by jboullion | Aug 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an announcement made by Focus on Energy:
Two FREE opportunities to see how farms are using new technologies and how they have made their operations more energy efficient.
What does being energy efficient mean? Focus on Energy has helped more than
3,000 farms in Wisconsin save thousands of dollars on their energy bills. Saving energy isn’t the only benefit, increased productivity and higher profits are also realized.
Visit two farms — Pfaff’s Prairie Diary, Melrose, and Ted Janke Farm, Histon — to see two perspectives on using technologies to save energy and money!
by jboullion | Aug 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an editorial in the Wisconsin State Journal:
Wisconsin should ask tough questions about the need and price tag for a major, high-voltage power line stretching from the Madison area to La Crosse.
But Wisconsin also should keep an open mind as public input is sought.
Our state relies on a huge amount of imported energy. The new line would boost reliability and provide access to more of the wholesale electricity market. That could save Wisconsin ratepayers money.
The 150-mile, 345-kilovolt line also could give Wisconsin greater access to renewable wind energy generated in Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Dane County isn’t getting any smaller. Our population will soon top a half million people. Though using energy more efficiently must remain a high priority, so must economic growth and jobs.
The American Transmission Co. just gained permission for a similar high-voltage line around Madison along the Beltline to boost reliability and capacity. The company plans to begin construction of the local line next year. The Rockdale-West Middleton line succeeded in part because of an open process of meetings and information that made the case for action.
ATC is now pledging to similarly engage the public as it seeks what’s being called the Badger Coulee Transmission Line project. The path of the power line is unclear. It could follow the interstate or veer more southwest toward Reedsburg, Richland Center and Viroqua.
Putting up new power lines always comes with controversy when property owners don’t want the tall poles passing by — or through — their land. Yet the potential good to the state’s economy sometimes takes precedent.
That’s why a careful and fair assessment of the proposal is so important.
by jboullion | Aug 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Stefanie Scott in Wauwatosa Today:
Program outlines steps to energy improvements
Going green may seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t require saving the world or even making major lifestyle changes overnight.
A new Green Neighbor Program – a collaboration of the city’s Energy Committee, local Sierra Club chapter and Renew Wisconsin – encourages residents to start small and look at energy usage within their households.
The program aims “to get people to think about energy efficiency and the environmental impact in their own homes and what specific actions they can take to for improvement,” said John Bahr, chairman of the committee’s Energy Efficiency efforts.
One-on-one advice
Free home energy-efficiency consultations will be offered Aug. 18 at Wauwatosa Public Library. Professionals from the energy and home improvement fields and experienced homeowners will meet one-on-one with interested residents.
Consultants will address problems areas such as drafts, cold spots and high heating bills. Then they will discuss typical solutions such as do-it-yourself projects or appliance purchases that may qualify for tax credits or rebates.
Homeowners should bring a recent utility bill or WE Energies account number so consultants can review energy expenses and compare them with typical expenses for similar-sized homes in the area, Program Coordinator Michael Arney said.
“The homeowner benefits by having a more comfortable home and lower energy bills,” Arney said. “Energy efficiency increases property values and, on the broadest level, it reduces our fossil fuel dependency and our carbon emissions.”
Consultations are meant to serve as a starting point.
by jboullion | Aug 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article in Brookfield Now by Aaron Martin:
But supporters laud vision for balanced travel system
Is it high-speed rail or a runaway freight train?
That depends who you ask, but Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials had their hands full Tuesday night fielding fevered questions from about 170 people who attended a forum on the proposed $8 billion initiative to connect Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and the Twin Cities.
Brookfield is one of three communities on the Madison-Milwaukee line targeted to host a passenger station. A $17.9 million station is proposed to be along Brookfield Road, near River Road, in Brookfield’s Village Area.
Donna Brown, DOT passenger rail planning manager, said environmental studies for the stations will soon be completed. The next step is final station site selection, followed by engineering and design. Construction could begin as soon as January, and the rail could be up and running in 2013.
The DOT anticipates 128,611 people would pass through Brookfield’s station in its first year, and more than 145,000 by 2020. A ticket from Brookfield to Madison would cost $70 roundtrip, and a ticket to Chicago would cost $97.
Charlie Webb of the DOT said early estimates indicate it would cost about $30,000 a year to maintain a station in Brookfield.
“That’s snow removal, cleanup around the station, mowing the grass,” he said. “Certainly there are opportunities for the city to offset that.”
Strong opposition
Patti Mealins of West Allis said federal and state finances are out of control, and the high-speed rail initiative would be a good place to rein in spending.
“I just don’t understand. It’s a waste of taxpayer money, and it’s upsetting. I think most people are against it, but the government doesn’t care. We’re going to get it anyway,” Mealins said.
Many other people who milled about the Brookfield Elementary School gym, reading information off large poster boards and talking with DOT officials, seemed to share Mealins’ frustration.
Someone left a note on a photograph of the proposed rail route that read: “Not with my tax money – use private money. We don’t need the train.”
by jboullion | Aug 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article in the Winona Daily News:
Winona County commissioners approved conditional-use permits Tuesday for a wind farm near Lewiston, Minn., that will be owned by a subsidiary of Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center as part of the company’s efforts to become energy independent by 2014.
The wind project calls for building three 404-foot-tall wind turbines and a substation on a 315-acre farm just north of Lewiston city limits, southwest of County Road 25 and Trestle Drive. Each turbine will have a 262-foot-tall tower, topped by a rotor with a 282-foot diameter blade.
by jboullion | Aug 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
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From Madison Gas and Electric:
It’s magic when kids can learn… and laugh! That’s the goal of the MaGicEnergy show. For years, performer Bob Kann has taken the program into schools and libraries throughout the area.
Watch the story to see how Bob uses magic and comedy to entertain and inspire! See why audiences walk away armed with specific tools to conserve energy and protect the environment.
Interested in bringing MaGicEnergy to your school or library? Click here and tell us about your group.
by jboullion | Aug 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
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From Madison Gas and Electric:
It’s magic when kids can learn… and laugh! That’s the goal of the MaGicEnergy show. For years, performer Bob Kann has taken the program into schools and libraries throughout the area.
Watch the story to see how Bob uses magic and comedy to entertain and inspire! See why audiences walk away armed with specific tools to conserve energy and protect the environment.
Interested in bringing MaGicEnergy to your school or library? Click here and tell us about your group.
by jboullion | Aug 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
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From Madison Gas and Electric:
It’s magic when kids can learn… and laugh! That’s the goal of the MaGicEnergy show. For years, performer Bob Kann has taken the program into schools and libraries throughout the area.
Watch the story to see how Bob uses magic and comedy to entertain and inspire! See why audiences walk away armed with specific tools to conserve energy and protect the environment.
Interested in bringing MaGicEnergy to your school or library? Click here and tell us about your group.
by jboullion | Aug 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Rick Barrett in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
An all-electric version of the Daimler-Benz Smart car has come to Milwaukee, with a limited number of vehicles available for lease starting in October.
The Smart Fortwo electric is the same size as the two-seater Smart car that’s powered by a gasoline engine.
With a standard 220-volt appliance line, you could charge the Smart electric’s lithium-ion batteries to full capacity in eight hours and drive about 80 miles before the battery pack had to be recharged.
Don’t expect neck-snapping performance. The top speed is 62 miles per hour, but the car has a “kick down” mode similar to a passing gear when you floor the gas pedal of a regular automobile.
The Smart electric uses a 30-kilowatt electric motor that generates the equivalent of about 42-horsepower, compared with a 70-horse power gasoline engine in a regular Smart car that uses premium gas and has a top speed of about 90 mph.
Made in France, the Smart electric will make its U.S. debut this fall. Only 250 vehicles will be available, nationwide, for a lease of $599 per month for 48 months. The price takes into account a $7,500 tax credit, which will go to Smart.
Starting in 2012, Daimler-Benz expects to mass produce Smart electrics for sale and lease. The vehicle’s price has not yet been determined, said Derek Kaufman, vice president of business development for Smart USA.
The initial lease program would be too expensive for many consumers. But some early-technology adopters want these cars, Kaufman said, and businesses are likely to lease them to make an eco-friendly statement.
The price will come down in 2012, according to Kaufman.
by jboullion | Aug 2, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Thomas Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The new Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory harnesses solar energy and offers engineering students a way to plug in to powerful possibilities
People seeking training for careers in renewable energy – especially solar power – will benefit from an ambitious project by Milwaukee Area Technical College and local firms.
The project includes a solar charging station for plug-in vehicles, a solar-powered highway sign demonstration and a training area for solar installers and electricians. They’re all built on portable concrete pads.
When it’s completed later this month, the MATC Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory on the east side along the Milwaukee River will become the largest solar installation in the state.
“It’s here to generate power, reduce our carbon footprint, but it’s mainly for training and education,” said Mike Sargent, the college’s chief financial officer and co- chairman of its sustainability committee.
The $7.1 million solar panel project will be a research center for students at MATC, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and other engineering schools.
The reason: Hundreds of sensors linked to the panels will give detailed real-time data about the solar power produced based on factors including temperature, haze, and cloud conditions, said Joe Jacobsen, director of the Center for Energy Conservation and Advanced Manufacturing at MATC.
The project consists of several “fields” of solar panels, all sitting underneath television towers for Milwaukee Public Television and WDJT-TV (Channel 58).
The project showcases a variety of panel designs and technologies – including residential- and commercial-size systems – as well as some new features.
