by jboullion | Apr 27, 2010 | Uncategorized
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2010
MORE INFORMATION
Michael Vickerman
RENEW Wisconsin
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
Renewable Energy Not Responsible for MGE Rate Increase
Higher costs associated with fossil fuel generation are driving Madison Gas & Electric’s costs higher, according to testimony submitted by company witnesses. The utility filed an application last week with the Public Service Commission (PSC) to collect an additional $32.2 million through a 9% increase in electric rates starting January 2011.
The bulk of the rate increase can be attributed to expenses associated with burning coal to generate electricity. A 22% owner of the 1,020-megawatt (MW) Columbia Generating Station near Portage, Madison Gas & Electric (MGE) and the owner plant owners plan to retrofit the 35-year-old facility to reduce airborne emissions. The cost of Columbia’s environmental retrofit is expected to total $640 million, of which MGE’s share is about $140 million.
MGE also owns an 8% share of the state’s newest coal-fired station, the 1,230-MW Elm Road Generating Station located in Oak Creek. A portion of the proposed rate hike would cover lease payments and other expenses at that plant.
MGE’s application does not attribute any portion of its proposed rate hike to renewable energy sources. However, MGE plans to increase the premium associated with its voluntary Green Power Tomorrow program from 1.25 cents per kilowatt-hour to 2 cents. RENEW estimates that the premium hike will collect more than $1 million in 2011 from the approximately 10,000 customers participating in the program.
According to the utility’s web site, 10% of MGE’s electric customers purchase some or all of their electricity from renewable resources. Moreover, Green Power Tomorrow has the second highest participation rate of all investor-owned utilities in the country according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Not surprisingly, MGE anticipates subscribership in Green Power Tomorrow to decrease if the PSC approves the higher premium. Currently, the program accounts for about 5% of total electric sales. Program subscribers include the City of Madison, State of Wisconsin, Dane County Regional Airport, Madison West High School, Goodman Community Center and Home Savings Bank.
According to MGE, sinking fossil fuel prices have widened the difference between wholesale power costs and the cost of supplying customers with renewable energy. However, it is worth remembering that the cost of supplying power from MGE’s renewable energy assets, such as its Rosiere installation in Kewaunee County and Top of Iowa project, did not increase last year and will not increase in the foreseeable future.
“Even though the cost of MGE’s windpower supplies is not going up, Green Power Tomorrow customers will take a double hit if the PSC approves this rate increase and request for higher premiums,” said RENEW Wisconsin executive Director Michael Vickerman. “It’s a ‘heads-I-win-tails-you-lose’ proposition that will wind up rewarding customers who drop out of the renewable energy program because coal is cheaper.”
“It would be short-sighted to penalize renewable energy purchasers just because fossil fuel prices are in a temporary slump,” Vickerman said. “But if MGE is allowed to institute this penalty at the same time it imposes the cost of cleaning up an older coal-fired generator on all of its customers, including its Green Power Tomorrow subscribers, it would have a profoundly negative impact on the renewable energy marketplace going forward.”
“This is the wrong time to be throwing up barriers to renewable energy development. We at RENEW will fight proposals that reward fossil fuel use and penalize renewable energy,” Vickerman added.
END
RENEW Wisconsin (
www.renewwisconsin.org) is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that acts as a catalyst to advance a sustainable energy future through public policy and private sector initiatives.
by jboullion | Apr 27, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Robert Imrie in the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune:
ROTHSCHILD — The Wisconsin Paper Council announced Monday that it will support a planned $255 million wood-burning power plant at a Rothschild paper mill.
“We are happy to join in and give it a thumbs up,” WPC Vice President Earl Gustafson said in a telephone interview from Appleton. “From what we have seen so far, it looks like a good plan.”
The Paper Council, which represents 20 paper mills including Domtar and dozens of other suppliers of goods and services to the industry, has asked to participate in state regulatory proceedings on the project.
We Energies has applied to the state Public Service Commission to build Wisconsin’s first biomass power plant on the grounds of the Domtar paper mill along Business Highway 51. A decision is expected by the end of the year, and neighbors of the mill are seeking to stop the project because of concerns about noise, traffic, aesthetics and pollution.
In seeking “intervener status” in the case, the Paper Council told the PSC that “supply and demand for wood fiber” used to make paper products could be affected if We Energies gets approval to build the plant.
Gustafson said Monday the plant’s plan to burn only waste wood, including forest residue and wood shavings, should eliminate most of the Paper Council’s concerns.
by jboullion | Apr 27, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
State programs receive $20 million to help owners retrofit homes, businesses
Milwaukee, Racine and Madison will launch or expand programs to help homeowners and businesses retrofit buildings to cut energy use. The programs are part of a $20 million initiative funded by the federal stimulus package.
The three cities were partners in a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to Madison-based Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp. and announced by Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
The money will be used to set up or expand programs that lower the cost of making energy-saving changes in homes and businesses.
The Wisconsin project was one of 25 nationwide that won more than $450 million in total funding. The Energy Department received applications for more than $3.5 billion.
The state had sought $65 million through the federal “retrofit ramp-up” program. The goal: bring down the cost of energy-saving home improvements such as air sealing, insulation and other initiatives offered by the state Focus on Energy program.
Milwaukee recently launched a solar-financing program, and Racine has started an energy-efficiency retrofit program that will expand with the new funding.
“This initiative will help overcome the barriers to making energy efficiency easy and accessible to all – inconvenience, lack of information and lack of financing,” Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in a statement. “Block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, we will make our communities more energy efficient and help families save money. At the same time, we’ll create thousands of jobs and strengthen our economy.”
by jboullion | Apr 27, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Jeff Holmquist in the New Richmond News:
A proposal to construct a wind turbine network in the Town of Forest, east of New Richmond, is picking up steam.
A proposal to construct a wind turbine network in the Town of Forest, east of New Richmond, is picking up steam.
The project is being promoted by Emerging Energies of Wisconsin LLC, a Hubertus company that is involved in several wind farm projects across the region.
Emerging Energies has been studying wind speeds in the St. Croix County township for two years.
According to Bill Rakocy, co-founder and principal of Emerging Energies, the Forest area is “looking very favorable” as a site for large wind turbines.
The company’s research shows that average wind speeds are about 16 to 17 miles per hour, which is sufficient to turn a large turbine and thus generate electricity.
As the state and federal governments begin to encourage development of alternative energy sources, Rakocy said his organization is poised to make a difference.
Among current available clean energy sources, Rakocy claims, wind power is the best for Wisconsin.
by jboullion | Apr 26, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tim Damos in the Baraboo News Republic:
Green energy subsidies and new partnerships between manufacturers and contractors are making it easier for the average homeowner to utilize solar technology.
“I’m really excited about this,” said Craig Dittrich, general manager of Senger Lumber, Inc. of Baraboo. “I think it’s really going to catch on.”
Customers of Senger Lumber soon will have the option to build with metal roofing that comes with a solar-energy-trapping film already attached.
Dittrich’s supplier is McElroy Metal, a national firm that produces metal roofing, siding and substructural components, and operates a manufacturing plant in Mauston.
McElroy Metal has partnered with UNI-SOLAR, which produces thin, flexible solar laminates with an adhesive backing that allows them to be easily applied to smooth surfaces.
“It’s easy to apply so you don’t have to pay as much for the installation,” Dittrich said.
With a 30 percent federal tax credit and another 30 percent credit available from the state, Wisconsin home builders can purchase the portion of the roof that includes solar laminates at a 60 percent discount, Dittrich said.
by jboullion | Apr 26, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Keith Uhlig in the Wausau Daily Herald:
Students, educators, environmentalists and public officials gathered on Earth Day to dedicate the area’s first Outdoor Renewable Energy Learning Center.
The Wausau School District’s center at East High School includes a 100-kilowatt wind turbine, with another, smaller one in the works, and two solar power systems.
Students at East already have been using the systems for hands-on learning about alternative energy, and the plan is to have students and teachers from throughout the region use the facility to augment classroom lessons.
“This is the perfect place to be on Earth Day,” said Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, keynote speaker at the ceremony.
Lawton said the center will help students position themselves as leaders in a green energy surge in America, a crucial step toward energy independence and a strong economy.
by jboullion | Apr 26, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Dorothy Jasperson-Robson in the Westby Times:
On Thursday, April 8, a proposed community wind project meeting was held in the village of Cashton. The well attended meeting provided the general public and adjacent land owners with the opportunity to learn more about the proposed $9.7 million wind energy project, which calls for the construction of two wind turbines to be developed in the village of Cashton Green Industrial Park.
Through a joint venture with Organic Valley, Western Technical College, Gundersen Lutheran Health System and the village of Cashton, two wind turbines will be constructed in the Cashton Greens Park, located off State Highway 27, southeast of the village of Cashton, in Monroe County.
The renewable energy wind generation system would be located adjacent to Organic Valley’s Cashton Distribution Center. The two wind turbines would generate approximately 10.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) annually or enough power to supply 7,000 average residential homes. Electricity produced by the turbines will travel to an existing electrical substation, owned by the village of Cashton, and be distributed from the substation.
Wes Slaymaker, of Wind Energy Systems Engineering, calculated that each turbine in the Cashton project will cost $3 million dollars, be 262 feet high, produce 1.8 megawatts of energy with three 150-foot blades. The wind farm development will help the village of Cashton reach its mandated Green Credit before the 2025 deadline and the entire project is expected to be paid off within 20 years, by LLC partners in the project, Organic Valley, Gundersen Lutheran and Western Technical College.
by jboullion | Apr 26, 2010 | Uncategorized
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2010
MORE INFORMATION
Michael Vickerman
RENEW Wisconsin
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
RENEW Wisconsin Calls for Veto of Waste-to-Energy Bill
RENEW Wisconsin called on Governor Jim Doyle to veto a bill that allows garbage to qualify as a renewable energy resource.
“The bill (Senate Bill 273), passed in the last hours of the final legislative session, would lead to a cutback in new clean-energy installations using solar, wind, biogas, and biomass,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide renewable energy advocacy organization.
The bill would credit electricity from gasification of garbage toward the amount of renewable energy each Wisconsin utility must supply under current law.
“By failing to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act, the Legislature essentially froze the overall percentage of renewable energy that Wisconsin utilities must supply to customers,” said Vickerman.
“Adding solid waste to the list of eligible resources without raising the percentage above the current requirement will result in a reduction of electricity derived from truly sustainable renewable resources.”
“No way can anyone legitimately say that this bill expands renewable energy in Wisconsin.”
“All in all, this session will be remembered as a wasted opportunity for clean energy and job creation,” Vickerman said.
“When we entered the month of April, we had high hopes for the Clean Energy Jobs Act, a bill that would have forcefully sent Wisconsin down a path to energy independence while creating thousands of new jobs. Instead, the Legislature crammed garbage down the throats of utility customers.”
“No other legislative body in history has managed to trash Earth Day and the legacy of Wisconsin’s own Gaylord Nelson as completely as the Wisconsin Senate whose leaders wouldn’t allow a vote on the Clean Energy Jobs Act,” according to Vickerman.
“Governor Doyle can honor Gaylord Nelson by vetoing SB 273.”
END
by jboullion | Apr 26, 2010 | Uncategorized
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2010
MORE INFORMATION
Michael Vickerman
RENEW Wisconsin
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
RENEW Wisconsin Calls for Veto of Waste-to-Energy Bill
RENEW Wisconsin called on Governor Jim Doyle to veto a bill that allows garbage to qualify as a renewable energy resource.
“The bill (Senate Bill 273), passed in the last hours of the final legislative session, would lead to a cutback in new clean-energy installations using solar, wind, biogas, and biomass,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide renewable energy advocacy organization.
The bill would credit electricity from gasification of garbage toward the amount of renewable energy each Wisconsin utility must supply under current law.
“By failing to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act, the Legislature essentially froze the overall percentage of renewable energy that Wisconsin utilities must supply to customers,” said Vickerman.
“Adding solid waste to the list of eligible resources without raising the percentage above the current requirement will result in a reduction of electricity derived from truly sustainable renewable resources.”
“No way can anyone legitimately say that this bill expands renewable energy in Wisconsin.”
“All in all, this session will be remembered as a wasted opportunity for clean energy and job creation,” Vickerman said.
“When we entered the month of April, we had high hopes for the Clean Energy Jobs Act, a bill that would have forcefully sent Wisconsin down a path to energy independence while creating thousands of new jobs. Instead, the Legislature crammed garbage down the throats of utility customers.”
“No other legislative body in history has managed to trash Earth Day and the legacy of Wisconsin’s own Gaylord Nelson as completely as the Wisconsin Senate whose leaders wouldn’t allow a vote on the Clean Energy Jobs Act,” according to Vickerman.
“Governor Doyle can honor Gaylord Nelson by vetoing SB 273.”
END
by jboullion | Apr 23, 2010 | Uncategorized
A news release issued by Clean Wisconsin:
MADISON — Hours ago, the democratically controlled state Legislature failed the people of Wisconsin when it adjourned before taking up the Clean Energy Jobs Act.
“It’s ironic that on Earth Day, our Democrat-led state Legislature effectively killed a vital piece of clean energy legislation,” says Keith Reopelle, senior policy director, Clean Wisconsin. “Senate Democratic leaders Jeff Plale and Russ Decker’s refusal to schedule the bill for a vote guaranteed the bill’s demise.”
The Clean Energy Jobs Act would have created more than 15,000Â jobs for Wisconsinites. Just yesterday, Wave Wind, a wind energy service provider in Sun Prairie, sent an open letter to the state Legislature noting that the delayed passage of the bill forced the company to lay off 12 employees. Had the bill passed, Wave Wind would have created 100 new high-quality jobs.
“The world is transitioning to a clean energy economy, and Wisconsin is getting left behind,” says Reopelle. “Wisconsin has now lost the manufacturing and design jobs that would have been created by the bill  to China, California and Illinois.”
The bill also would have lowered energy bills for homeowners and businesses with its renewable energy and energy efficiency provisions, allowing Wisconsin to make incremental but critically important steps toward reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and increasing our energy independence.
“It is a travesty that Wisconsin’s Legislature missed the opportunity to take action on such an important bill for the health of our state’s economy and environment,” says Reopelle. “While today’s inaction is definitely a setback, thanks to the hard work of our allies in the Legislature and coalition partners, we have laid the foundation for future clean energy legislation and remain hopeful that Wisconsin will soon return to its forward-thinking roots.”
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Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organization, protects Wisconsin’s clean water and air and advocates for clean energy by being an effective voice in the state legislature and by holding elected officials and polluters accountable.
