by jboullion | Dec 19, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Louis Weisberg in the Wisconsin Gazette:
When Wisconsin voters elected Scott Walker governor and handed Republicans control of the Legislature, about 1,000 new jobs in the emerging wind energy sector stood waiting on the state’s horizon, according to industry proponents.
But Walker, who received at least $1.5 million in campaign cash directly from interests opposed to wind energy and much more indirectly, quickly quashed the rules that would have allowed those jobs – and the state’s energy independence – to move forward.
Walker’s move reportedly startled wind-energy supporters on both sides of the political aisle, since the so-called “wind siting” rules were ironed out during a year of negotiations with all the major stakeholders and approved by a two-thirds, bipartisan majority of lawmakers during the legislative session immediately preceding the state’s GOP takeover.
by jboullion | Dec 16, 2011 | Uncategorized
An article by Danielle Endvick in The Country Today:
The turbine foundations have been built and basic infrastructure is in place for Wisconsin’s first community wind project.
Cashton Greens Wind Farm, set to begin operation this spring near Highway 27 southwest of Cashton in Monroe County, is expected to generate nearly 5 megawatts of energy, enough to power 1,000 Cashton homes annually.
The $11 million renewable energy project is a collaborative effort of the Village of Cashton, Gundersen Lutheran Health System and Organic Valley, the nation’s largest cooperative of organic farmers.
Cecil Wright, Organic Valley director of sustainability, said planning on the wind farm, which is being erected on land near the cooperative’s distribution center, began in 2008.
“It’s taken a lot of discussion and a lot of learning,” he said.
The project is one of several Organic Valley has spearheaded in an effort to gain energy independence. Others included the use of biodiesel in its truck fleet, solar photovoltaic windows in its headquarters and solar hot water panels in its cheese packaging plant and cafe.
The cooperative also encourages energy efficiency for its members through an On-Farm Sustainability Program.
“Our farmers and board have always wanted us to be responsible and get involved in renewable energy,” Wright said. “Climate change is real for us, there’s no doubt about that. Our farmers get that, our organization gets it, our consumers get it.”
Electricity generated from Cashton Green’s two commercial-scale turbines will flow into the Cashton power grid. The village invested in the wind farm’s infrastructure.
As developers and owners of Cashton Greens, Organic Valley and Gundersen will receive income per kilowatt hour generated. Through a renewable energy contract with the Upper Midwest Municipal Power Agency, the two companies will buy back energy to offset their footprints.
“We’ll turn around and buy it back after it goes through the system,” Wright said, “but the actual electrons will be used by the village.”
The partner companies will benefit from renewable energy credits.
Wright said the wind farm will allow Organic Valley to hedge rising energy costs.
“As the price of electric goes up, our project revenue will go up with it,” he said.
A pre-project performance study suggested a pay-off point of 20 years, he said.
“If the cost of electricity goes up, it should more than pay for itself in that time,” he said.
A plan for independence
Cashton Greens is one step in a long-term plan to make Gundersen Lutheran energy independent by 2014.
Corey Zarecki, director of engineering and operations for Envision, Gundersen’s renewable energy program, said the health care system has aggressively worked toward that goal since 2008.
“Within the first 18 months, we improved energy efficiency by 20 percent,” he said.
Zarecki said Gundersen’s interest in renewable energy was spurred by increasing utility costs.
In 2007, the system’s energy costs were increasing at a rate of more than $350,000 per year.
“Those costs were translating as higher health care costs,” Zarecki said. “We chose to do something about it.”
The resulting renewable energy program has led to implementation of solar and biomass electric, a heat and power partnership with a local brewery, and an Onalaska landfill gas energy project that will be operational in 2012.
Gundersen is also tied to a similar wind farm site near Lewiston, Minn., that should be running by New Year’s, Zarecki said.
“Our overall goal with Envision is to be both ‘green’ and ‘green,’ ” he said. “We want to reduce the cost of health care while being green from the environmental perspective and the financial perspective.”
Most Envision projects have had paybacks of five to 10 years, Zarecki said.
The health care provider is invested in improving the communities it serves, he said.
“If you think about a hospital, we’ve been the community for 100 years,” he said, “and we hope to be in the community for longer than that, into the future.”
With the wind farm and completion of recent solar projects, Wright said renewable energy will account for 10 percent of energy usage at the Organic Valley headquarters.
The wind farm will also serve as a living lab for students from the Western Technical College of La Crosse.
Wright and Zarecki said they hope Cashton Greens sets an example.
“Most wind projects are done by developers or utilities,” Wright said. “It’s a little more unusual for companies and a community to get together.”
Michels Corporation, a Brownsville-based contractor will install the turbines.
The partners are anxious to see the turbines at work.
“The tower and blades will show up in February, and we’ll begin installation in March,” Wright said. “We’re hoping to have things turning by May.”
by jboullion | Dec 16, 2011 | Uncategorized
An article by Danielle Endvick in The Country Today:
The turbine foundations have been built and basic infrastructure is in place for Wisconsin’s first community wind project.
Cashton Greens Wind Farm, set to begin operation this spring near Highway 27 southwest of Cashton in Monroe County, is expected to generate nearly 5 megawatts of energy, enough to power 1,000 Cashton homes annually.
The $11 million renewable energy project is a collaborative effort of the Village of Cashton, Gundersen Lutheran Health System and Organic Valley, the nation’s largest cooperative of organic farmers.
Cecil Wright, Organic Valley director of sustainability, said planning on the wind farm, which is being erected on land near the cooperative’s distribution center, began in 2008.
“It’s taken a lot of discussion and a lot of learning,” he said.
The project is one of several Organic Valley has spearheaded in an effort to gain energy independence. Others included the use of biodiesel in its truck fleet, solar photovoltaic windows in its headquarters and solar hot water panels in its cheese packaging plant and cafe.
The cooperative also encourages energy efficiency for its members through an On-Farm Sustainability Program.
“Our farmers and board have always wanted us to be responsible and get involved in renewable energy,” Wright said. “Climate change is real for us, there’s no doubt about that. Our farmers get that, our organization gets it, our consumers get it.”
Electricity generated from Cashton Green’s two commercial-scale turbines will flow into the Cashton power grid. The village invested in the wind farm’s infrastructure.
As developers and owners of Cashton Greens, Organic Valley and Gundersen will receive income per kilowatt hour generated. Through a renewable energy contract with the Upper Midwest Municipal Power Agency, the two companies will buy back energy to offset their footprints.
“We’ll turn around and buy it back after it goes through the system,” Wright said, “but the actual electrons will be used by the village.”
The partner companies will benefit from renewable energy credits.
Wright said the wind farm will allow Organic Valley to hedge rising energy costs.
“As the price of electric goes up, our project revenue will go up with it,” he said.
A pre-project performance study suggested a pay-off point of 20 years, he said.
“If the cost of electricity goes up, it should more than pay for itself in that time,” he said.
A plan for independence
Cashton Greens is one step in a long-term plan to make Gundersen Lutheran energy independent by 2014.
Corey Zarecki, director of engineering and operations for Envision, Gundersen’s renewable energy program, said the health care system has aggressively worked toward that goal since 2008.
“Within the first 18 months, we improved energy efficiency by 20 percent,” he said.
Zarecki said Gundersen’s interest in renewable energy was spurred by increasing utility costs.
In 2007, the system’s energy costs were increasing at a rate of more than $350,000 per year.
“Those costs were translating as higher health care costs,” Zarecki said. “We chose to do something about it.”
The resulting renewable energy program has led to implementation of solar and biomass electric, a heat and power partnership with a local brewery, and an Onalaska landfill gas energy project that will be operational in 2012.
Gundersen is also tied to a similar wind farm site near Lewiston, Minn., that should be running by New Year’s, Zarecki said.
“Our overall goal with Envision is to be both ‘green’ and ‘green,’ ” he said. “We want to reduce the cost of health care while being green from the environmental perspective and the financial perspective.”
Most Envision projects have had paybacks of five to 10 years, Zarecki said.
The health care provider is invested in improving the communities it serves, he said.
“If you think about a hospital, we’ve been the community for 100 years,” he said, “and we hope to be in the community for longer than that, into the future.”
With the wind farm and completion of recent solar projects, Wright said renewable energy will account for 10 percent of energy usage at the Organic Valley headquarters.
The wind farm will also serve as a living lab for students from the Western Technical College of La Crosse.
Wright and Zarecki said they hope Cashton Greens sets an example.
“Most wind projects are done by developers or utilities,” Wright said. “It’s a little more unusual for companies and a community to get together.”
Michels Corporation, a Brownsville-based contractor will install the turbines.
The partners are anxious to see the turbines at work.
“The tower and blades will show up in February, and we’ll begin installation in March,” Wright said. “We’re hoping to have things turning by May.”
by Ed Blume | Dec 11, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Rick Chamberlin in Midwest Energy News:
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP, Wis. — When the 31 Vestas wind turbines in
northeast Kewaunee County, Wisconsin began producing electricity in the
summer of 1999, a moderate Republican named Tommy Thompson was a few
months into his fourth term as governor. Relative peace reigned between
the parties in the legislature, statewide unemployment was at a record
low and the Dow had just topped 10,000 for the first time.
But in Lincoln and Red River townships, where the turbines were
erected, the climate was anything but mild. Residents’ tempers had been
flaring since before April 1998 when Madison Gas & Electric (MGE)
hosted the first meetings in the community about its plans to build 11.2
megawatts of wind power in the area. Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), a
Green Bay-based utility, had also announced its intention to build a
large-scale wind farm in the area.
Despite the heat, the two utilities found more than enough landowners
in the two towns willing to host all 31 turbines, and the town boards
soon voted to approve conditional use permits for the projects. But
pressure from several vocal landowners convinced the Lincoln town board
in February of 1999 to amend its zoning ordinance to require board
affirmation of all applications for future conditional use permits. A
few months later, both townships adopted 18-month moratoriums on future
wind farm sitings.
“We had some real knock-down-drag-outs,” said Mick Sagrillo, who
chaired a committee charged with evaluating the impact of the projects
on residents and proposing any changes to the permit process. More than
anything, Sagrillo said, people feared change. . . .
A 2003 study
by the Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP) found “no significant
evidence that the presence of the wind farms had a negative effect on
residential property values” in the communities closest to the Kewaunee
County turbines. . . .
When asked if dollars promised to landowners and the townships have
materialized, Jerabek said, “I haven’t had any landowners complain that
they haven’t received their lease payment.”
An excellent video tells the same story.
by jboullion | Dec 9, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The Forest County Potawatomi Tribe is proposing to build an $18.5 million biogas energy project adjacent to its Menomonee Valley casino.
The renewable energy plan calls for construction of an anaerobic digester that would produce both electricity as well as heat that would provide for hot water and heating to the casino.
The digester would produce gas from wastes produced by the food processing industry, the Potatatomi said in a proposal filed with the City of Milwaukee.
The tribe estimated the project would create 61 construction jobs and five full-time jobs. If all approvals are obtained, construction would begin in late spring and be completed by early spring in 2013.
The facility would be located one block west of the casino on the site of what is now a parking lot for casino employees. The tribe says it has ample parking at the casino and that the development would not result in additional street parking.
The tribe was awarded a $2.5 million grant for a variety of renewable energy projects from the U.S. Department of Energy. This project would be funded, as well as a recently completed solar installation at the tribe’s administration building in Milwaukee and renewable energy projects that are in the planning stage on the tribe’s reservation in northern Wisconsin.
Under the proposal, the biogas project would generate 2 megawatts of electricity, which would be sold to We Energies. That is enough power to supply about 1,500 typical homes. The project would include heat recovery equipment to proivde heat and hot water for the digesters themselves as well as excess heat that would be used to supply heat and hot water to the casino.
by jboullion | Dec 8, 2011 | Uncategorized
For immediate release
December 7, 2011
More information
Michael Vickerman
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
Leslie Glustrom, research director of Colorado-based Clean Energy Action, and an unwavering critic of utility reliance on coal for electricity generation, will be the featured speaker at RENEW Wisconsin’s Energy Policy Summit.
The Summit will be held on Friday, January 13, 2012, at the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Pyle Center located on the UW-Madison campus. Summit attendees will spend the day discussing and selecting renewable energy strategies that make sense in the current political environment in Wisconsin. More information on the Summit can be found on the RENEW Wisconsin website at http://www.renewwisconsin.org.
As research director, Glustrom authored in 2009 an extensively referenced report on U.S. coal supplies titled, “Coal—Cheap and Abundant—Or Is It? Why Americans Should Stop Assuming that the US has a 200-Year Supply of Coal,” available for free at http://www.cleanenergyaction.org.
Since 2009, Glustrom has traveled to numerous states helping them to understand the likely constraints on their coal supplies.
Glustrom’s on-going research illuminates a future in which coal prices will likely continue to escalate, driven by a combination of less accessible coal supplies, increasing demand from Asian countries, and rising diesel fuel costs for hauling coal to distant markets like Wisconsin.
Clean Energy Action is spearheading a campaign to shut down Colorado’s coal-fired power plants and replace them with locally generated renewable electricity.
“Leslie’s experiences with Clean Energy Action can help Wisconsin renewable energy advocates formulate effective strategies for 2012 and beyond,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide sustainable energy advocacy organization headquartered in Madison.
“Even though Colorado is a coal-producing state, it has adopted some of the most aggressive policies in the country for advancing renewable energy,” said Vickerman. “Colorado’s commitment to clean energy is driving its economy at a time when its coal output is diminishing. For example, Vestas, the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines with four plants employing 1,700 people in Colorado, supplied 90 turbines this year to Wisconsin’s largest wind project, the Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County.”
“Leslie will inspire us to reverse the retreat from renewables and retake the initiative going forward,” Vickerman said.
In Boulder, Glustrom was part of the team that led the successful 2010 and 2011 ballot initiatives allowing Boulder to move ahead with plans to municipalize and break away from the long term commitment to coal plants made by their incumbent utility, Xcel Energy.
— END —
by jboullion | Dec 8, 2011 | Uncategorized
For immediate release
December 7, 2011
More information
Michael Vickerman
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
Leslie Glustrom, research director of Colorado-based Clean Energy Action, and an unwavering critic of utility reliance on coal for electricity generation, will be the featured speaker at RENEW Wisconsin’s Energy Policy Summit.
The Summit will be held on Friday, January 13, 2012, at the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Pyle Center located on the UW-Madison campus. Summit attendees will spend the day discussing and selecting renewable energy strategies that make sense in the current political environment in Wisconsin. More information on the Summit can be found on the RENEW Wisconsin website at http://www.renewwisconsin.org.
As research director, Glustrom authored in 2009 an extensively referenced report on U.S. coal supplies titled, “Coal—Cheap and Abundant—Or Is It? Why Americans Should Stop Assuming that the US has a 200-Year Supply of Coal,” available for free at http://www.cleanenergyaction.org.
Since 2009, Glustrom has traveled to numerous states helping them to understand the likely constraints on their coal supplies.
Glustrom’s on-going research illuminates a future in which coal prices will likely continue to escalate, driven by a combination of less accessible coal supplies, increasing demand from Asian countries, and rising diesel fuel costs for hauling coal to distant markets like Wisconsin.
Clean Energy Action is spearheading a campaign to shut down Colorado’s coal-fired power plants and replace them with locally generated renewable electricity.
“Leslie’s experiences with Clean Energy Action can help Wisconsin renewable energy advocates formulate effective strategies for 2012 and beyond,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide sustainable energy advocacy organization headquartered in Madison.
“Even though Colorado is a coal-producing state, it has adopted some of the most aggressive policies in the country for advancing renewable energy,” said Vickerman. “Colorado’s commitment to clean energy is driving its economy at a time when its coal output is diminishing. For example, Vestas, the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines with four plants employing 1,700 people in Colorado, supplied 90 turbines this year to Wisconsin’s largest wind project, the Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County.”
“Leslie will inspire us to reverse the retreat from renewables and retake the initiative going forward,” Vickerman said.
In Boulder, Glustrom was part of the team that led the successful 2010 and 2011 ballot initiatives allowing Boulder to move ahead with plans to municipalize and break away from the long term commitment to coal plants made by their incumbent utility, Xcel Energy.
— END —
by jboullion | Dec 8, 2011 | Uncategorized
For immediate release
December 7, 2011
More information
Michael Vickerman
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
Leslie Glustrom, research director of Colorado-based Clean Energy Action, and an unwavering critic of utility reliance on coal for electricity generation, will be the featured speaker at RENEW Wisconsin’s Energy Policy Summit.
The Summit will be held on Friday, January 13, 2012, at the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Pyle Center located on the UW-Madison campus. Summit attendees will spend the day discussing and selecting renewable energy strategies that make sense in the current political environment in Wisconsin. More information on the Summit can be found on the RENEW Wisconsin website at http://www.renewwisconsin.org.
As research director, Glustrom authored in 2009 an extensively referenced report on U.S. coal supplies titled, “Coal—Cheap and Abundant—Or Is It? Why Americans Should Stop Assuming that the US has a 200-Year Supply of Coal,” available for free at http://www.cleanenergyaction.org.
Since 2009, Glustrom has traveled to numerous states helping them to understand the likely constraints on their coal supplies.
Glustrom’s on-going research illuminates a future in which coal prices will likely continue to escalate, driven by a combination of less accessible coal supplies, increasing demand from Asian countries, and rising diesel fuel costs for hauling coal to distant markets like Wisconsin.
Clean Energy Action is spearheading a campaign to shut down Colorado’s coal-fired power plants and replace them with locally generated renewable electricity.
“Leslie’s experiences with Clean Energy Action can help Wisconsin renewable energy advocates formulate effective strategies for 2012 and beyond,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide sustainable energy advocacy organization headquartered in Madison.
“Even though Colorado is a coal-producing state, it has adopted some of the most aggressive policies in the country for advancing renewable energy,” said Vickerman. “Colorado’s commitment to clean energy is driving its economy at a time when its coal output is diminishing. For example, Vestas, the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines with four plants employing 1,700 people in Colorado, supplied 90 turbines this year to Wisconsin’s largest wind project, the Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County.”
“Leslie will inspire us to reverse the retreat from renewables and retake the initiative going forward,” Vickerman said.
In Boulder, Glustrom was part of the team that led the successful 2010 and 2011 ballot initiatives allowing Boulder to move ahead with plans to municipalize and break away from the long term commitment to coal plants made by their incumbent utility, Xcel Energy.
— END —
by jboullion | Dec 8, 2011 | Uncategorized
For immediate release
December 7, 2011
More information
Michael Vickerman
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
Leslie Glustrom, research director of Colorado-based Clean Energy Action, and an unwavering critic of utility reliance on coal for electricity generation, will be the featured speaker at RENEW Wisconsin’s Energy Policy Summit.
The Summit will be held on Friday, January 13, 2012, at the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Pyle Center located on the UW-Madison campus. Summit attendees will spend the day discussing and selecting renewable energy strategies that make sense in the current political environment in Wisconsin. More information on the Summit can be found on the RENEW Wisconsin website at http://www.renewwisconsin.org.
As research director, Glustrom authored in 2009 an extensively referenced report on U.S. coal supplies titled, “Coal—Cheap and Abundant—Or Is It? Why Americans Should Stop Assuming that the US has a 200-Year Supply of Coal,” available for free at http://www.cleanenergyaction.org.
Since 2009, Glustrom has traveled to numerous states helping them to understand the likely constraints on their coal supplies.
Glustrom’s on-going research illuminates a future in which coal prices will likely continue to escalate, driven by a combination of less accessible coal supplies, increasing demand from Asian countries, and rising diesel fuel costs for hauling coal to distant markets like Wisconsin.
Clean Energy Action is spearheading a campaign to shut down Colorado’s coal-fired power plants and replace them with locally generated renewable electricity.
“Leslie’s experiences with Clean Energy Action can help Wisconsin renewable energy advocates formulate effective strategies for 2012 and beyond,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide sustainable energy advocacy organization headquartered in Madison.
“Even though Colorado is a coal-producing state, it has adopted some of the most aggressive policies in the country for advancing renewable energy,” said Vickerman. “Colorado’s commitment to clean energy is driving its economy at a time when its coal output is diminishing. For example, Vestas, the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines with four plants employing 1,700 people in Colorado, supplied 90 turbines this year to Wisconsin’s largest wind project, the Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County.”
“Leslie will inspire us to reverse the retreat from renewables and retake the initiative going forward,” Vickerman said.
In Boulder, Glustrom was part of the team that led the successful 2010 and 2011 ballot initiatives allowing Boulder to move ahead with plans to municipalize and break away from the long term commitment to coal plants made by their incumbent utility, Xcel Energy.
— END —
by jboullion | Dec 8, 2011 | Uncategorized
For immediate release
December 7, 2011
More information
Michael Vickerman
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
Leslie Glustrom, research director of Colorado-based Clean Energy Action, and an unwavering critic of utility reliance on coal for electricity generation, will be the featured speaker at RENEW Wisconsin’s Energy Policy Summit.
The Summit will be held on Friday, January 13, 2012, at the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Pyle Center located on the UW-Madison campus. Summit attendees will spend the day discussing and selecting renewable energy strategies that make sense in the current political environment in Wisconsin. More information on the Summit can be found on the RENEW Wisconsin website at http://www.renewwisconsin.org.
As research director, Glustrom authored in 2009 an extensively referenced report on U.S. coal supplies titled, “Coal—Cheap and Abundant—Or Is It? Why Americans Should Stop Assuming that the US has a 200-Year Supply of Coal,” available for free at http://www.cleanenergyaction.org.
Since 2009, Glustrom has traveled to numerous states helping them to understand the likely constraints on their coal supplies.
Glustrom’s on-going research illuminates a future in which coal prices will likely continue to escalate, driven by a combination of less accessible coal supplies, increasing demand from Asian countries, and rising diesel fuel costs for hauling coal to distant markets like Wisconsin.
Clean Energy Action is spearheading a campaign to shut down Colorado’s coal-fired power plants and replace them with locally generated renewable electricity.
“Leslie’s experiences with Clean Energy Action can help Wisconsin renewable energy advocates formulate effective strategies for 2012 and beyond,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide sustainable energy advocacy organization headquartered in Madison.
“Even though Colorado is a coal-producing state, it has adopted some of the most aggressive policies in the country for advancing renewable energy,” said Vickerman. “Colorado’s commitment to clean energy is driving its economy at a time when its coal output is diminishing. For example, Vestas, the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines with four plants employing 1,700 people in Colorado, supplied 90 turbines this year to Wisconsin’s largest wind project, the Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County.”
“Leslie will inspire us to reverse the retreat from renewables and retake the initiative going forward,” Vickerman said.
In Boulder, Glustrom was part of the team that led the successful 2010 and 2011 ballot initiatives allowing Boulder to move ahead with plans to municipalize and break away from the long term commitment to coal plants made by their incumbent utility, Xcel Energy.
— END —
