by jboullion | Jun 11, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a letter to the editor of The Capital Times on June 11 by Scott Ribin:
Dear Editor: I’m writing in regard to recent letters about wind energy in Wisconsin. In my opinion, one of the best reasons to use more wind energy is that it will strengthen our economy.
First, using wind power will allow us to stop importing fossil fuels from out-of-state sources, which will lead to the creation of thousands of in-state middle-class manufacturing jobs, an area hit hard by the recent recession.
Second, constructing wind farms is also more cost-effective than building new coal or nuclear power plants because they have a greater direct impact on the local economy.
Third, northeastern Wisconsin is one of the best areas in the country to construct and place turbines because of its wind strength and speeds. This area already has a well-developed manufacturing base that is eager to thrive under a renewable revolution.
Wind power also will lower health care spending. Fossil fuel use is directly related to rising asthma and lung cancer prevalence rates. This especially occurs in lower-income families without insurance, further increasing health care costs.
by jboullion | Jun 11, 2009 | Uncategorized
2009
06.16.09 Wind Siting and Local Control
06.15.09 Wind Energy is a Safe, Proven Technology
06.10.09 Wind Energy is Popular
06.09.09 PSC Sensible Agency for Wind Rule-making
06.04.09 Wind Siting Reform Supports State Policy
06.09 Wind Energy = Jobs
06.09 Wind Energy = Wisconsin Investment
by jboullion | Jun 11, 2009 | Uncategorized
2009
06.12.09 Unnecessary obstacles – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
05.16.09 A wind for wind power in Wisconsin – Wisconsin State Journal
04.19.09 Have uniform rules for siting wind turbines – Sheboygan Press
04.19.09 State should loosen read tape that restricts wind power – Eau Claire Leader
04.03.09 Enact statewide standards for wind turbines – The Tomah Journal
03.08.09 Don’t blow chance for wind power – Wisconsin State Journal
01.28.09 Not-in-my-backyard attitude a continuing problem – The Country Today
2008
02.26.08 Blowin’ in the wind – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
by jboullion | Jun 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a post on Tom Content’s blog on JSOnline.com:
Wisconsin’s clean-energy economy is smaller than the national average and lost jobs between 1997 and 2007, a new report published Thursday says.
Wisconsin employed more than 15,000 jobs in the clean-energy sector, according to a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts. But employment in the clean sector fell 5% during that decade, at a time the state’s overall job growth was more than 3%, according to the report.
As a result, the company ranks with Maryland, Utah and West Virginia as states where the clean-energy sector is described as “small and losing.”
Despite that stark description, Wisconsin ranked well in one area, the report found. With 2,801 people employed in the energy efficiency field, Wisconsin employed more people in this area than all but five other states.
The state has attracted $46 million in clean-technology venture capital in the past three years, but even that pales in comparison with other states. Wisconsin ranks behind Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota in raising clean-tech funding — ranking 24th among all states and the District of Columbia.
The Pew report, “The Clean Energy Economy: Repowering Jobs, Businesses and Investments Across America,” found there were 68,200 businesses nationwide in the clean-energy sector, accounting for 770,000 jobs.
by jboullion | Jun 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by the Wisconsin Farmers Union:
Chippewa Falls, Wis. (June 10, 2009) – The International Institute for Ecological Agriculture (IIEA) announced today that it is working with the Wisconsin Farmers Union and the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence along with agencies and groups across the region to present its next series of educational workshop programs. The two-day Intensive workshops, (June 27 and 28 in Osseo, WI and July 6 and 7 in Madison, WI) promote rural and urban economic revitalization and non-exportable job creation through the optimized production of food and fuel source crops and related by-products.
The workshops will be led by David Blume, renowned Permaculture and Biofuels expert and author of Alcohol Can Be A Gas. Mr. Blume, is the recent author recipient of the American Corn Growers Association’s Truth in Agricultural Journalism award, and will teach attendees how they can:
•Earn federal and state renewable energy tax incentives that can offset as much as 80% of the startup costs for a small-scale alcohol fuel business.
•Beat the fuel and food price increases predicted for 2009.
•Produce clean alcohol fuel for less than a dollar per gallon from waste, toxic and spoiled food, common weeds, as well as high-return crops.
by jboullion | Jun 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
Wind energy is surging in popularity because it spurs economic development and benefits the environment. An organized, vocal minority opposes wind energy development. However, the real world experience of successful wind energy development reaffirms the near universal support for wind energy. In fact, wind energy remains popular in areas of Wisconsin faced with siting challenges.
• A poll of voters in the Evansville Water and Light service area showed that 76% support wind power for the area, with less than 6% in opposition. Similar results were found in the Town of Union, with 72% supporting a wind project in the Town, and just 8% against.1
• A poll of voters in Calumet County overwhelmingly favored building new wind farms in the County. A full 70% of voters supported building new wind farms, including a plurality (45%) of voters living near the proposed projects.2
• In 2008, the U.S. wind industry installed 8,358 MW of new generating capacity, enough to serve over 2 million homes. The nation’s wind power generating capacity grew by 50%, and represents an investment of $17 billion into the economy.3
• The U.S. market for small wind turbines – those with capacities of 100 kilowatts (kW) and less – grew 78% in 2008. U.S. manufacturers sold about half of all small wind turbines installed worldwide last year. U.S. market share amounted to $77 million of the $156 million global total.4
• There are over 120 Gigawatts5 of wind turbines installed worldwide, and since 2005, global wind generation capacity has more than doubled. Currently, 76 countries are using commercial wind energy.6
• The U.S. military uses wind turbines to reduce fuel costs and the need for fuel shipments in dangerous areas.7
———-
1 “Evansville Area Public Opinion Survey on Wind Power.” April 29, 2008
2 “Wind Farms in Calumet County.” October 18, 2007
3 http://www.awea.org/newsroom/releases/wind_energy_growth2008_27Jan09.html
4 http://awea.org/newsroom/releases/AWEA_Reports_Small_Wind_Market_Growth_052809.html
5 1 Gigawatt = 1 billion watts.
6 http://www.wwindea.org/home/images/stories/worldwindenergyreport2008_s.pdf
7 http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0907/p01s04-usmi.html
by jboullion | Jun 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a fact sheet issued by Wind for Wisconsin:
Wind energy is surging in popularity because it spurs economic development and benefits the environment. An organized, vocal minority opposes wind energy development. However, the real world experience of successful wind energy development reaffirms the near universal support for wind energy. In fact, wind energy remains popular in areas of Wisconsin faced with siting challenges.
• A poll of voters in the Evansville Water and Light service area showed that 76% support wind power for the area, with less than 6% in opposition. Similar results were found in the Town of Union, with 72% supporting a wind project in the Town, and just 8% against.
• A poll of voters in Calumet County overwhelmingly favored building new wind farms in the County. A full 70% of voters supported building new wind farms, including a plurality (45%) of voters living near the proposed projects.
• In 2008, the U.S. wind industry installed 8,358 MW of new generating capacity, enough to serve over 2 million homes. The nation’s wind power generating capacity grew by 50%, and represents an investment of $17 billion into the economy.
by jboullion | Jun 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Dorothy Jasperson in the Westby Times:
The Westby Wind Energy project, which has been in the works for over three years suffered a set back recently as Eco-Energy and WPPI try to solicit new backing for the project after a number of the major players were forced to scale back their investments due to the nationwide economic crisis.
According to Westby Public Works Director Gregg Hanson, Westby Utilities and it’s power supplier, WPPI Energy, have a vested interest in continuing to pursue and construct the proposed wind turbine project in the city of Westby, but stressful economic times have temporarily stalled the local project.
“Wind energy is one of the cleanest forms of electric power generation and it has the potential to generate a significant amount of energy for WPPI Energy member communities. Planning and rezoning conditional use permits have been secured for the project and even though project discussions are continuing, current economic conditions will play a large role in determining the projects next step,” Hanson said.
The initial Westby wind project involved the construction of three, 400 foot tall, wind generated turbines at a cost of $3-4 million dollars per unit, with construction of the wind turbines to begin in 2009-10. The 4.5 megawatt wind turbines would have been constructed on the west edge of the city, near the high school track field and the Westby Cooperative Creamery lagoons, on city property and land owned by Glen and Madeline Stalsberg, whose farm was earlier annexed into the city from the town of Christiana.
It was anticipated that the Westby wind turbine project would have generated wind energy equal to 50-percent of the cities annual energy consumption. Energy produced at the Westby site would have interconnected with grid through the substation on Black River Avenue. The wind energy produced would have been sold to the grid and helped to offset the growing cost of utilities for all WPPI costumers, including city of Westby residents.
by jboullion | Jun 9, 2009 | Uncategorized
From Wind for Wisconsin:
SB 185/AB 256 direct the Public Service Commission (PSC) to initiate an administrative rule-making process to establish statewide siting standards for wind energy projects. The bill draft requires the PSC to establish an advisory committee of diverse interests to advise the Commission on the rules. The legislature will have the opportunity to review the proposed rules prior to their publication.
+ The PSC is an independent regulatory agency dedicated to serving the public interest. The agency is responsible for the regulation of more than 1,100 Wisconsin public utilities, including those that are municipally-owned.
+ The PSC works to ensure that, in the absence of competition, adequate and reasonably priced service is provided to utility customers. The PSC has oversight on every form of electric generation in the state.
+ Alternatives to bypass the PSC are designed to introduce more delay and confusion into the siting process. Additional layers of bureaucracy only serve to reinforce the siting stalemate.
+ Under the bill the PSC would establish a unique, comprehensive review of siting issues. Any attempt to predict the rule-making is speculative at best.
+ The PSC is the agency with the expertise to provide the appropriate scientific, fact based review of issues related to siting wind energy projects. The bill does not specify any siting requirements but establishes a process to review the relevant health and safety issues.
“I pledge to you a rule-making process which will be open and inclusive…The Commission will continue to be a fair partner with local government to ensure that the siting process is equitable to all, and that decisions are made in a timely and transparent way…The PSC’s rulemaking process is as open and inclusive a process as any.”(Joint public hearing May 12, 2009)
-Eric Callisto, PSC Chairman
by jboullion | Jun 9, 2009 | Uncategorized
An Associated Press story on WSAW.com:
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Jim Doyle and lawmakers plan to eliminate funding for a grant program that helps Wisconsin companies discover new sources of energy.
The Legislature’s budget committee last week cut all $30 million the governor had proposed for the Wisconsin Energy Independence Fund that gives grants and loans to businesses researching and developing clean energy.
Environmental groups and companies who received the first batch of funding from the program last year say they are upset with the move.
Doyle spokeswoman Carla Vigue says the governor and lawmakers had to cut the funding to balance the budget. She says some of the federal stimulus money coming to Wisconsin will also help promote renewable energy businesses.
