by jboullion | Mar 11, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a course description from Madison Area Technical College:
Course Number 20-623-290-090 Class Number 61386
Three Credits Hybrid Format (Study Abroad + Online)
May 15–24, 2010
Renewable Energy for International Development provides an examination of energy and economics in developing countries with special consideration given to renewable energy sources. The course will combine 8-weeks of online instruction with 10 days of travel and study abroad in Costa Rica. Students will learn to specify, design, and install renewable energy systems for developing countries. Field work will include design and installation of one or more of the following types of renewable energy systems:
+Small solar electric system (
by jboullion | Mar 9, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an announcement/news release issued by the River Falls Municipal Utility:
River Falls, Wis., March 9 – River Falls Municipal Utilities (RFMU) is pleased to announce that the innovative renewable energy finance program called “Save Some Green” is now being offered to residential customers interested in installing qualified renewable energy systems and making efficiency improvements to their property. To accomplish this goal, a loan pool has been established to offer low cost financing, with annual installment payments collected through property tax bills.
River Falls is the first community to offer an innovate program such as this. This finance program was based off a similar program, Berkeley FIRST. The City of Berkeley’s program provides financing to property owners interested in installing solar photovoltaic electric systems. Unlike Berkeley’s primary focus on solar, “Save Some Green” is designed for improvement projects such as: solar photovoltaic panel systems, solar hot water, solar thermal heating, geothermal systems, wind turbines, and major energy efficiency projects in connection with a renewable energy project. . . .
Funding is available to RFMU customers with property within the city limits of River Falls. The program may fund up to 100% of the cost of a qualified improvement with a minimum loan allowance of $2,500 and up to a maximum of $50,000 per property. Loan terms range from 5 to 20 years and are offered at a 4% interest rate.
“RFMU’s POWERful Choices! plans to establish River Falls as a model in the state and region by implementing community-wide sustainability initiatives, such as ‘Save Some Green’”, said Carl Gaulke, General Manager of RFMU. “We are excited to see the River Falls community work together to create a strong conservation ethic for a better energy future.”
For more information visit “Save Some Green” or contact RFMU at (715) 426-3467 or mnoreen@wppienergy.org.
by jboullion | Mar 8, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Peter J. Devlin in the Door County Advocate:
The owner of a town of Egg Harbor business hopes to generate the majority of its electricity needs from the wind.
Saundra Phlubna owns and operates the Feathered Star Bed and Breakfast on Wisconsin 42, north of Carlsville, where a 110-foot-tall tower and wind turbine were erected last week.
“I’m hoping to get as close as possible to meeting all my electrical needs with the wind generator,” she said.
The turbine is not yet connected to her business. It needs to have adjustments made while the turbine is turning in moderate wind, Phlubna said. There hasn’t been enough wind this week for the contractor to complete the project. Last week was too windy for the final adjusting, she said.
The turbine has been in the works for two years. A permit for the device was issued in December 2008 by Egg Harbor Town Chairman Paul Peterson. Other permits, including a Door County Wind Energy sighting permit, were approved before construction of the tower began last month.
A portion of the cost of the new structure and the generator came from grants, Phlubna said. The first two grants she sought were turned down. In reapplying, Wisconsin’s Focus On Energy program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development grant program provided some of the funds needed.
Seventh Generation Energy Services, Madison, installed the 35 kilowatt V-15 turbine.
by jboullion | Mar 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a story on WQOW-TV (Eau Claire):
Eau Claire (WQOW) – A recent local fire serves as a good reminder to check your gas meter. This time of year ice can build up and the results could be dangerous.
Warmer temperatures mean melting ice, but Wisconsin’s weather can take a turn for the worse, freezing that water back into ice.
“It’s a typical problem with freezing and thawing within the springtime. When you have the dripping off of the roof line from the ice and from the snow, it can fall on top of the gas meters says Julie Simon, Xcel Energy Director of Gas and Electricity.
Energy companies want people to check their gas meters, because the ventilator can freeze over causing big problems.
“The gas needs someplace to go. And so if it can’t vent out the vent, it could have the possibility that it could back up into the house,” says Simon.
Fire fighters were called to a house in Eau Claire earlier this week because of an iced over gas meter. Gas pressure had built up in the water heater, starting a fire. No one was injured, but the damage was $5,000.
by jboullion | Mar 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
Excerpts of a letter from PSC Chair Eric Callisto to the special legislative committees on clean energy jobs:
February 19, 2010
Assembly Special Committee on Clean Energy Jobs
Wisconsin State Assembly
Madison, WI 53702
Dear Committee Members:
I am writing in response to a letter dated February 9,2010 from Representatives Huebsch, Montgomery, and Gunderson requesting a Commission analysis of the expected costs to utilities and ratepayers of meeting a 25% by 2025 Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) as proposed in the Clean Energy Jobs Act. As I have testified to both the Assembly and Senate Select Committees, the electric utility sector policies in the proposed legislation – namely, the enhanced RPS and energy efficiency provisions – represent sound energy policy for Wisconsin. The Commission’s analysis shows that if we continue with business as usual, if we decide to do nothing, we are taking on great financial risk in a changing world, and our ratepayers will be leaving substantial dollars on the table.
. . . [W]hat follows is a summary of preliminary PSC cost modeling of the RPS and energy efficiency components of the CEJA. PSC staff modeled the costs of the RPS and energy efficiency policies together, because the RPS requirements are expressed as a percentage of retail electricity sales. It would be unrealistic to estimate the costs of the RPS requirements in the proposed legislation while ignoring that the same legislation seeks to reduce the growth in demand for electricity. The two policies are inherently connected.
The modeling shows that in every case in which GHGs are monetized (i.e., there is a compliance cost associated with emitting GHGs), the cost of the CEJA is less than the cost of the status quo over the long run. That is, we will in all likelihood be spending more on electricity in the long run if we don’t act now and enact enhanced renewable portfolio standards and take more aggressive action on energy efficiency. . . . (emphasis in original letter)
