by jboullion | Jan 29, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a letter sent to hospitality businesses by Focus on Energy:
Dear Wisconsin Hospitality Business:
As energy prices rise, now is a great time to discover the money-saving power of solar hot water.
A hospitality business like yours could save 50% or more on water-heating costs!
Solar hot water systems use energy from the sun to heat water for guest rooms, housekeeping, laundry facilities, food service, swimming pools and more. In many businesses, installing a solar hot water system can generate a positive cash flow almost immediately.
What can solar hot water do for your business?
+ Decrease your water-heating costs by 50% or more
+ Insulate your business from the rising cost of energy
+ Reduce pollution to help protect the environment
+ Enhance your reputation as an environmentally friendly business
For a real-world example of the benefits of solar hot water, click here for a case study that explains how Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells installed the state’s largest solar hot water system to save an expected $590,000 over 20 years.
Reduce your up-front costs with incentives from Focus on Energy.
Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy program, offers financial incentives to help you fund up to 25% of the installed cost of your system. Federal tax credits and depreciation are also available to save you even more. Together, these funds can pay for more than half of the total cost
of your system!
Start saving with solar hot water.
Find out why a solar hot water system is a smart and affordable business investment that can boost your bottom line for years to come. Call 800.762.7077 or visit focusonenergy.com/solarhotel1 to learn more about the benefits of solar water heating—plus energy efficiency tips to help you save even more with this tried and proven renewable energy solution.
by jboullion | Jan 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Nick Halter in the Wausau Daily Herald:
Mike Ritzel’s vision of central Wisconsin is one that involves the Wausau area attracting a large manufacturer of solar power systems that creates jobs and sells its products all over the Midwest.
Ritzel’s passion for alternative energy propelled him to start a local chapter of the Pickens Plan, a national organization that was founded in July and aims to gain U.S. independence from foreign oil.
The Pickens Plan was founded by Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens and advocates for increased use of wind, natural gas and other forms of alternative energy.
Through the local chapter, Ritzel, a master electrician who also owns Bullshooters Saloon in Weston, hopes to get legislators to offer tax incentives for alternative energy companies to make central Wisconsin their home.
by jboullion | Jan 19, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article on the Web site of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council:
How do you build a local renewable energy workforce and new homes at the same time?
Recognizing a need for more NABCEP certified installers in its service territory, We Energies and other partners teamed up with the Habitat for Humanity (H4H) chapter in Milwaukee to develop a solar training program that would benefit the local industry as well as the H4H chapter and its members.
“It was a natural confluence of events,” said Carl Siegrist, Solar Programs Manager. “Last year, I had a number of calls from the local H4H chapter saying they wanted to solarize some of their houses. Around the same time, I’d been talking with our local IBEW and NECA about training opportunities for solar here in Wisconsin. Somewhere between those two conversations, we talked internally about the lack of NABCEP certified solar installers here in the Milwaukee area and in our We Energies service territory. We’ve got lots of solar work going on here in Milwaukee, but the installers come from Madison or central Wisconsin (where MREA is located). It seemed to us that if there were local installers, maybe the prices would be a bit less because the installers wouldn’t be coming from other places in Wisconsin, and we’d be building our own local workforce.”
The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), long-known for its renewable energy training opportunities, used newly-constructed homes which H4H provided as training roofs for individuals who had prior training, but needed to be the lead on a solar installation in order to qualify for state incentives and to sit for the NABCEP exam.
“We had one of those ‘aha’ moments,” said Siegrist, “when we saw We Energies, NABCEP and IBEW playing together to meet multiple goals: education, training, certification, building our workforce. It was an especially good outcome for NABCEP.”
by jboullion | Jan 9, 2009 | Uncategorized
Solar installer Shawn Young (H&H Solar), RENEW’s Michael Vickerman, and the City of Madison’s Kay Schindel (left to right) inspect the solar hot water system on Station No. 1 with the downtown Madison skyline in the background.
From an article by Julian Emerson and Andrew Dowd in the Leader-Telegram:
Eau Claire city officials have outlined 58 infrastructure projects totaling $70.58 million that could be started this year if they receive money.
The proposed city projects span a range of infrastructure improvement initiatives and have not been prioritized. Besides the Hobbs remodeling, other big-ticket items on the list include a $6.8 million L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library upgrade, $6 million to relocate the Police Department, a $5 million North Barstow Redevelopment District parking ramp and a $4 million city bus transit center.
The list includes some less costly endeavors too, such as City Hall heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements costing $117,000 and a $23,200 rooftop solar water heating system for City Hall and fire station No. 2.
by jboullion | Jan 7, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article in the Wausau Daily Herald:
Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative has announced that Clark Electric Cooperative officially became a program member as of Jan. 1.
The utility serves about 8,800 customers in Clark, Chippewa, Jackson, Marathon, Taylor and Wood counties.
“Clark Electric Cooperative’s decision to participate in Focus on Energy will result in a healthier environment for Wisconsin and will provide options for its customers to make sound energy decisions,” said Eric Callisto, chairman of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, the agency that manages the Focus on Energy program.
Clark Electric will participate in the business, residential and renewable energy offerings under the Focus on Energy umbrella. Benefits of participating include:
• Business programs that help manufacturers, commercial businesses, farmers, schools and local governments reduce operating costs, increase their bottom line and improve productivity and employee and customer comfort.
• Wisconsin Energy Star Homes, a program that helps homeowners and landlords integrate energy improvements in their remodeling projects.
• Lighting and appliance programs that increase the availability of Energy Star-qualified products, ranging from compact fluorescent light bulbs to heating and cooling equipment.
• Renewable energy programs that help residents and businesses harness energy from sunlight, wind and organic materials.
