by jboullion | Jan 15, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Julie Lawrence at OnMilwaukee.com:
Back in spring 2008, Pragmatic Construction, a Milwaukee-based green construction company aimed at advancing the principles of sustainable development within the urban environment, was knee-deep in a series of development projects but was still planning its path for a greener future in Milwaukee.
Co-founder Steve Servais and his crew were just laying out the plans for two single-family homes in Riverwest that were slated to be among the state’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified platinum homes. . . .
LEED-certified buildings are designed to lower operating costs and increase asset value, reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve energy and water, be healthier and safer for occupants and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Two years later, the side-by-side sustainable homes at 702 and 708 E. Hadley St. are complete and now on the market. Servais says his company has really pushed sustainable building to the limit.
The house sizes are modest; 1,200 and 1,300 square feet, respectively. But the environmental impact is huge. Some of the many green features include passive solar heating, passive cooling, 96 percent energy-efficient forced-air backup HVAC, bio-based sprayfoam roof insulation, triple-pane windows, tankless hot water, reclaimed hardwood flooring, reclaimed doors, steel, fiber-cement and cedar siding, stained concrete flooring, no-VOC paints and finishes, dual-flush toilets and low-flow fixtures, in-floor radiant heat and energy recovery ventilators.
And it doesn’t stop indoors. Outside they’ve implemented rain barrels, a shared rain-garden, pervious paving surfaces, steel roofing, recycled plastic roofing, a 2.1KW PV Array (solar electric), and two flat-panel solar hot water arrays.
by jboullion | Jan 15, 2010 | Uncategorized
A letter to the editor by Kristina Steger in the La Crosse Tribune:
Do you make an effort each day to keep your carbon dioxide emissions down? Chances are that is the last thing you are worrying about amidst your family, career, school and friends.
Well, climate change is real. It threatens serious and even catastrophic disruption of our community and the natural environment itself. Earth is getting warmer at an extremely quick rate. Most of it is caused by a buildup of greenhouse gas emissions, which trap the sun’s heat in the atmosphere, just like a greenhouse.
It may seem hard to “worry” about this when western Wisconsin hasn’t seen the drastic effects of climate change yet. The key word, however, is “yet.” The temperature in the permafrost in Iceland has been rising at a rapid rate for the past 25 years. Storm surges are already occurring in various parts of Alaska. Glaciers at Glacier National Park are expected to vanish by 2030. The disintegration of the entire Greenland ice sheet could be set in motion in a matter of decades. Once an ice sheet begins to melt, it starts to flow faster, making it thin out faster, which encourages further melting.
If our CO2 emissions aren’t controlled, this process could begin occurring in a matter of decades. When this process starts, it will be virtually impossible to stop and will cause a global disaster.
All of us need to have a greater sense of urgency to making commitments to reducing CO2 emissions and thus helping to slow (or prevent) climate change.
by jboullion | Jan 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a post by Steve Jagler on Milwaukee Biz Blog:
The controversy over Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposed Clean Energy Jobs Act illustrates a deep philosophical divide that is emerging within Wisconsin’s business community.
In some ways, the emerging chasm pits the politics of tomorrow against the politics of yesterday.
On one side of the divide – in favor of the green jobs plan – stand the coalition for Clean, Responsible Energy for Wisconsin’s Economy (CREWE) and the Wisconsin Business Council.
The CREWE includes venerable companies such as CleanPower, Alliant Energy, EcoEnergy, Johnson Controls Inc., Xcel Energy, C5•6 Technologies, Axley Brynelson, Madison Gas and Electric, Orion Energy Systems, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin Energy Corp., Poblocki Sign Company, Emerging Energies of Wisconsin, MillerCoors, American Transmission Co., WPPI Energy, DTE Energy Services and Kranz, Inc. . . .
The plan also has the support of the Wisconsin Business Council, which includes leaders from several of the state’s key businesses, including American Transmission Co., Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, AT&T Wisconsin, Commerce State Bank, Dean Health System, Midwest Natural Gas, MillerCoors, Mortenson Construction, Orion Energy Systems and Park Bank (in Madison). . . .
On the other side of the divide stands the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), which is joined by 22 other business organizations, including the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), in opposition to Doyle’s proposal.
The WMC cited a study by the conservative Wisconsin Policy Research Institute that contends the proposed green legislation would kill 43,093 private-sector jobs in Wisconsin. . . .
Adding even more intrigue to this philosophical divide among Wisconsin’s business community is the fact that many members of the CREWE and the Wisconsin Business Council in favor of the green jobs plan also are dues-paying members of the WMC, the MMAC and the other organizations that are against the plan.
“It’s really created massive fault lines within the business community between the deniers (of global warming) and those that think something must be done,” said Thad Nation of the CREWE. “It’s probably going to get messier before it gets better.”
by jboullion | Jan 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:
(January 13, 2009)—Focus on Energy, in partnership with Wisconsin
Public Service, is offering free energy assessments to eligible small industrial businesses in the WPS service territory. Assessments will be conducted Jan. 25 – Jan. 29, 2010, with an orientation meeting held Monday, January 25, 2010 at the Marriot Courtyard hotel in Wausau. Attendees will learn how to save energy and money through energy efficiency, and explore the many services and incentives available through Focus and WPS.
During the free energy assessments, an energy professional will visit participants’ facilities and evaluate energy-saving opportunities at the site. Following the assessment, Focus on Energy will provide a report of the findings, along with practical recommendations for saving energy and money, as well as information on financial incentives to help implement projects.
Participation and eligibility is limited. Interested parties are encouraged to RSVP today by calling Focus on Energy at (800) 762-7077, visiting focusonenergy.com/wps, or emailing industrialaudit@focusonenergy.com.
by jboullion | Jan 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a post by Steve Jagler on Milwaukee Biz Blog:
The controversy over Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposed Clean Energy Jobs Act illustrates a deep philosophical divide that is emerging within Wisconsin’s business community.
In some ways, the emerging chasm pits the politics of tomorrow against the politics of yesterday.
On one side of the divide – in favor of the green jobs plan – stand the coalition for Clean, Responsible Energy for Wisconsin’s Economy (CREWE) and the Wisconsin Business Council.
The CREWE includes venerable companies such as CleanPower, Alliant Energy, EcoEnergy, Johnson Controls Inc., Xcel Energy, C5•6 Technologies, Axley Brynelson, Madison Gas and Electric, Orion Energy Systems, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin Energy Corp., Poblocki Sign Company, Emerging Energies of Wisconsin, MillerCoors, American Transmission Co., WPPI Energy, DTE Energy Services and Kranz, Inc. . . .
The plan also has the support of the Wisconsin Business Council, which includes leaders from several of the state’s key businesses, including American Transmission Co., Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, AT&T Wisconsin, Commerce State Bank, Dean Health System, Midwest Natural Gas, MillerCoors, Mortenson Construction, Orion Energy Systems and Park Bank (in Madison). . . .
On the other side of the divide stands the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), which is joined by 22 other business organizations, including the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), in opposition to Doyle’s proposal.
The WMC cited a study by the conservative Wisconsin Policy Research Institute that contends the proposed green legislation would kill 43,093 private-sector jobs in Wisconsin. . . .
Adding even more intrigue to this philosophical divide among Wisconsin’s business community is the fact that many members of the CREWE and the Wisconsin Business Council in favor of the green jobs plan also are dues-paying members of the WMC, the MMAC and the other organizations that are against the plan.
“It’s really created massive fault lines within the business community between the deniers (of global warming) and those that think something must be done,” said Thad Nation of the CREWE. “It’s probably going to get messier before it gets better.”
by jboullion | Jan 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Kryssy Pease, Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, in the Coulee News:
Electric heaters, which have long been a bad deal for most people trying to lower their energy bills, are an even worse deal in Wisconsin this winter because of falling prices for natural gas.
But that doesn’t stop manufacturers of electric heaters from using newspaper and Internet ads — some of which feature home-repair guru Bob Vila and pictures of Amish craftsmen — to attract buyers by promising big savings.
Jack Brennan, 70, of Green Bay, bought two $350 EdenPURE electric heaters after seeing an ad that vowed to “cut your heating bill by up to 50 percent.” When his next bill came from Wisconsin Public Service, it was three times higher than normal.
“I almost died,” Brennan said. “A gal from (Wisconsin) Public Service called me and she said, ‘What are you doing? What did you buy?’ When I told her I bought two of those heaters, she said, ‘Well, you just answered the question.’ “
Steve Kraus, media relations manager at Madison Gas and Electric, said ads promising big savings “are very deceptive,” but spokesmen from two major electric heater companies said they stand by their products.
by jboullion | Jan 13, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a commentary in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Roy Thilly, president and CEO of WPPI Energy and co-chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming:
This year, Wisconsin will consider important legislation that tracks the nearly unanimous recommendations of Gov. Jim Doyle’s Global Warming Task Force to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The scientific consensus is very strong that climate change is occurring as a result of carbon emissions and the long-term costs of inaction will be very significant. It would be imprudent not to take action.
Our country’s leading corporations are aggressively reducing emissions. They recognize that getting ahead of the curve is essential to be competitive. The same is true for Wisconsin. The legislation will help Wisconsin become much more efficient and energy independent. It embraces economic growth through the green manufacturing opportunities and skilled jobs required to address climate change. We can either pursue these opportunities or cede them to other states.
The legislation will be hotly debated. Interest groups will commission studies designed to support their agendas. Opponents will exaggerate cost and ignore the price of inaction. The Global Warming Task Force worked very hard to mitigate costs for consumers in its recommendations.
Forty years ago, our country confronted a similar crossroads when it debated legislation for clean water and air. Studies were presented to show this legislation would destroy our economy. It did not. Rivers in our industrial centers no longer catch on fire. While the environmental regulations adopted are not perfect, we are all much better off.
Key elements of the bill include:
• Dramatically increased energy conservation and efficiency programs. We waste a tremendous amount of energy at great cost. We cannot continue to do so and be competitive. The task force unanimously recommended that conservation be our highest priority. Major Wisconsin corporations recently announced they will reduce their energy consumption by 25%. We can all do the same, keeping our dollars in Wisconsin. Conservation lowers utility bills in the face of rising costs, enables utilities to avoid building expensive new power plants, reduces emissions now and will significantly cut the cost for Wisconsin of any future federal cap and trade program. It is a no-brainer.
• Significantly increased use of renewable energy resources by 2025. This means developing new solar, wind and biomass generation in Wisconsin. Greater reliance on local renewables will create manufacturing opportunities and skilled jobs, improve reliability, increase energy independence and reduce the need for expensive new transmission lines.
• Modification of the state’s nuclear plant moratorium to allow new nuclear plants to compete against other resources to meet Wisconsin’s long-term electricity needs. To be built, these plants will have to be shown to be safe and the best available alternative. Wisconsin’s three nuclear units have been the low-cost workhorses of the system since the 1970s. Many believe that nuclear power will be a key component to a low carbon future, but as the task force recognized, conservation, efficiency and more renewable resources should come first.
by jboullion | Jan 13, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by SC Johnson:
RACINE, Wis., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ — SC Johnson has launched a wind energy pilot program at their headquarters campus with the installation of three new wind turbines. Already known for its use of renewable energy at their manufacturing facilities around the world, this new pilot program is expected to help the company further reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) usage and raise awareness that renewable energy is not just for factories, but also office buildings in urban settings. The company also expects to gather useful information from the program that will help further its quest to continue to develop more sustainable solutions.
“The use of renewable energy is essential to making a difference in the world and conducting business in a responsible way,” said Chairman and CEO Fisk Johnson, the company’s fifth generation leader. “We hope our use of wind energy will inspire businesses in Racine and other cities to find new, sustainable solutions for reducing energy use.”
The pilot program, which begins in January 2010 and runs through January 2011, builds on the company’s efforts to reduce GHG and reduce carbon worldwide. The three wind turbines are located on the roof of one of the seven buildings on SC Johnson’s international headquarters campus, which has an approximate eight block radius and where more than 1,300 employees work. The wind turbines are expected to be fully functioning by the end of the month. Once fully operational, the turbines will be connected to the company’s electrical distribution system. The output they generate will power a small portion of the company’s campus.
The company is hopeful that the outcome of the pilot program will be a clear picture of the number of computers, machines and other basic office resources that can be powered by renewable energy. Depending on the impact of the turbine’s energy output, it is possible the company will extend the project to additional local SC Johnson facilities. . . .
To support local Wisconsin businesses and the local economy, SC Johnson chose American Renewable Power of Wisconsin to install the Swift turbines designed by Cascade Engineering, Inc. The turbines are expected to be fully installed and connected in late January and will be monitored closely throughout the year. SC Johnson engineers and technicians will be able to monitor the energy output and translate the information shortly after they are installed.
by jboullion | Jan 13, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a post by Steve Jagler on Milwaukee Biz Blog:
The controversy over Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposed Clean Energy Jobs Act illustrates a deep philosophical divide that is emerging within Wisconsin’s business community.
In some ways, the emerging chasm pits the politics of tomorrow against the politics of yesterday.
On one side of the divide – in favor of the green jobs plan – stand the coalition for Clean, Responsible Energy for Wisconsin’s Economy (CREWE) and the Wisconsin Business Council.
The CREWE includes venerable companies such as CleanPower, Alliant Energy, EcoEnergy, Johnson Controls Inc., Xcel Energy, C5•6 Technologies, Axley Brynelson, Madison Gas and Electric, Orion Energy Systems, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin Energy Corp., Poblocki Sign Company, Emerging Energies of Wisconsin, MillerCoors, American Transmission Co., WPPI Energy, DTE Energy Services and Kranz, Inc. . . .
The plan also has the support of the Wisconsin Business Council, which includes leaders from several of the state’s key businesses, including American Transmission Co., Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, AT&T Wisconsin, Commerce State Bank, Dean Health System, Midwest Natural Gas, MillerCoors, Mortenson Construction, Orion Energy Systems and Park Bank (in Madison). . . .
On the other side of the divide stands the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), which is joined by 22 other business organizations, including the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), in opposition to Doyle’s proposal.
The WMC cited a study by the conservative Wisconsin Policy Research Institute that contends the proposed green legislation would kill 43,093 private-sector jobs in Wisconsin. . . .
Adding even more intrigue to this philosophical divide among Wisconsin’s business community is the fact that many members of the CREWE and the Wisconsin Business Council in favor of the green jobs plan also are dues-paying members of the WMC, the MMAC and the other organizations that are against the plan.
“It’s really created massive fault lines within the business community between the deniers (of global warming) and those that think something must be done,” said Thad Nation of the CREWE. “It’s probably going to get messier before it gets better.”
by jboullion | Jan 13, 2010 | Uncategorized
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2010
MORE INFORMATION
Michael Vickerman
RENEW Wisconsin
608.255.4044
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
RENEW Wisconsin hailed today the Public Service Commission’s approval of what will become the state’s largest wind farm to be built in Columbia County.
Known as Glacier Hills, the proposed 90-turbine project will produce approximately 400 million kilowatt hours of clean renewable electricity annually, while directing $648,000 a year in local aid payments to Columbia County and the townships of Randolph and Scott.
“This project is certain to deliver a shot in the arm to wind-energy equipment suppliers, skilled laborers, and construction contractors throughout the state, not to mention area landowners and local governments,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide membership organization that advocates for renewable energy.
If We Energies’ experience with its previous wind project is any guide, this project will account for more than 400,000 labor hours during construction, according to Vickerman.
The state’s 10% renewable energy standard is the main policy driver behind this project, he said.
Vickerman said: “To be certain that Glacier Hills will not be the last large wind project constructed in Wisconsin, the Legislature must raise the current renewable-energy standard on utilities. The provisions in the recently introduced Clean Energy Jobs Act, which we strongly support, would lift that requirement to 25% by 2025.”
“The state can lock in additional jobs and revenue streams to localities by passing the Clean Energy Jobs Act this winter,” Vickerman said.
