by jboullion | Nov 18, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Mary Juhl in the La Crosse Tribune:
WINONA, Minn. – The Wisconsin Public Service Commission isn’t convinced the La Crosse-area population will increase enough to justify a proposed $450 million, 345-kilovolt transmission line.
The proposed CapX2020 line would extend about 150 miles from Hampton, Minn., to the La Crosse area, crossing the Mississippi River at Alma and ending at a new substation near Holmen. Construction would begin in 2013, with the line in service by 2015.
The Public Service Commission, a state regulatory agency, released a preliminary review of the project this week that questioned some CapX2020 projections.
“The applicants state that the growing demand for electricity in the La Crosse/Winona area would exceed the capabilities of the existing electrical system to deliver power reliably under contingency conditions,” the agency stated in its report. “At this time, that conclusion is still being questioned.”
CapX2020 officials have projected the demand for electricity in the Winona and La Crosse area to increase significantly over the next 20 years, by 1.7 percent annually. Referencing its own data, the Public Service Commission says that estimate is high because projected population growth has slowed.
by jboullion | Nov 17, 2011 | Uncategorized
A news release from RENEW:
Construction is now proceeding on the Cashton Greens Wind Project, Wisconsin’s first community wind project. Consisting of two 2.5 megawatt turbines, this innovative installation will serve two well-known western Wisconsin organizations – Organic Valley, La Farge, and Gundersen Health System, La Crosse. The two organizations are partnering in the development and ownership of this project.
“We at RENEW salute Organic Valley and Gundersen for demonstrating the viability of a large-scale wind turbine project in Wisconsin as a strategy for controlling their energy expenses and reducing their reliance on fossil fuels, said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide sustainable energy advocacy organization headquartered in Madison.
According to the two companies, the generated electricity will account for five percent of Gundersen’s energy independence goal and more than offset the electricity usage at both Organic Valley’s distribution center in Cashton and its headquarters facilities in La Farge.
“This is leadership by example at its finest. In this case, two economic linchpins in their region have joined forces to incorporate on-site renewable energy production into their base operations,” said Vickerman.
“Organic Valley and Gundersen join a group of farsighted Wisconsin businesses that are taking great strides toward energy independence and sustainability, among them Epic Systems (Verona), Johnson Controls (Milwaukee), and Montchevré, a goat cheese producer in Belmont.”
Erecting wind turbines using in-state contractors, in this case Michels Corporation (Brownsville), will generate jobs for workers and business for local suppliers and subcontractors.
This project was supported with incentives from Focus on Energy, the statewide energy efficiency and renewables program funded by Wisconsin’s utility ratepayers.
“Ironically, this project occurs at a time when our state government is back-pedaling on policies and incentives to boost renewable energy as a means of moving toward energy independence. In contrast to Wisconsin’s elected officials, leading Wisconsin companies certainly ʽget it’ when it comes to the economic and environmental values of renewable energy,” said Vickerman.
For more information about this project and its owners/developers visit Organic Valley’s news room at http://www.organicvalley.coop/newsroom.
by jboullion | Nov 17, 2011 | Uncategorized
A news release from RENEW:
Construction is now proceeding on the Cashton Greens Wind Project, Wisconsin’s first community wind project. Consisting of two 2.5 megawatt turbines, this innovative installation will serve two well-known western Wisconsin organizations – Organic Valley, La Farge, and Gundersen Health System, La Crosse. The two organizations are partnering in the development and ownership of this project.
“We at RENEW salute Organic Valley and Gundersen for demonstrating the viability of a large-scale wind turbine project in Wisconsin as a strategy for controlling their energy expenses and reducing their reliance on fossil fuels, said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide sustainable energy advocacy organization headquartered in Madison.
According to the two companies, the generated electricity will account for five percent of Gundersen’s energy independence goal and more than offset the electricity usage at both Organic Valley’s distribution center in Cashton and its headquarters facilities in La Farge.
“This is leadership by example at its finest. In this case, two economic linchpins in their region have joined forces to incorporate on-site renewable energy production into their base operations,” said Vickerman.
“Organic Valley and Gundersen join a group of farsighted Wisconsin businesses that are taking great strides toward energy independence and sustainability, among them Epic Systems (Verona), Johnson Controls (Milwaukee), and Montchevré, a goat cheese producer in Belmont.”
Erecting wind turbines using in-state contractors, in this case Michels Corporation (Brownsville), will generate jobs for workers and business for local suppliers and subcontractors.
This project was supported with incentives from Focus on Energy, the statewide energy efficiency and renewables program funded by Wisconsin’s utility ratepayers.
“Ironically, this project occurs at a time when our state government is back-pedaling on policies and incentives to boost renewable energy as a means of moving toward energy independence. In contrast to Wisconsin’s elected officials, leading Wisconsin companies certainly ʽget it’ when it comes to the economic and environmental values of renewable energy,” said Vickerman.
For more information about this project and its owners/developers visit Organic Valley’s news room at http://www.organicvalley.coop/newsroom.
by jboullion | Nov 16, 2011 | Uncategorized
From a news release from Organic Valley issued on November 14:
Organic Valley, the nation’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and a leading organic brand, and Gundersen Health System today announced construction has begun on the Cashton Greens Wind Farm, Wisconsin’s first community wind project. This collaborative project will feature two wind turbines expected to generate nearly 5 megawatts of energy for Cashton’s power grid—enough to power 1,000 homes each year. The energy produced will more than offset electricity used at Organic Valley’s Cashton Distribution Center and its La Farge headquarters facilities, and represents about five percent of Gundersen’s energy independence goal.
“Fostering strong, sustainable rural communities is key to who we are,” said George Siemon, founding farmer and C-E-I-E-I-O of Organic Valley. “We’re particularly proud to establish a long-term renewable energy source right here in the Cashton area, which is not only a sustainable solution for our community, but hopefully also an example for other communities.”
The Cashton Greens Wind Farm is the first commercial scale project of its kind in Wisconsin. Wind farms typically are owned by utility or wind development companies, but as developers and owners of the Cashton Greens Wind Farm, Organic Valley and Gundersen will receive income per kilowatt hour (kWh) generated. Organic Valley will buy back its portion of energy to offset its footprint through a renewable energy contract with the villages of Cashton and La Farge.
“Gundersen Health System is pleased to be entering into this partnership with Organic Valley,” says Jeff Rich, executive director, GL Envision, LLC. “The wind farm project is a great thing for our patients and for the community. By reducing our energy costs, we can eventually pass the savings on to our patients in the form of lower healthcare costs. In addition, the project creates local construction jobs and has a positive impact on the health of the environment, too. It is a win-win all around.”
Roads, foundations, the electrical collection system, and an operation and maintenance facility for the Cashton Greens Wind Farm will be completed this year, and the turbines are scheduled for installation in spring 2012 by Michels Corporation, a Brownsville, Wis.-based utility, engineering, design and construction contractor.
by jboullion | Nov 15, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Sharif Durhams in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Maybe the cash rebates are responsible for the uptick in interest in a City of Milwaukee program designed to help consumers pay for energy-saving home improvements.
Or maybe it was just a cold snap.
In any case, the number of city residents signing up for the Milwaukee Energy Efficiency program, known as Me2, is picking up after a slow start. The program, financed by a federal stimulus grant, has a goal of getting at least 4,500 buildings retrofitted with insulation, more efficient furnaces and other green improvements over the next two years.
So far about a tenth of that number of homeowners – 444 – have paid for the $100 energy assessments that are required for the program since it launched early this year. Ninety-three homeowners have completed the recommended upgrades or are making them.
“Nothing is as fast as you’d like it to be, of course, but we’re getting some pickup,” said Dan Milbrandt, the chief lending officer for Summit Credit Union.
The credit union, which is providing low-interest loans for the home improvements, has a potential lending pool of $30 million for the program. So far, the credit union has signed off on $260,000 in loans, a figure Milbrandt said bank officials expected to hit this summer.
Since then, the partners in the program – the city, Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp. and Summit – have better coordinated their efforts, Milbrandt said. And the program has added incentives.
Now, anyone who invests at least $2,500 in energy improvements gets a $500 rebate from Me2. Those who make at least $5,000 in improvements get $1,000 back. To get in on the deal, participants have to sign up with a participating contractor and commit to making the improvements by the end of the year, said Erick Shambarger of the City of Milwaukee’s Office of Environmental Sustainability.
by jboullion | Nov 11, 2011 | Uncategorized
by jboullion | Nov 11, 2011 | Uncategorized
by jboullion | Nov 11, 2011 | Uncategorized
by jboullion | Nov 11, 2011 | Uncategorized
by jboullion | Nov 10, 2011 | Uncategorized
From a a story by Tim Morrissey of Public News Service:
SPRING VALLEY, Wis. – Increasing numbers of Wisconsin farmers are cutting their power bills and reducing their carbon footprints by switching to alternative sources of energy.
Harriet Behar, an organic specialist with the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), says farmers use a lot of energy in producing food.
“From grinding feed to heating hot water in a milk-house to just cleaning grain, fixing machinery – all kinds of things that are done on farms that use energy, and they pay pretty hefty electric bills.”
A typical monthly electric bill for the average farm can run $300 to $400. Behar says she is seeing a trend of farmers using several forms of alternative energy.
“Solar photovoltaics for electricity; wind for electricity; and then solar hot-water heating, and biodiesel, where they grow a crop and use that as fuel.”
MOSES, Behar says, is involved in helping farmers make the transition to cleaner forms of energy.
“We’ve had workshops at our Organic University and also at the Organic Farming Conference, both on looking at alternative sources of energy.”
Some state and federal grants and programs are available to help farmers develop alternative energy sources, but Behar says many decide to do it on their own.
“Even without government funding, they have participated more in this, because they like making that investment in their infrastructure on the farm, for a kind of long-term sustainability.”
