by jboullion | Aug 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an announcement distributed by Southwest Badger RC & D Council:
September 3, 2009
1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
1291 Rawson Lane, Platteville, Wisconsin
Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council is in the second year of a project to determine the best management practices for maximizing switchgrass yields in Southwest Wisconsin. The field day will provide a tour of demonstration plots planted in 2008 at the Jim and Terry Schaefer farm. NRCS and Southwest Badger staff will provide an overview of the project and discuss the various field trials being conducted. Researchers from UW Madison will provide information on weed pressure resulting from the various herbicide treatments and how that corresponds to yield. Fertility trials implemented in 2009 will be viewed and discussed. A side-by-side comparison of pure switchgrass plantings and a nine species prairie mix will be observed. A representative of Alliant Energy will discuss their plans to perform a test burn of switchgrass at the Cassville plant this fall.
by jboullion | Aug 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article on Wisconsin Ag Connection:
Several groups are joining forces to hold a homegrown renewable energy bus tour around Northern Wisconsin next month. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Office of Energy Independence, Wisconsin Farmers Union, [RENEW Wisconsin], and other partners are sponsoring the daylong tour on September 8.
Organizers say stops will be made at four locations where exciting developments in renewable energy production are being made.
The tour includes visits at Cadott School District, where the district uses buses that run on natural gas and and has examples of electric and alternative fuel vehicles; Five Star Dairy near Elk Mound, uses a manure to energy digester system to generate electricity; Barron High School, which produced wood chips, instead of fossil fuels, to provide heat for the school; and Bioenergy Crop Research Site, where attendees can meet the people behind the cutting edge research into bioenergy crops.
The stops on the tour coincide with each policy item of the Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign. All four policies will come before the state legislature this fall.
Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Cadott Junior/Senior High School. The tour will conclude at approximately 5 p.m. Lunch and snacks will be provided and the cost of the tour is $10.
For more information or to sign-up, call 715-723-5561.
by jboullion | Aug 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From Milwaukee Shines:
The . . . map features 65 of the estimated 175 homes and businesses with solar energy installations in the 7-county Milwaukee metro area.
The City of Milwaukee, through the Solar America Cities program, has a goal of installing at least 100 solar electric systems and 50 solar hot water systems with a combined production of one megawatt of solar energy in Milwaukee by 2012.
Using data from Focus on Energy, Milwaukee Shines estimates that the City of Milwaukee currently has approximately 30 solar electric systems and 20 solar hot water systems in operation that produce a combined 350 kW of energy.
Help us reach our goal! Solar is a viable energy source in southeastern Wisconsin. Contact Milwaukee Shines, Focus on Energy, or We Energies to find out if you qualify for a solar installation incentive.
Finally, if you have a solar energy system on your home or business and would like to be featured on our map, please contact Andrea Luecke at 414-286-5593 or aluecke@milwaukee.gov.
by jboullion | Aug 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
The Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly includes these article in the summer edition:
It’s Time to Bring Renewable Energy Home
In Memoriam: Bob Gilbertson
Board Member Brings Green Home
Renewables Profile: Jenny Heinzen
Manure Digesters Good Fit
Solar Innovator: Craig Tarr
Calendar
by jboullion | Aug 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
The Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly includes these article in the summer edition:
It’s Time to Bring Renewable Energy Home
In Memoriam: Bob Gilbertson
Board Member Brings Green Home
Renewables Profile: Jenny Heinzen
Manure Digesters Good Fit
Solar Innovator: Craig Tarr
Calendar
by jboullion | Aug 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
The Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly includes these article in the summer edition:
It’s Time to Bring Renewable Energy Home
In Memoriam: Bob Gilbertson
Board Member Brings Green Home
Renewables Profile: Jenny Heinzen
Manure Digesters Good Fit
Solar Innovator: Craig Tarr
Calendar
by jboullion | Aug 21, 2009 | Uncategorized

From an article in the newsletter of RENEW Wisconsin:
A start-up in 2006, Hudson-based Energy Concepts because the latest Wisconsin renewable energy company to earn Focus on Energy’s coveted Market Provider of the Year award.
The award was presented to founder Craig Tarr at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s 20th annual Energy Fair.
The Market Provider of the Year award recognizes renewable energy contractors who exemplify the goals and expectations of the Focus on Energy Program. The award highlights a contractor’s commitment and dedication to excellent customer service and high-quality renewable energy systems installation. Contractors who receive the honor demonstrate exceptional passion, intelligence, and dedication when providing renewable energy services.
“Craig’s 20 years of experience in the engineering industry has contributed greatly to his highly successful growth in the renewable energy industry,” said Emily Hickey, market provider program coordinator for Focus on Energy. “Wisconsin truly benefits from having well-qualified businesses like Energy Concepts grow our renewable energy markets.”
Tarr returned the praise from Focus on Energy, saying, “Without Focus on Energy, I quite frankly wouldn’t be where I am today. Since 2006 when we began, Energy Concepts has grown to a $2 million business. We want to reach $5 million a year in the next three years.”
Other articles in the newsletter:
In Memoriam: Bob Gilbertson
Board Member Brings Green Home
Renewables Profile: Jenny Heinzen
Manure Digesters Good Fit
Calendar
by jboullion | Aug 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an Associated Press article by Dan Strumpf and Ken Thomas in The Capital Times:
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is developing plans to wind down the popular Cash for Clunkers program and could announce by Friday when the incentives will no longer be available.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday the department would announce within 48 hours how it intends to discontinue the program that offers car buyers rebates of $3,500 or $4,500 for trading in older vehicles for new, more fuel-efficient models. Department officials met with car dealer trade groups on Wednesday to discuss how the program will eventually end and respond to complaints over a backlog of rebate payments to dealers.
Through early Wednesday, auto dealers have made deals worth $1.81 billion and are on pace to exhaust the program’s $3 billion in funds in early September. The incentives have generated more than 435,000 vehicle sales but dealers want a clear plan on when the rebates will no longer be available so they don’t end up on the hook for any of the incentives.
“We want to make sure that dealers know when we’re getting close” to running out of the money that was allocated for the program, LaHood told reporters. LaHood said he recognized that “dealers are frustrated. They’re going to get their money.”
by jboullion | Aug 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an Associated Press article by Dan Strumpf and Ken Thomas in The Capital Times:
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is developing plans to wind down the popular Cash for Clunkers program and could announce by Friday when the incentives will no longer be available.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday the department would announce within 48 hours how it intends to discontinue the program that offers car buyers rebates of $3,500 or $4,500 for trading in older vehicles for new, more fuel-efficient models. Department officials met with car dealer trade groups on Wednesday to discuss how the program will eventually end and respond to complaints over a backlog of rebate payments to dealers.
Through early Wednesday, auto dealers have made deals worth $1.81 billion and are on pace to exhaust the program’s $3 billion in funds in early September. The incentives have generated more than 435,000 vehicle sales but dealers want a clear plan on when the rebates will no longer be available so they don’t end up on the hook for any of the incentives.
“We want to make sure that dealers know when we’re getting close” to running out of the money that was allocated for the program, LaHood told reporters. LaHood said he recognized that “dealers are frustrated. They’re going to get their money.”
by jboullion | Aug 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an Associated Press article by Dan Strumpf and Ken Thomas in The Capital Times:
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is developing plans to wind down the popular Cash for Clunkers program and could announce by Friday when the incentives will no longer be available.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday the department would announce within 48 hours how it intends to discontinue the program that offers car buyers rebates of $3,500 or $4,500 for trading in older vehicles for new, more fuel-efficient models. Department officials met with car dealer trade groups on Wednesday to discuss how the program will eventually end and respond to complaints over a backlog of rebate payments to dealers.
Through early Wednesday, auto dealers have made deals worth $1.81 billion and are on pace to exhaust the program’s $3 billion in funds in early September. The incentives have generated more than 435,000 vehicle sales but dealers want a clear plan on when the rebates will no longer be available so they don’t end up on the hook for any of the incentives.
“We want to make sure that dealers know when we’re getting close” to running out of the money that was allocated for the program, LaHood told reporters. LaHood said he recognized that “dealers are frustrated. They’re going to get their money.”