by jboullion | Sep 25, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Sarah Lozanova in RenewableEnergyWorld.com:
Currently about 85,000 people are employed in the wind energy industry, up from 50,000 last year. These jobs are very diverse, and include turbine manufacturing, wind farm development, wind farm construction, and turbine maintenance.
Developing an industrial-scale wind farm requires a team of people with a variety of abilities. Here’s a look at some of the jobs involved as well as the skills necessary for this line of work. . . .
by jboullion | Sep 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by K.J. Lang in the La Crosse Tribune:
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students are showing support for local family farms – with their stomachs.
Students at lunch Wednesday bit into Honey-crisp apples from La Crescent, Minn. They sipped creamy soup made with buttercup squash from Elk River, Minn., and topped their salad with grape tomatoes from Hillview Greenhouse Life Center, just a few blocks from campus.
Chartwells, the campus food service, served up the locally grown produce this week as part of a promotion, “It Takes You – Eat Local.” The program was developed to support farmers who grow produce within a 150-mile radius of the campus, said Tom Dockham, resident district manager for Chartwells.
The program allows students to sample produce that can be sun ripened for more nutritional value and better taste, said Randy Hanson, Chartwells executive chef.
UW-L senior Craig Wagner said he usually isn’t much of an apple cider drinker, but after tasting some from Lake City, Minn., his response was, “I wouldn’t turn it down if they offered it again.”
He was enthusiastic about the program behind the cider as well, saying, “I think it is important to support the local economy.”
by jboullion | Sep 22, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Colleen Kottke in The Northwestern (Oshkosh):
In the years since the Forward Wind Energy Center came on line, “For Sale” signs have popped up all over Gerry Meyer’s rural neighborhood in the town of Byron. . . .
Meyer is convinced that the aesthetically displeasing look of the 400-foot turbines and subsequent ill effects experienced by nearby residents from the noise, vibration and light-flicker has caused housing values to plummet.
A just-released study commissioned by wind-power opponents concurs, saying that property values have fallen at least 19 percent for properties located near the We Energies wind farm in Fond du Lac County and 12 percent for those located near Invenergy’s Forward Wind Energy Center in Fond du Lac and Dodge counties.
The study by Appraisal Group One was commissioned by a Calumet County affiliate of the state Coalition for Wisconsin Environmental Steward, a group fighting a We Energies wind farm project in Columbia County.
‘Quite a reach’
Brian Manthey, a spokesman for We Energies, said the report failed to make accurate comparisons in properties used to track declining values.
“They compared subdivision and lake view lots when the properties in our wind farm area were considered agricultural lots back in 2006. Ultimately, they figured in the sale of four lots, which is tough to draw any comparisons when using such a small scale,” said Manthey, who described the report’s findings as “quite a reach.”
Since construction of the 88-turbine project in the Blue Sky Green Field project in the towns of Calumet and Marshfield, Manthey said 12 homes have been sold; some homes sold above assessed value while others sold below fair market values. Manthey said the report is misleading in that it doesn’t take into consideration other factors impacting property values.
by jboullion | Sep 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
An announcement in the La Crosse Tribune:
Coulee Partners for Sustainability will sponsor a Natural Step study circle from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Mondays from Oct. 5 through Nov. 2 in the Community Room of People’s Food Co-op.
Participants will learn about the Natural Step framework and plans for its use in the city and county of La Crosse. Additional topics include an analysis of home electricity bills and how to use simple devices such as the “Kill-a-Watt” meter to track electricity consumption and reduce energy usage.
The five sessions are free and open to the public. Study materials will be provided. To sign up, e-mail Rob Tyser at rtyser@gmail.com by Oct. 2. For more information, go online to
www.cpslax.org.
by jboullion | Sep 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article Dan Michelsen, president of Performance Energy, in the Wausau Daily Herald:
When you hear the words solar energy, what comes to mind? Most people think of electricity. But the most mature and affordable solar technology is solar water heating.
People have been building and using solar water heaters since the 1800s. In fact, the very first mass-produced, commercially available water heaters were powered by the sun. The design and reliability of solar water heating equipment has improved over the years. A modern thermal collector can easily achieve 90 percent or more efficiency. And solar hot water systems can often operate for decades without needing repairs.
How it works
Because of our severe winters, solar water heaters designed for year-round use in Wisconsin must circulate an anti-freeze solution through the collectors. This heated fluid is pumped through a heat exchanger, where the solar heat is transferred to the domestic hot water. The heated water is typically stored in a tank that feeds into the existing hot water tank.
In sunny weather, the solar storage tank can often reach 150 degrees. Supplying the heater with water this hot keeps it from coming on. This saves a great deal of energy. But even if the storage tank reaches only 80 degrees to 90 degrees, the solar water heating system has raised the temperature of the water more than half way to the typical use temperature of 120 degrees and has saved more than half the energy.
For safety, the plumbing code requires an anti-scald valve to keep the domestic hot water from becoming dangerously hot. . . .
Focus on Energy provides reward checks to help Wisconsin residents with the cost of installing solar water heating equipment. Each reward is based on projected energy savings. A family of four installing a solar water heater typically receives a reward of $2,500. The federal government provides an unlimited 30 percent tax credit to help make renewable energy equipment more affordable.
