
The expansion of solar power is timely, coming as the stimulus package was signed into law. Energy experts are marveling at the array of tax benefits aimed at bringing more renewable energy online quickly, such as provisions that provide federal loan guarantees and accelerated depreciation for renewable projects.
“In these dismal times, we’ve got to look for some bright spots, and to me a great bright spot is the stuff that’s involved with renewable energy in that stimulus bill,” said Art Harrington, an energy lawyer with Godfrey & Kahn in Milwaukee.
Godfrey hosted three meetings across the state this week that drew about 500 businesspeople looking to learn more about economic opportunities created by the stimulus law, Harrington said.
“My advice to clients is to get knowledgeable on this stimulus bill,” he said. “Get knowledgeable quickly and then follow the money.”
by jboullion | Feb 19, 2009 | Uncategorized
An article from The Business Journal:
The Wisconsin State Fair Park has received state approval to install a solar panel system on the roof of the Wisconsin Products Pavilion.
State Fair Park will use the $306,000 demonstration project to promote renewable energy. The 30-kilowatt solar panel system is expected to be in place for the 2009 Wisconsin State Fair Aug. 6-16. The project received the approval of the State of Wisconsin Building Commission.
The electricity created by the solar panel system will be integrated into the Fair Park’s power grid to help reduce energy consumption. The new system will reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by more than 31 tons per year, according to the State Fair Park board.
The state Building Commission approved $128,400 of state funding from Conserve Wisconsin for the project at its meeting Wednesday. State Fair Park is applying for up to $100,000 in funds from the We Energies Nonprofit Renewable Energy Grant Program, in addition to applying for a $50,000 grant from Focus on Energy.
by jboullion | Feb 13, 2009 | Uncategorized
From WE Energies and the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance:
Coming to Milwaukee!
Friday, March 13, 2009, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
ZERO ENERGY BUILDING – THE CONVERGENCE OF SOLAR POWER AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Lessons For Architects, Builders, Designers, Engineers, Developers, and Owners
Presenters:
Steven J. Strong, President, Solar Design Associates
Lew W. Pratsch, U.S. Department of Energy
LOCATION:
We Energies
Public Service Building – Auditorium
231 W. Michigan St.
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Sponsored by We Energies and the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance
TO REGISTER AND FOR MORE INFO, GO TO: http://www.wgba.org/zeb.html
AGENDA:
Friday, March 13, 2009
8:00am – 8:30am Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30am – 8:45am Welcome and Introductions
8:45am – 9:15am PV Cell and Module Technology
9:15am – 10:15am Overview of PV Systems Options & Applications: Intro to basic systems and components with application examples
10:15am – 10:30am Morning Break
10:45am – 12:00pm Moving Toward Zero Energy Homes
12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch Break
1:00pm – 2:00pm BIPV: Options, Materials and Methods
2:00pm – 2:45pm BIPV: A World View
2:45pm – 3:00pm Afternoon Break
3:00pm – 4:00pm BIPV – Detailed Case Studies
4:00pm – 4:30pm Codes, Economics and Incentives
4:30pm – 5:00pm Wrap Up with Questions and Discussion
by jboullion | Feb 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
From the Web site of Energy Concepts, located in Hudson, Wisconsin:
One hurdle on this project was convincing the sub-division association that the solar panels would not take away from the development’s overall aesthetics and that it complied with existing covenants, which it did.
This is a custom-designed combination domestic hot water and in-floor space heating system.
The homeowners received $2,500 for the project from a Focus on Energy Hot Water Grant and another $3,500 from the Solar Space Heaitng Progam, a program of utility members of WPPI Energy.
Two 119-gallon tanks (below) hold the solar heated water until it circulates under the floors to heat the house.
