by jboullion | Feb 25, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release posted on WQOW TV (Eau Claire):
ASHLAND, Wis. (Press Release) – Following more than a year of study and planning, Xcel Energy announced it has filed an application for a Certificate of Authority with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) to install biomass gasification technology at its Bay Front Power Plant in Ashland. When completed, the project will convert the plant’s remaining coal-fired unit to biomass gasification technology, allowing it to use 100 percent biomass in all three boilers and making it the largest biomass plant in the Midwest. Currently, two of the three operating units at Bay Front use biomass as their primary fuel to generate electricity.
The project, estimated at $58 million, will require additional biomass receiving and handling facilities at the plant, an external gasifier, minor modifications to the plant’s remaining coal-fired boiler and an enhanced air quality control system. The total generation output of the plant is not expected to change significantly as a result of the project. . . .
The Bay Front Power Plant was originally constructed and began operation in 1916. In 1960, it operated five boilers and six turbines. Since then, two of the boilers, and three of the turbines, have been retired. The three remaining boilers feed into a combined steam header system that can support three turbine-generator sets. During a major plant improvement project completed in 1991, the plant was equipped with an upgraded air quality control system, which includes two gravel bed filters designed to remove more than 98 percent of particulate matter.
Last year, Xcel Energy installed NOx (nitrogen oxide) emission control equipment on the two boilers that primarily burn wood, allowing both to continue to operate into the foreseeable future. When evaluating various alternatives for the remaining boiler, which primarily burns coal, it was determined that expanding Bay Front as a biomass resource was preferred over incurring significant environmental compliance costs relating to the Clean Air Interstate Rule and regulations on mercury emissions. . . .
When complete, the project will reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides by more than 60 percent, sulfur dioxides by more than 80 percent and particulate matter by more than 80 percent. In addition, displacing coal with sustainably harvested biomass will also reduce net carbon dioxide emissions, contributing to the company and state of Wisconsin’s carbon management goals.
The primary source of biomass at Bay Front is expected to be the lower quality, unused materials that are currently left in area forests following traditional harvests, such as treetops, logging slash, damaged trees, underutilized species, and the cull and mortality classed trees. Initial investigations conducted by Xcel Energy show more than ample supplies of this lower quality biomass within the area.
To ensure future biomass supplies are available on a reliable basis, Xcel Energy is working with the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence, University of Wisconsin-Madison and local agricultural experts to explore the feasibility of developing biomass plantations and grower cooperatives.
“Xcel Energy has been a long-time leader in providing renewable energy from local sources to the citizens of Wisconsin,” said Michael Vickerman, executive director, RENEW Wisconsin. Mark Redsten, executive director, Clean Wisconsin, agreed.
by jboullion | Feb 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an announcement on Econumicipality.com:
Toward Sustainable Communities:
An Introduction to The Natural Step (TNS)
Sunday, March 1
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Luck Public Library & Museum
21 Second Avenue West
Luck, WI
Refreshments provided. Please bring your reusable mug. All are welcome to this free presentation!
A presentation on The Natural Step (TNS) Framework, a methodology for planning that provides an elegant, rigorous, science-based understanding of sustainability together with a tested planning approach to translate that understanding into practice. Participants will learn about the principles of the TNS Framework and how it is being applied in communities across Wisconsin and around the world.
Participants will have the opportunity to sign up for a local study circle.
Speaker: Peter Henry, a veteran professional in the field of energy conservation and renewable energy technologies. After 20 years as a secondary teacher, Mr. Henry recently took a position with the Hudson-based engineering firm Energy Concepts, a regional leader in the design and installation of wind and solar energy applications.
A resident of Amery, Mr. Henry is the current chair of the Apple River Association, a citizen group working to protect Polk County’s largest river system. He is also vice-president of Friend of Amery-Dresser State Trail and has been active in both the Amery Natural Step program and the regional Western Wisconsin Initiative for Sustainable Communities.
by jboullion | Feb 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by K.J. Lang in the La Crosse Tribune:
Although it’s winter, local college campuses look greener than ever.
La Crosse campuses are promoting recycling and energy conservation initiatives this year.
“In my eyes, the best place to set an example for everyone else in the community is at a university,” said Matt Groshek, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior and environmental sustainability director for the UW-L Student Association.
UW-L students voted last year to tag an additional $5 per semester onto tuition for a Green Fund for renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects.
Chancellor Joe Gow also signed the Talloires Declaration, a 10-point plan committing the university to environmental issues. One point was to set up practices of resource conservation, recycling, waste reduction and environmentally sound operations.
Sustainability efforts since have snowballed, said Groshek.
“The environmental crisis on a national level hits home,” he said. “Students look around and say, ‘What can we do?’”
UW-L is competing in Recyclemania, a challenge among colleges and universities nationwide to see which campus can reduce, reuse and recycle the most campus waste from Jan. 18 to March 28.
UW-L now ranks 183rd among 287 colleges and universities, recycling an average of about 2 pounds per person over two weeks, according to the Recyclemania Web site.
UW-L residence halls are taking on the “Chancellor’s Energy Challenge” to see which hall can conserve the most energy in one month through March 8. A tree will be planted on campus to honor the winning hall.
“The biggest challenge to making conservation changes are getting people to look at the decisions they make on a daily basis a little differently,” said Dan Sweetman, environmental and sustainability program manager at UW-L.
Another La Crosse campus has ramped up its efforts to conserve energy and recycle as well.
Recycling has increased each month since Viterbo University doubled the number of recycle bins and color coded them on campus in August, said Dennis Kolb, assistant director of Viterbo’s physical plant. The university also decided to turn down all building thermostats a few notches to 69 degrees this semester to save energy, he said.
by jboullion | Feb 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a story on Channel3000.com:
WAUSAU, Wis. — A northern Wisconsin company is one example of how President Barack Obama hopes his stimulus plan will help the economy.
PDM Solar in Wausau received a $200,000 grant from Wisconsin’s Energy Independence Fund, which gives money to companies working on renewable energy projects.
PDM said it hopes to hire hundreds of Wisconsin workers over the next five years to mass-produce its solar-powered air conditioner.
“We’re taking a technology that was, you know, 100 years, 120 years old, and packaging it differently and using it in an application that has never been used before,” said David Baker with PDM Solar.
In order to mass-produce the product, the company will need assembly-line workers, engineers and workspace.
The company will build its first solar air conditioner in Phoenix.
by jboullion | Feb 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
An editorial from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The economic stimulus package approved last week gives Wisconsin and other states an opportunity to ease the financial crisis by doing more than just making ends meet. Money in the package aimed at energy projects provides an opportunity to move from an economy too reliant on fossil fuels and toward an economy based on sustainable green energy.
As the Journal Sentinel’s Thomas Content detailed in an article last week:
Wisconsin businesses and governments should receive at least $276 million, and possibly more, in energy-related funds from the economic stimulus bill, according to the state agency in charge of the recovery. Energy provisions in the stimulus package include funding for efforts to make buildings more efficient and to boost the use of renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels.
Also included are tax credits for manufacturers of energy technologies and for consumers who improve the energy efficiency of their homes or buy plug-in hybrid cars. For instance, homeowners will get credits of up to $1,500 for energy upgrades, such as purchases of qualified furnaces and insulation.
Wisconsin is likely to receive $146 million to weatherize some of the most inefficient buildings in the state. An additional $130 million or so is expected under two kinds of grants for energy-efficiency and other projects.
And Johnson Controls, the state’s largest company, is in a great position to take advantage of the stimulus money for its own work in energy efficiency.
There are opportunities here, too, for governments and their taxpayers. Making school buildings more energy efficient, for example, would reduce energy bills, allowing districts to spend money on textbooks or teachers or to reduce taxes, and put people to work retrofitting buildings. That kind of spending is a real win-win.
Times are hard. But using the stimulus money to help foster a greener economy could position Wisconsin for a healthier and more prosperous future.
by jboullion | Feb 23, 2009 | Uncategorized
Go inside the core and climb to the very top of a Vestas V82 wind turbine in the Top of Iowa 3 Wind Farm.
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From Madison Gas and Electric’ renewable energy channel Green View.
by jboullion | Feb 23, 2009 | Uncategorized
Go inside the core and climb to the very top of a Vestas V82 wind turbine in the Top of Iowa 3 Wind Farm.
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From Madison Gas and Electric’ renewable energy channel Green View.
by jboullion | Feb 23, 2009 | Uncategorized
Go inside the core and climb to the very top of a Vestas V82 wind turbine in the Top of Iowa 3 Wind Farm.
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From Madison Gas and Electric’ renewable energy channel Green View.
by jboullion | Feb 23, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Johnson Controls has begun generating electricity from the largest solar power system in the state – nearly 1,500 panels erected on the northeast corner of the company’s headquarters campus in Glendale.
The solar power system is part of the $73 million renovation and rehabilitation of the headquarters campus and power solutions businesses for the state’s largest company – and will be a showpiece for Johnson Controls as it tries to persuade customers to incorporate renewable energy into their buildings.
Power began generating this month after We Energies commissioned the solar system, said Don Albinger, vice president of renewable energy solutions at Johnson Controls.
The expansion of solar power is timely, coming as the stimulus package was signed into law. Energy experts are marveling at the array of tax benefits aimed at bringing more renewable energy online quickly, such as provisions that provide federal loan guarantees and accelerated depreciation for renewable projects.
“In these dismal times, we’ve got to look for some bright spots, and to me a great bright spot is the stuff that’s involved with renewable energy in that stimulus bill,” said Art Harrington, an energy lawyer with Godfrey & Kahn in Milwaukee.
Godfrey hosted three meetings across the state this week that drew about 500 businesspeople looking to learn more about economic opportunities created by the stimulus law, Harrington said.
“My advice to clients is to get knowledgeable on this stimulus bill,” he said. “Get knowledgeable quickly and then follow the money.”
by jboullion | Feb 19, 2009 | Uncategorized
An article from The Business Journal:
The Wisconsin State Fair Park has received state approval to install a solar panel system on the roof of the Wisconsin Products Pavilion.
State Fair Park will use the $306,000 demonstration project to promote renewable energy. The 30-kilowatt solar panel system is expected to be in place for the 2009 Wisconsin State Fair Aug. 6-16. The project received the approval of the State of Wisconsin Building Commission.
The electricity created by the solar panel system will be integrated into the Fair Park’s power grid to help reduce energy consumption. The new system will reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by more than 31 tons per year, according to the State Fair Park board.
The state Building Commission approved $128,400 of state funding from Conserve Wisconsin for the project at its meeting Wednesday. State Fair Park is applying for up to $100,000 in funds from the We Energies Nonprofit Renewable Energy Grant Program, in addition to applying for a $50,000 grant from Focus on Energy.
