by jboullion | Feb 25, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a program description on the Website of River Falls Municipal Utilities:
In an effort to demonstrate our commitment to a strong local conservation ethic while demonstrating the effectiveness of energy efficiency, conservation and renewable resource development, we are now offering you a uniquely innovative renewable energy financing program called “Save Some Green”. This program is designed to financially assist you with the cost of purchasing and installing qualified renewable energy systems and efficiency improvements on your property. To accomplish this goal, a loan pool has been established to offer low cost financing to residential customers, with annual installment payments collected through annual property tax bills. . . .
QUALIFIED IMPROVEMENTS
· Solar Photovoltaic panel systems.
· Solar hot water.
· Solar thermal heating.
· Geothermal heating & cooling systems.
· Wind Turbines.
· Major energy efficiency projects in connection with a renewable energy project. . . .
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
· Payment of principal and interest shall be added to the annual property tax
statement and the original loan agreement be recorded as security
interest against the property.
· Payments include a 4% interest rate.
· Project funding can range from $2,500 to $50,000 based on the cost and energy
savings potential of the energy efficiency improvements.
· Renewable Energy Finance Program Loan Funding will be equal to the project costs,
less any incentives or other outside funding. The total combined funding will
not exceed the project cost.
· Loan terms will range from 5 to 20 years.
· In the event the property is sold or transferred, the remaining balance shall
be immediately due and payable on the date of sale, unless the Lender agrees to
extend the original agreement terms and conditions to the new purchaser.
by jboullion | Feb 25, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Clean Wisconsin:
Largest collaboration in state to commit to 25% renewable energy production by 2025
VIROQUA, WI – Over the next year, two counties and eight local communities in Southwest Wisconsin’s Driftless Region will become the largest collaboration in state history to plan their energy independence.
Vernon and Crawford counties, along with the communities of Fennimore, Prairie du Chien, Viroqua, Ferryville, Gays Mills, La Farge, Soldiers Grove and Viola, plus Viroqua-based energy planners and consultants E3 Coalition, just won a $65,000 grant from the state’s Office of Energy Independence. The final plan will outline how the group can get 25 percent of their electricity, heating and transportation fuels from renewable resources by 2025, or a 25×25 plan. In addition to the state grant, the communities raised $46,400 in monetary and in-kind support.
“The Driftless Region has a long tradition of self-sufficiency and sustainability, and those are the goals of our planning efforts,” said Todd Osman of E3 Coalition. “At the same time, it’s difficult for small communities to tackle energy issues on their own. We’re very pleased to be working together with two counties, three cities and five villages.”
In the late 1970s, Soldiers Grove responded to repeated flooding by recreating itself as the nation’s first solar village. Today, Gays Mills is integrating sustainability measures into its reconstruction process, following recent floods. La Farge is home to Organic Valley, the largest member-owned organic food cooperative in the country and a leader in biomass and biodiesel initiatives.
The first step in the planning process is documenting local governments’ current energy and fuel use. Then, the communities will identify potential energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy projects. Throughout the planning process, E3 will work with local communities to hold educational workshops and events for government staff and members of the public.
by jboullion | Feb 24, 2010 | Uncategorized
An Associated Press story posted on WKBT-TV (La Crosse):
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Jim Doyle says he’s open to approving a scaled-back clean energy bill as long as a key provision setting new renewable energy standards remains in tact.
Doyle says the crux of the sweeping measure being debated in the Legislature would require 25 percent of Wisconsin’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2025. He says that provision is what’s critical to creating new jobs in fields like solar and wind energy.
Doyle told reporters he is open to changes on other details that he didn’t specify and that he expects “significant changes” as it moves through both houses.
The bill would lift Wisconsin’s ban on new nuclear power plants and tighten auto emission standards, among many other things.
by jboullion | Feb 24, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a workshop announcement released by the Energy Center of Wisconsin:
April 21, 2010 | Green Bay, WI
April 22, 2010 | Rothschild, WI
This program provides a solid background in renewable energy technologies for commercial-scale applications. Get an overview of renewable energy, from an exploration of the benefits, to a view of technologies that work well in Wisconsin’s northern climate. Learn how renewable energy technologies fit into the LEED™ design process and the software tools used for assessing renewable energy potential. Find out about design considerations, potential system performance, and the economics of installing a system in today’s solar market.
by jboullion | Feb 23, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Wayne Nelson in BusinessNorth:
The proposed $250 million addition at Flambeau River Papers in Park Falls that would expand the mill into commercial manufacturing of “green diesel” and other renewable woody biomass products has cleared more hurdles on the way to a potential construction later this year.
On Jan. 19, Flambeau River Biofuels, an affiliate of the paper mill, said it has signed letters of intent with two more major project vendors. William “Butch” Johnson, majority owner of the paper mill and biofuels companies, said it has selected AMEC, a British engineering firm, to design the project, and Miron Construction based in Neenah, WI, as primary contractor.
In October, Flambeau River Biofuels selected Honeywell, Inc. to supply and integrate automation equipment and building controls for what would be the largest second-generation U.S. green diesel plant. In addition to producing transportation fuels and chemicals from woody biomass, the steam and electricity also produced in the process would make the paper mill the first in the nation to be fossil fuel-independent.
The biorefinery would be designed to process 1,000 dry tons per day of bark, sawdust and other residue with little market demand into 19 million gallons of green diesel and wax fuels per year. The project would add about 40 fulltime employees to the 300 already working in the mill. The additional demand for woody biomass would create an estimated 125 logging-related jobs for the regional wood products industry.
by jboullion | Feb 23, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Wayne Nelson in BusinessNorth:
The proposed $250 million addition at Flambeau River Papers in Park Falls that would expand the mill into commercial manufacturing of “green diesel” and other renewable woody biomass products has cleared more hurdles on the way to a potential construction later this year.
On Jan. 19, Flambeau River Biofuels, an affiliate of the paper mill, said it has signed letters of intent with two more major project vendors. William “Butch” Johnson, majority owner of the paper mill and biofuels companies, said it has selected AMEC, a British engineering firm, to design the project, and Miron Construction based in Neenah, WI, as primary contractor.
In October, Flambeau River Biofuels selected Honeywell, Inc. to supply and integrate automation equipment and building controls for what would be the largest second-generation U.S. green diesel plant. In addition to producing transportation fuels and chemicals from woody biomass, the steam and electricity also produced in the process would make the paper mill the first in the nation to be fossil fuel-independent.
The biorefinery would be designed to process 1,000 dry tons per day of bark, sawdust and other residue with little market demand into 19 million gallons of green diesel and wax fuels per year. The project would add about 40 fulltime employees to the 300 already working in the mill. The additional demand for woody biomass would create an estimated 125 logging-related jobs for the regional wood products industry.
by jboullion | Feb 23, 2010 | Uncategorized
Anews release issued by Alderman Tony Zielinski:
The Community and Economic Development committee unanimously approved an ordinance today that allows the City of Milwaukee to create the state’s first property assessed solar power revolving loan program to make solar power a more attractive option for homeowners.
Alderman Tony Zielinski, primary sponsor of the ordinance says promoting solar power is critical for environmental reasons as well as job creation. “Encouraging solar power options creates job opportunities for solar panel installers and also helps to increase a need for manufacturing the panels and the jobs related to that process,” Ald. Zielinski said.
“Historically, one of the barriers to installing solar power in homes has been the upfront costs. This loan program reduces that impediment and for as little as a few hundred dollars, a homeowner can create energy efficiency in their home and begin saving money immediately,” Ald. Zielinski said.
Homeowners who take advantage of the loan program have 15 years to repay the installation costs; money they can easily earn in energy savings, Ald. Zielinski notes.
Co-sponsor of the ordinance, Alderman Nik Kovac said “Creating this energy efficiency improvement fund is one way the City of Milwaukee can help its residents increase the efficiency of their own home while simultaneously creating a specific job market within the city.”
“Homeowners are looking for green solutions,” Ald. Terry Witkowski, co-sponsor, said, “and the City of Milwaukee can only stand to benefit by exploring alternatives like the solar power loan program.”
The ordinance will appear before the full Council on Tuesday, March 2 for approval. Residents who would like to learn more about the property assessed solar loan program or access the program manual should contact Andrea Luecke, project manager of the Milwaukee Shines program, at aluecke@milwaukee.gov. For more information about how the City of Milwaukee supports solar energy, click on www.MilwaukeeShines.com.
by jboullion | Feb 23, 2010 | Uncategorized
An announcement Regenerative Culture:
In this time of economic recession, climate change, resource depletion and social isolation, it is clear our current systems aren’t working. Our world is changing and our leaders aren’t leading.
Ariane Burgess, founder of Regenerative Culture, will offer an interactive presentation that outlines the new community leadership training course she may offer here if there’s enough interest.
She will overview our current crises and highlight the course’s approach to helping us re-skill and lead our communities toward a resilient and regenerative future.
The holistic and in-depth approach Ms. Burgess will present focuses on 5 key dimensions of community design:
Economic, Ecological, Social, Worldview and Leadership. These five elements are woven to create a springboard to help us move from talk and theory into action. She will describe how the course will help us prepare, communicate and implement action plans to develop our community’s resilience.
The free talks will be held:
• Tues, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. – Western Technical College, 220 South Main Street, Viroqua
by jboullion | Feb 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a commentary by Michael Vickerman, RENEW’s executive director:
In the next six weeks the Legislature will make a truly momentous decision on the state’s energy future. Either it can embrace an ambitious 15-year commitment to invigorate the state’s economy through sustained investments in clean energy or decide to coast along on current energy policies until they lapse and lose their force and effect.
Arguably the most innovative feature in the Clean Energy Jobs Act, as it’s now called, is a proposed requirement on larger electric providers to acquire locally produced renewable electricity with Advanced Renewable Tariffs (ARTs). These are technology-specific buyback rates that provide a fixed purchase price for the electricity produced over a period of 10 to 20 years, set at levels sufficient to recover installation costs along with a modest profit. Now available in more than a dozen nations in Europe as well as the Province of Ontario, ARTs have proven to be singularly effective in stimulating considerable growth in small-scale production of distributed renewable electricity. . . .
Consider the much-vaunted Dane County Cow Power Project, which should be operational before the end of the year. Using anaerobic digestion technology, this Waunakee-area installation will treat manure from three nearby dairy farms and produce biogas that will fuel a two-megawatt generator. This community digester project, the first of its kind in Wisconsin, will be built with private capital and a State of Wisconsin award to support a technology that reduces the flow of phosphorus into the Yahara Lakes. A second digester project is also planned for Dane County.
The key element that makes the financing of this project work is the special biogas buyback rate that Alliant Energy, the local utility, voluntarily put in place a year ago. With the higher rate, the project’s return on investment was sufficient to interest outside investors. . . .
If we are serious about neutralizing the algae blooms that turn the Yahara lakes green each year, we’ll need to adopt a clean energy policy, including ARTs, that facilitates the development of biodigesters in farm country.
by jboullion | Feb 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
From the newsletter of Energy Concepts, Hudson, WI:
Wisconsin residents have their own “perfect storm” solar incentive brewing: the combined credits from Focus on Energy, the Federal tax credit and the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP) can reduce the cost of a solar hot water system by over 50%.
Let’s tote them up:
• Focus on Energy will support qualifying solar thermal systems up to $20 a therm, to a maximum of $2,750 per system.
• SEEARP, which is actually a Federal program initiated under the 2009 Recovery and Reinvestment act, will reimburse the same system up to $2,000.
• The Federal 30% tax credit can be applied to the balance of the installation cost.
A sample cost worksheet might look like this:
Installation cost: $11,000
Focus Rebate: $2,250
SEEARP: $2,000
Federal Credit: $2,025
Total Credits: $6,275
Final Cost: $4,725
Price reduction on system: 57%
This does not include possible MACRS depreciation recapture should the system be installed in a business–that could shave another 10%–15% from net system cost.
How much energy savings accrue annually is dependant on how much hot water is consumed and what the price of gas or electricity is in your area.
But, solar hot water is known to produce the shortest payback period in the renewable energy industry. It would not be wild speculation, given energy inflation, to say that the above system would pay back in under 10 years.
With State PV incentives of just $1.25 a watt, Wisconsin residents might feel jealous of Minnesota’s new PV incentives. But the best response would be not to get mad, but to get even. And right now, that means installing solar hot water sytems in the Badger State, understanding that renewable energy’s quickest payback period just got a lot quicker.
