The Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly, RENEW Wisconsin’s newsletter, features these articles:
+ Rest in Peace: Cassville Generation Plant
+ Mississippi River Bird and Bat Study
+ Osceola School Heats Pools with Solar
+ Bob Ramlow: Solar Pioneer
+ Focus on Energy Issues Biogas Profiles
+ Focus on Energy Earns National Honor
+ State Plugs into Renewable Energy
From a guest editorial by State Senator Kathleen Vinehout in The Tomah Journal:
In my home neighborhood a wind energy development firm is writing to encourage local farmers and other land owners to contact me in support of wind-power.
Renewable energy is on nearly every legislators “to do” list. Although challenges vary across the state, there is almost universal agreement that we need to move beyond our current fossil fuel based economy. Wisconsin is moving forward with leadership from the Office of Energy Independence, the Global Warming Task Force and state agencies.
Last week I met with the Director of the Office on Energy Independence and learned a bit more about the opportunities and challenges Wisconsin faces as we move toward a green economy.
The diversity of our state provides incredible opportunities for the development of renewable energy. Technology is making new options viable. Investors and local entrepreneurs are supplying capital and ideas that could put Wisconsin on the cutting edge of the green revolution.
Liabilities, like manure or waste from landfills, could power our home and industry. Natural resources, like the sun, the wind and the earth (through geo-thermal energy) could provide the jobs we need to grow our economy and the power to run our televisions.
Unfortunately, just when it seems we are on the edge of learning how to work together and embrace the diversity of renewable energy sources, I learned of some competition between those who would profit from wind development and those who would like to invest in other forms of renewable energy. While competition is healthy and often spurs innovation, efforts to shut down competitive alternatives may not be in the public’s best interest.
From the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, USDA-Rural Development, UW-Extension Offices:
RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR AMERICA WORKSHOP
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
9:00a.m. – 12:00p.m.
Training Opportunities and Topics:
– General overview of the REAP Program
– Changes in the 2008 Farm Bill
– How to apply for a Grant
– Q & A
3 Convenient Ways to Attend:
1. Attend online webinar and teleconference
2. In person at Mid-State Technical College
3. Satellite sites are being hosted at UW- Extension Offices
Onsite Location:
Room L133
Mid-State Technical College
Wisconsin Rapids
Host Locations:
Several around the state, including UW-Platteville. See brochure for complete list.
Presenters:
Brenda Heinen,USDA Rural Development
Mark Brodziski, USDA Rural Development
Registration:
See brochure
Questions:
Rural Development
4949 Kirschling Court
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-345-7610
From the newsletter of Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development Council:
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) has rejected a proposal by Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation, to expand its existing Nelson Dewey Generating Station in Cassville, Wisconsin, to meet the future energy needs of its customers. . . .
While disappointed with the PSC’s decision we remain committed to learning how local resources can help meet our customers growing need for energy. Economic development is closely linked to the availability of energy; locally available renewable energy creates additional benefits that we were only beginning to better understand and quantify. Our understanding of how we can provide for cleaner sources of highly reliable energy is closely linked to the work being done by the Southwest Badger RC&D. I commend the RC&D Council for their support of this important work and am hopeful our relationship can continue into the future.”
The rejection of the Cassville power plant is by no means the end to Southwest Badger’s biomass initiatives, if anything our workload in biomass utilization should increase as the public awareness of biomass energy has soared. The silver lining to the PSC’s decision is that it makes a strong statement that future energy production in Wisconsin will be focused on renewable fuels.
Southwest Badger RC&D will continue to be a leader in biomass production and utilization and we look forward to working with existing and new partners to develop green energy initiatives for southwest Wisconsin.
From an article by Steve Cahalan in the La Crosse Tribune:
Ground was broken Monday for a renewable energy system at City Brewery’s wastewater treatment plant, which will generate heat and electricity by burning methane gas now flared off as waste.
Work began for a building that will house most of the system, which will be owned by Gundersen Lutheran. Part of the system will be outdoors, Gundersen Lutheran spokesman Chris Stauffer said.
The biogas-fueled engine-generator system, expected to begin operating this spring, is a collaboration of Gundersen Lutheran and City Brewery.
It also is part of a Gundersen Lutheran systemwide project to eventually get all of its power from renewable energy sources, and to reduce energy use by 20 percent.
The brewery now burns off methane produced by the anaerobic digester at its wastewater treatment plant.
The new system’s engine will use the methane to generate more than 3 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. That is enough to power about 280 average Wisconsin homes, said Corey Zarecki, Gundersen Lutheran efficiency improvement leader.