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.
by jboullion | Jul 30, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article in BizTimes Daily:
The state Department of Transportation will host community workshops next week to discuss the location for the proposed Oconomowoc and Brookfield high speed rail train stations.
The Oconomowoc workshop is scheduled from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 2, at Nature Hill Intermediate School, 850 Lake Dr., Oconomowoc.
The Brookfield workshop is scheduled from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3, at the Brookfield Elementary School, 2530 N. Brookfield Road, Brookfield.
At the workshops, DOT and consultant staff will be available to discuss the proposed train station sites. The DOT says its staff are also interested in hearing from the community on issues of concern to them as planning and environmental studies for the station get underway. The team developing the final design for the rail corridor will also be on hand to receive initial input on corridor issues.
The public is encouraged to attend the meetings, provide input and ask questions concerning the project, the DOT said.
by jboullion | Jul 30, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a story by Colby Robertson on WAOW-TV, Wausau:
WAUSAU (WAOW) — The 142nd annual Wisconsin Valley Fair kicks off next Tuesday, but this years fair is going to be a little greener.
Every night of the Wisconsin Valley Fair, [one of the oldest and largest ag fairs in Wisconsin], features a different free grandstand performance, thousands of fans turn out for some of music’s biggest stars.
This year those performances are going green by using WPS renewable energy to power the musical entertainment.
Kelly Zagrzebski of Wisconsin Public Service says, “You’re not going to see anything different other than its runNATS by green energy and there might be a few banners up, but the actual energy use will be exactly the same, just powered by green power.”
The renewable energy comes through the WPS Naturewise program that’s been selling blocks of renewable energy to customers since 2005.
Zagrzebski says, “As you’re looking at the different sustainability groups and people being more conscious of their energy use and where they’re getting their energy from, it was a great partnership since it is with Naturewise and the fuel we get for it is really through biomass and the use of manure.”
by jboullion | Jul 29, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by in the B. C. Kowalski in the Wausau Daily Herald:
If all goes according to plan, the former Eagle Plumbing building is in for a makeover.
The Stevens Point Plan Commission on Monday will consider allowing a plan to build apartments at 1000 Third St., the former Eagle Plumbing site. The plan also would encompass adjacent property at 941 Portage St.
Arc Central has proposed converting the existing structure into a two-story, eco-friendly apartment building, company co-owner Jim Lucas said.
“Our interest is to build an energy-efficient building,” Lucas said. “The brick walls tend to lend themselves to that.”
Lucas said Arc Central also is considering amenities such as catching rainwater, solar panels, tilled gardens and outdoor bicycle storage.
“I think most building owners want energy-efficient buildings,” Lucas said. “It’s not a matter of promoting green; it’s just a matter of good design. Nationally, more energy is consumed from heating and cooling than transportation.”
by jboullion | Jul 29, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Larry Sandler in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Watertown – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Gov. Jim Doyle on Thursday portrayed a planned Milwaukee-to-Madison high-speed rail line as an unstoppable train that Republican gubernatorial candidates can’t derail.
“High-speed rail is coming to Wisconsin,” LaHood said. “There’s no stopping it.
LaHood was in Watertown to sign an agreement to release $46.7 million of the $810 million in federal stimulus money that Wisconsin is receiving to build the 110-mph line.
That’s the second installment, after a previous $5.7 million payment.
Republican gubernatorial candidates Scott Walker and Mark Neumann have threatened to shut down construction on the line if they’re elected, saying they don’t want taxpayers burdened by operating costs. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the leading Democrat in the governor’s race, backs high-speed rail.
But LaHood, a former Republican congressman now serving in a Democratic administration, brushed those concerns aside, saying high-speed rail is a national program that will survive changes in political leadership.
In a statement, Walker vowed to stop construction of the train if is elected governor.
by jboullion | Jul 28, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Gregg Hoffman on Wisbusiness.com:
Women are playing a more active role than ever in sustainable agriculture and the sustainability field overall, in Wisconsin and elsewhere.
Several of those women gathered at the Organic Valley Country Fair recently in a forum called “Planting fresh seeds: How women are transforming sustainability.”
“The USDA reported a 30 percent increase in women-owned farms,” said Lisa Kivirist, a Kellogg Food & Society Policy Fellow who headed the forum. “Many of these women are in their 40s and 50s, and farming as a second career. They often have roots in agriculture and are returning to them.”
Not all have the roots in farming though. For example, Kivirist and her husband, John Ivanko, were involved in advertising in Chicago and decided they wanted to make a change.
Kivirist runs a farm with her husband, south of Monroe. They also run the Inn Serendipity Bed and Breakfast on the farm. It is completely powered by renewable energy and recently was named one of the “Top Ten Eco-Destinations in North America.”
The inn is named, in part, because of what Kivirist refers to as the “serendipitous diversification” that has been a key to her progress in building a sustainable business and lifestyle. When things have happened, she has adapted.
“For example, when our laundry kept getting blown off the line, we said, ‘it’s windy here’ and decided to put in wind power,” she Kivirist said.
Sustainable agriculture is a natural for women in several ways, Kivirist said. Women across the U.S. are the main food purchasers. Globally, women raise more than 80 percent of the food, while owning in many countries less than 1 percent of the land.
Aimee Witteman used her roots in central Wisconsin to build a career in sustainable agriculture policy. She recently served as executive director of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition in Washington D.C. and was extensively involved in the 2008 Farm Bill debate.
“If you’re interested in connecting humans with nature, agriculture is a natural,” said Witteman, who has returned to the Midwest. “Public policy can be a step toward becoming one with place. We have work to do on those policies.”
by jboullion | Jul 27, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
We Energies’ Valley power plant is a vital link serving the region’s energy needs. That doesn’t mean it can’t run cleaner.
We Energies’ coal-fired Valley power plant isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Nor should it. The plant – about a mile south of downtown Milwaukee in the Menomonee River Valley – meets a vital need in the utility’s energy network and plays a unique role among power plants by producing steam to heat many downtown buildings, helping to keep heating costs stable.
But it is time to clean up the plant and bring it into the 21st century. We Energies is working on that, but anything the utility can do to expedite the process would be helpful. What that will mean is either switching to a new kind of fuel – natural gas – or adding equipment to the plant to clean up its emissions. Both would cost money, and ratepayers will have to pick up the cost.
The utility needs to figure out which is the better option and look for ways to mitigate the cost, but improving air quality is essential to public health and economic development. It’s worth some cost.
As a recent article by Thomas Content and Lee Bergquist made clear, Valley is a plant with a problem. It is We Energies’ oldest power plant that lacks modern emission controls. It thus adds to air pollution in the Milwaukee area, a region with air quality challenges.
by jboullion | Jul 26, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by ATC:
PEWAUKEE, Wis.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Following approximately two years of study and analysis, American Transmission Co. has determined that a 345-kilovolt transmission line from the La Crosse area to the greater Madison area would provide multiple benefits to the state of Wisconsin including improved electric system reliability, economic savings for utilities and energy consumers, and access to additional renewable energy. As it finalizes its evaluation of the multiple benefits of the project, ATC will begin the public outreach efforts on the proposed Badger Coulee Transmission Line and will host a series of open houses this fall with the public and other stakeholders in the 150-mile area from La Crosse to Madison to explore routing options for the new line.
“There are multiple benefit indicators that make the Badger Coulee Transmission Line Project a plus for Wisconsin residents and the Midwest,” says John Procario, ATC president, chairman and chief executive officer. “It’s an exciting new project because it demonstrates multiple benefits. Badger Coulee enhances electric system reliability; it provides direct energy cost savings to electricity users, and it supports the public’s desire for the greater use of renewable energy resources.”
The Badger Coulee Transmission Line will improve electric system reliability in western Wisconsin by providing increased regional electric transfer capability into Wisconsin and alleviating stability issues in the Upper Midwest. ATC’s studies also indicate that building a more efficient high-voltage line offsets the need for approximately $140 million in lower-voltage upgrades in western Wisconsin communities.
The economic benefits of the Badger Coulee Transmission Line include providing utilities with greater access to the wholesale electricity market by reducing energy congestion. A new 345-kV line in western Wisconsin will give utilities greater capability to buy and sell power within the Midwest when it’s economic to do so, and those savings can be passed on to electricity consumers. A 345-kV line also delivers electricity more efficiently than lower voltage or heavily loaded transmission lines and reduces line losses in the delivery of power.
by jboullion | Jul 26, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an editorial in the Wausau Daily Herald:
The debate about the proposed Rothschild biomass plant has at times been a heated one. The proposal would pair a biomass-fueled We Energies electric plant with the existing Domtar paper mill in Rothschild.
The citizens’ group that opposes building that plant, Save Our Air Resources, or SOAR, has at times been openly confrontational toward those its members perceive as wanting to stifle that debate — or those who simply disagree with them.
But SOAR has forced a public conversation about the plant, and that is a good thing.
That conversation continues in today’s Wausau Daily Herald, which includes an in-depth look at the questions raised by biomass opponents, as well as a discussion of the projected benefits — economic and environmental — of the plant.
The Daily Herald’s Editorial Board has met with representatives from We Energies, Domtar and SOAR. We have editorialized in favor of a thorough study of the plant’s environmental impact. We’re proud that the paper has provided a thorough look at the pros and cons of the project.
On balance, we continue to see the substantial, concrete benefits of this project as outweighing the costs, at least some of which seem to have been overstated by biomass opponents.
