Wind Energy = Jobs

by | Jun 12, 2009 | Uncategorized

A commitment to wind energy development will serve as an economic catalyst for Wisconsin, creating jobs in manufacturing, construction, transportation, and operation & maintenance of wind turbines. SB 185/AB 256 make our state more manufacturing and other supply chain businesses that create jobs. By establishing statewide standards for siting small and medium sized wind farms legislators can provide an economic boost to Wisconsin’s economy.

• 1,000 MW of new wind development in Wisconsin would create over 3,000 new jobs and provide $1.1 billion in economic benefit.1 Currently, over 600 MW of planned wind development is stalled due to the lack of statewide permitting standards.
• Wisconsin ranks fourth among states in terms of potential for job gain, and fifth nationally for potential investment.2
• In 2007-08 Operating Engineers erected 88 turbines for WE Energies’ Blue Sky Green Field Wind Energy Center. More than 400,000 labor hours were devoted to completing the project.

“We support SB 185/AB 256. Without this legislation we fear that good Wisconsin jobs will be lost to Iowa and Minnesota. A lot of our members, who are residents of Wisconsin, have traveled to those states in order to sustain a livable salary so that they can feed their families. Unless we have some uniform standards in the state we will not see the full potential for wind here in Wisconsin. Wind farm construction is good for our members. Wisconsin’s economy needs this generation and Local #139 needs these family supporting jobs here in Wisconsin.” (Joint public hearing May 12, 2009) -Terrance McGowan, Operating Engineers #139

“We think it’s important to encourage the development [of wind power] here in Wisconsin. There are good Wisconsin jobs at stake here. There are good Wisconsin companies that work in the design of these small wind farms, design the components that are used. There are good Wisconsin businesses that work in the maintenance of these wind farms. It is good work for Wisconsin workers.” (Joint public hearing May 12, 2009) -R.J. Pirlot, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce

References
1 U.S. Department of Energy. “Economic Benefits, Carbon Dioxide Emissions Reductions, and Water Conservation
Benefits from 1,000 MW of New Wind Power in Wisconsin” October 2008
2 Renewable Energy Policy Project. “Component Manufacturing: Wisconsin’s Future in the Renewable Energy
Industry.” January 2006.

Wind for Wisconsin Campaign Supporters

by | Jun 11, 2009 | Uncategorized

+ Addison Wind Energy, LLC
+ AgWind Energy Partners
+ American Transmission Company
+ American Wind Energy Association
+ Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin, Inc.
+ Boldt Construction
+ Broadwind Energy
+ Citizens Utility Board
+ Clean Wisconsin
+ Construction Business Group
+ Customers First Coalition
+ Dairyland Power Cooperative
+ EcoEnergy, LLC
+ Emerging Energies, LLC
+ Federal Marine Terminals, Inc.
+ Fednav
+ Great Lakes Utilities
+ Horizon Wind Energy
+ Iberdrola Renewables
+ IBEW 2150
+ IBEW 965
+ Invenergy, LLC
+ IUOE Local 310
+ Lake Michigan Wind and Sun
+ League of Women Voters – Wisconsin
+ Madison Gas & Electric
+ Michels Wind Energy
+ Midwest Renewable Energy Association
+ Midwest Wind Energy
+ Municipal Electric Utilities of WI
+ Natural Resources Consulting, Inc.
+ Operating Engineers Local #139
+ Orion Construction Group
+ Orion Energy Systems
+ Port of Milwaukee
+ Renewegy
+ RENEW Wisconsin
+ Ritger Law Office
+ Seventh Generation Energy Systems
+ Sierra Club – John Muir Chapter
+ Union of Concerned Scientists
+ United Steel Workers
+ Uriel Wind, LLC
+ Wausaukee Composites
+ Wisconsin Agribusiness Council
+ Wind Capital Group
+ Wind on the Wires
+ Wisconsin Commercial Ports Association
+ Wisconsin Environment
+ Wisconsin Farmers Union
+ Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation
+ Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group (WIEG)
+ Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council
+ Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association
+ Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters
+ Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce
+ WPPI Energy
+ Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters
+ Wisconsin Utilities Association
+ Xcel/Northern States Power-Wisconsin

Note: while the endorsing entities support statewide permitting standards for wind energy, this should not be construed as a blanket endorsement of future legislative or regulatory changes to permitting wind energy systems in Wisconsin.

Wind Energy = Wisconsin Investment

by | Jun 11, 2009 | Uncategorized

SB 185/AB 256 as drafted will signal the growing wind industry that Wisconsin is open for business, making our state more competitive in attracting investment capital. Please support SB 185/AB 256 to help secure Wisconsin’s economic future.

• 1,000 MW of new wind development in Wisconsin would create over 3,000 new jobs and provide $1.1 billion in economic benefit.1
• Wisconsin ranks fourth among states in terms of potential job gain, and fifth nationally for potential investment.2 The 396 MW of wind energy installed in Wisconsin in 2008-09 will contribute nearly $3 million a year to local economies.
• Municipalities and counties hosting wind facilities can receive $2,000 per megawatt of capacity per year under the state utility credit (subject to per capita limits) and an additional $2,000 per megawatt of capacity per year because wind facilities produce renewable energy (not subject to per capita limits).3 A 100 megawatt wind facility would contribute up to $400,000 per year in property tax relief.
• The New North, Inc. is a regional collaboration effort focused on promoting regional cooperation and economic development in an 18-county region in Northeast Wisconsin.

“This [American Wind Energy Association] report illustrates the economic growth opportunities that exist in the wind energy industry for the New North…this emerging industry is developing rapidly and we’re well-positioned as a region to take advantage of it.”4

“We’re excited about the growth potential this industry has, as well as the potential impact it has on job growth and expansion in our region.”5
-Jerry Murphy, Executive Director of New North

References
1 U.S. Department of Energy. “Economic Benefits, Carbon Dioxide Emissions Reductions, and Water Conservation Benefits from 1,000 MW of New Wind Power in Wisconsin” October 2008
2 Renewable Energy Policy Project. “Component Manufacturing: Wisconsin’s Future in the Renewable Energy Industry.” January 2006.
3 WISCONSIN LEGISLATIVE FISCAL BUREAU, SHARED REVENUE PROGRAM (COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL AID AND UTILITY AID) (2007), available at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/Informationalpapers/18.pdf.
4 http://www.thenewnorth.com/resources/995.pdf
5 http://www.thenewnorth.com/resources/993.pdf

Increasing wind power would improve economy

by | Jun 11, 2009 | Uncategorized

From a letter to the editor of The Capital Times on June 11 by Scott Ribin:

Dear Editor: I’m writing in regard to recent letters about wind energy in Wisconsin. In my opinion, one of the best reasons to use more wind energy is that it will strengthen our economy.

First, using wind power will allow us to stop importing fossil fuels from out-of-state sources, which will lead to the creation of thousands of in-state middle-class manufacturing jobs, an area hit hard by the recent recession.

Second, constructing wind farms is also more cost-effective than building new coal or nuclear power plants because they have a greater direct impact on the local economy.

Third, northeastern Wisconsin is one of the best areas in the country to construct and place turbines because of its wind strength and speeds. This area already has a well-developed manufacturing base that is eager to thrive under a renewable revolution.

Wind power also will lower health care spending. Fossil fuel use is directly related to rising asthma and lung cancer prevalence rates. This especially occurs in lower-income families without insurance, further increasing health care costs.