by jboullion | Dec 14, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Brian Reisinger in the Wausau Daily Herald:
Alternative energy is something officials in the Wausau area say they want to encourage among residents, but properly regulating such technology remains uncharted territory.
From wind turbines to solar panels to electric cars, enabling the use of alternative energy comes with benefits and challenges.
Kelly Warren, a volunteer with Wausau’s Commission for a Greener Tomorrow, said energy alternatives only will be feasible if people and government scale back consumption.
“The first thing should always be to conserve,” he said.
In the meantime, local governments are addressing the issue to varying degrees.
Weston’s Village Board could consider an ordinance Monday that identifies wind as an important resource while placing height and other restrictions on turbines.
Administrator Dean Zuleger wants the village to foster such alternatives, possibly by using money from business development districts.
“You have to be willing to be forward-thinking with those folks in the business community that want to give that a shot,” Zuleger said.
by jboullion | Dec 12, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article in the Osceola School District newsletter:
Over the past year, the school district of Osceola has begun to take an inventory of how many ways it’s becoming a “green friendly” environment. Prompted by a state movement for schools to gain certification as “Green and Healthy,” as well as a community interest in becoming more sustainable, the district began to formally address the initiative district-wide. All buildings have a goal of becoming certified as “Green and Healthy” by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Schools have collected and submitted much data. Many statistics that students and staff tracked were used in earning the titles, from the amount of food waste produced to the temperature of the buildings over time. Buildings also submitted curriculum documentation of environmental education. Finally, each site completed an action and implementation plan for continuing its initiatives. These plans have become a vehicle for communicating with students and staff at each building as to their progress and next steps.
Director of Building and Grounds, Bob Schmidt, has been a solid resource for each building. “When we sat down and looked at the criteria, we realized how much work we had already done as a district to become more efficient and environmentally esponsible. It was positive to see the efforts we had made previously make this transition fairly easy. We still have steps we can take, but we’ve begun to cut our costs, energy usage, and effect on the environment already.”
One of the most noticeable additions to the district is that of 32 flat panel solar energy collectors installed on top of the Osceola Middle School. “We researched solar options for months, traveling to other educational institutions to find out pros and cons of different systems,” stated Mr. Schmidt. “Last spring, we made a presentation to the school board about the different system options as well as grant funding available for the project. The school board has been extremely supportive and proactive in this area.” In the end, the district received grant monies from Focus on Energy in the amount of $46,960.94 to use for the project.
by jboullion | Dec 12, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Paul Snyder in The Daily Reporter:
Summit Ridge Energy LLC isn’t yet ready to let a Monroe County Circuit Court ruling kill a 60-turbine wind farm proposal for the towns of Ridgeville, Wells and Wilton.
“At this point we’re talking with our consultants and looking at all our options,” said Susan Dennison, spokeswoman for Summit Ridge’s parent company, Chicago-based Invenergy LLC. “I don’t think we’re ready to say it’s over.”
After the company developed the Forward Energy Center wind farm in Fond du Lac and Dodge counties, Invenergy planned to build its next Wisconsin farm on land in Ridgeville, Wells and Wilton.
All three towns in 2007 granted Summit Ridge conditional-use permits for the wind farm, but Ridgeville and Wilton vetoed those permits, prompting Summit Ridge to sue.
As the case played out, the two towns also passed ordinances requiring wind farms to be set back a half-mile from property lines. Wilton Supervisor Tim O’Rourke said the ordinance leaves little developable space in the town.
Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Michael McAlpine at the end of November upheld the two towns’ vetoes, but ordinances and withdrawn permits might not be enough to stop the farm.
The development’s estimated energy output is just less than 100 megawatts. Ridgeville Chairman Mike Luethe said he would not be surprised if Summit Ridge increases the capacity to more than 100 megawatts, which, by law, puts project approval in the hands of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
If Invenergy is willing to wait, it might not need to increase capacity. Several state lawmakers said the Legislature will try to pass a bill establishing statewide requirements for wind farms, regardless of size.
That possibility does not sit well with small communities that passed their own ordinances.
“If (lawmakers) do that, they take power away from local governments,” Luethe said. “I’m a big believer in local government, and I think it’s hard for them (lawmakers) to make decisions about areas where they don’t even know what it looks like.”
But local governments might have an ally in state Rep. Andy Jorgenson, the newly appointed chairman of the Assembly Committee on Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs. The Fort Atkinson Democrat said he sympathizes with local governments on development issues. But he would not commit to opposing statewide wind farm regulations, arguing any developments need to be considered if they can help the state snap out of the economic crisis.
“We need to hear what the concerns of the local governments are because it’s something we can all learn from,” he said. “But it’s a discussion I’m looking forward to having, and hopefully we can come together on a decision.”
by jboullion | Dec 12, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Mark Schaff in West Allis Now:
West Allis residents will get the chance next week to tell the city if proposed restrictions blow too gently or too hard when it comes to an alternative energy source for local homes.
A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, on an ordinance that would allow West Allis residents to install mini wind turbines on their properties. The public hearing will come at the beginning of the Common Council meeting at City Hall, 7525 W. Greenfield Ave.
On Dec. 3, the Plan Commission unanimously recommended approval of the ordinance.
Wind proponent
Earlier this year, resident Conrad LeBeau asked the city to change its municipal code so he could install such a system at his residence.
LeBeau, who has long been interested in alternative energy, had purchased a wind turbine with a 46-inch rotor diameter — a device capable of generating about 400 watts of power in a 28-mph wind.
In an interview earlier this fall, LeBeau, 65, said he could power his garage and lawn lights with the turbine, but hopes to continue experimenting to someday reduce his energy bill to zero.
Setting the rules
City officials responded to LeBeau’s request with a proposed set of rules that address safety and noise concerns.
Under terms of the ordinance, home-based wind energy systems could only be placed outside homes in certain places.
A tower for a wind energy system must be set back 1.5 times its total height from any public road right of way and all property lines and utility lines not serving the property.
As proposed, the system could only be located in a backyard, and all electrical wires must be underground. The base of the wind system must be at least eight feet from the ground and the total height could not be more than 60 feet.
The system could generate no more than 60 decibels of sound — the rough equivalent of normal conversation, according to the University of Wisconsin’s College of Engineering— as measured from property lines.
Too restrictive?
City officials stressed safety in drafting the ordinance because of West Allis’ small lot sizes and high-density neighborhoods, said Steve Schaer, planning and zoning manager.
LeBeau said he shared those same concerns, but he also wanted the city to keep costs and restrictions at a minimum to give homeowners flexibility.
by jboullion | Dec 11, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Sara Elmquist in the Winona Post:
Opponents to proposed new high-voltage, 345-kilovolt transmission lines which could cross the Mississippi in Winona rallied Monday night at an open house against the project.
One of the new lines would run from the southeast Twin Cities to La Crosse following a route that would cross the Mississippi in either Winona, Alma or La Crescent.
CapX2020, a group of 11 energy companies in Minnesota, held an open house on the project Monday night, a required step for the routing of the lines for Minnesota and Wisconsin permits. Public scoping meetings are expected in February, with public hearings set for early 2009.
CapX2020 spokesperson Tim Carlsgaard said that the lines would be used to carry power from new wind projects and to help meet state mandates for renewable energy. But opponents at Monday’s meeting said that there was no guarantee the power grid wouldn’t haul coal-generated power to more urban areas on the dime of energy rate-payers in Minnesota.
And discussions, which turned into a roundtable debate, included claims from members of Bluff Land Environment Watch (BLEW) and others that the lines simply weren’t needed.
“The best solution is conservation,” said local wildlife enthusiast Richie Swanson. He said that migratory bird populations would be threatened at transmission river crossings and advocated incentives for using less energy. He said that taller towers would simply exacerbate the dangers birds and other wildlife face along the Mississippi. “We live in a world where wildlife is already getting hammered on the river,” he said, rattling off a list of species seeing huge declines in numbers.
by jboullion | Dec 11, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Jim Massey in The Country Today:
MADISON – A Canadian renewable-energy company says it plans to build biogas facilities in Wisconsin and elsewhere that would use manure and rendering industry byproducts to produce electricity.
Ontario-based StormFisher Biogas plans to build one Wisconsin project in 2009 and two or three more between 2010 and 2012, according to StormFisher Biogas development manager Chris Amey. It plans to partner on some of the projects with Sanimax, an animal byproducts company with facilities in DeForest, Abbotsford, Evansville and Green Bay.
Amey said StormFisher plans to build the facilities on farms with at least 2,000 cows. Each project would cost $15 million to $25 million and would create 12 to 20 full-time jobs.
Amey said the company is still finalizing agreements with dairy producers, so he couldn’t reveal where the farms are located. But he said the 2009 project would be in central or northwest Wisconsin.
by jboullion | Dec 11, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a story by Mark Pitsch in the Wisconsin State Journal:
The start of a commuter rail line between Madison and Milwaukee, a new UW-Madison medical research tower and expansion of Interstate 94 are among the local projects Gov. Jim Doyle says could be started within months if federal lawmakers pass a massive economic stimulus bill for states.
Doyle met with members of President-elect Barack Obama’s economic team and incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday and presented them a list of those and other projects he says the state has ready to go, his office said.
Over all, the state has nearly 1,800 projects worth $3.7 billion that could be ready to start within 120 days if it receives funding under the bill being worked on in Congress — though it’s too early to say how much Wisconsin might get.
“These are things we could do immediately to have people work all across the state,” Doyle said earlier this week in an interview.
Doyle’s office has an additional $10 billion in longer-term projects cued up, including $519 million for the rail project, $300 million to replace UW-Madison’s Charter Street plant and $50 million for a campus bioenergy research facility.
The office released the list of projects Wednesday. Doyle is slated to testify before the House Appropriations Committee today and he was scheduled to meet with its chairman, Rep. David Obey, D-Wausau, privately Wednesday.
Click here for the full wish list, including more items for Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.
by jboullion | Dec 10, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:
WITHEE, Wis. — Joe’s Refrigeration, Inc., a family-owned business that designs and installs custom milking and refrigeration systems for dairy farms, has earned Focus on Energy’s Award for Excellence in Energy Efficiency for its efforts to promote energy-saving, environmentally friendly equipment.
Working in partnership with Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, Joe’s Refrigeration helps dairy producers and processors cut energy consumption and costs by installing efficient equipment such as refrigeration heat-recovery tanks and plate coolers. The resulting savings helps farmers stay profitable and competitive as energy costs continue to rise.
“While milk prices have risen, so too have the costs of feed, fertilizer and fuel. Wisconsin’s dairy industry is important to our economy and we’re glad to help farmers stay competitive,” explained Rich Hackner, sector manager for Focus on Energy’s Agriculture and Rural Business Program.
“Joe’s Refrigeration is a great partner and we applaud their efforts to
help dairy producers make smart choices that save energy, save money and protect the environment.”
Over the past 50 years, Joe’s Refrigeration has expanded and diversified from its beginnings as a refrigeration business. Over the years, the company branched into the dairy industry, a side of the business that has doubled in the past year as more and more farmers have sought financial savings through energy efficiency.
by jboullion | Dec 10, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Don Behm in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Sun seekers and swimmers put off by slimy, foul-smelling cladophora algae covering Lake Michigan beaches and rocky shorelines in summer have a pair of new allies in the ongoing battle with the nuisance plant: Daniel Zitomer and hungry microbes.
Where some see a putrid eyesore, Zitomer sees a sweet opportunity to make energy.
Allow bacteria and other microbes known as archaea to digest the stringy algae in enclosed tanks and the end product is methane, said Zitomer, an associate professor of engineering and director of the Water Quality Center at Marquette University.
The same goes for animal droppings at the Milwaukee County Zoo, as well as waste from food processing, candy making or even distilling liquor. Each is rich in organic carbon compounds, and they, too, could yield methane if digested by a diverse set of microbes.
Then, Zitomer says, burn the methane to generate electricity to lessen demand for energy from coal or natural-gas-fired power plants and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases from the power plants that could contribute to global warming and climate change.
The tanks and microbes he wants to fill with cladophora and organic wastes from the community are at the South Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant in Oak Creek.
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District uses bacteria and archaea to digest human feces and other sewage solids removed during the beginning of the treatment process at the Jones Island and South Shore plants. The blend is mixed and heated in four separate tanks with capacities of 3 million gallons each and two smaller tanks with half that capacity at South Shore.
Nearly a decade ago, Zitomer identified a seasonal waste – aircraft de-icing fluids from Mitchell International Airport – that could be poured into the digesters to boost methane production.
Christmas will come early again this year for billions of bacteria and other microbes in the below-ground tanks at the South Shore plant. The winter’s first tanker full of de-icing waste – propylene glycol and water – arrived last week.
The addition of glycol to the tanks has the same effect as tossing sugar-loaded candy to children: It sets off a feeding frenzy among bacteria and archaea, Zitomer said.
Glycol molecules are broken apart by bacteria, then quickly fermented into acids, which are converted to methane by the archaea. Both groups of microbes working in the tanks thrive in warm, oxygen-free environments.
Since 2000, the airport has shipped between 250,000 and 300,000 gallons of the waste each winter to the South Shore plant. Tankers arrived more frequently last winter, however, and the treatment plant received a record 500,000 gallons.
In October, a separate partnership between InSinkErator, the Racine-based maker of food waste grinders, and Outpost Natural Foods on S. Kinnickinnic Ave. started sending small volumes of ground vegetables to the digesters at South Shore.
In 2007, the total energy value of methane produced in the digesters was estimated at $1.9 million, MMSD chemical engineer Jeff Schilling said. That dollar figure equals the money MMSD saved by reducing energy purchases for the plant. No estimate was available on the value of methane provided by adding the de-icing waste, he said.
by jboullion | Dec 10, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a column by Gregg Hoffman in WisBusiness:
If you’re looking at doing business in parts of southwest Wisconsin, you’d better make it as green as possible.
Environmentalists, organic farmers, citizens groups and an increasing number of elected officials have made it clear that the environment needs to be part of any business equation.
That was clear in recent protests over a coal ash dump site in Vernon County, which eventually led to Dairyland Power scrapping plans to establish the landfill. It became clear again in similar opposition to a coal blend power plant in Cassville. The PSC rejected plans for that plant.
It was clear over a year ago when hundreds protested establishment of a large pig farm, which would house more than 1,000 animals as a CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation). Plans for that farm did move forward.
Two more examples came to the forefront in recent weeks. Petry Trust of Rockford, Ill., is doing a preliminary investigation into possibly locating a 1,000-plus animal unit dairy in Vernon County.
Just a day or so after that story broke, Organic Valley, a successful organic food cooperative, announced it is talking to Western Technical College and Gundersen Lutheran about erecting two wind turbines in 2009 at its Cashton distribution center.
That announcement was made at a press conference in La Crosse on the Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign. It was launched by Wisconsin Farmers Union, Clean Wisconsin, the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and RENEW Wisconsin.
The owner of Petry Trust, Jeff Petry, owns “significant” amounts of agricultural real estate in Wisconsin and Illinois and has farmed himself in the past. Petry leases most his agricultural real estate and owns one other dairy facility in the Darlington area.
Bourgault said Petry owns the facility in Darlington, but leases it to a California company. The Darlington facility is permitted through the DNR for up to 2,500 animal units or about 1,800 dairy cows, but there are currently not that many animals on the property.
The testing for the possible Vernon County dairy operation will begin at one of the possible sites along West Smith Road, where Petry owns about 300 contiguous acres. A spokesman for Petry said the site would be selected with a number of factors in mind and with all state and local regulations taken into consideration.
Opposition to so-called “factory farms” has been strong in the past. Concerns are for the amount of manure produced by such farms, storage of the waste in winter and possible runoff. Parts of the Driftless Area are susceptible to pollution from runoff because of the karst geology in the area.
The Petry spokesman said the group is well aware of the concerns and plans on “taking additional measures for our own piece of mind.” He said the dairy operation would fit into Vernon County’s “agricultural tradition.”
Organic Valley’s proposal is the latest in that organization’s emphasis on the environment and sustainability. The co-op’s headquarters in La Farge and distribution center near Cashton are both “green-built” buildings. Other measures are regularly taken to promote sustainable agriculture by the co-op.
BEST Energies Inc., which has a biodiesel plant in Cashton, and the village of Cashton also might become partners with Organic Valley, Western and Gundersen Lutheran in the wind turbine project.
The Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign promotes four of the initiatives recommended this year by Gov. Jim Doyle’s Global Warming Task Force: create a Biomass Energy Crop Reserve Program to pay land owners to plant bioenergy crops such as switchgrass that can be used for fuel, create a Renewable Fuels for Schools and Communities Program to help fund sources for biomass heating systems in schools and government buildings, develop a program to set utility payment rates to fairly compensate small renewable energy producers and set a low carbon fuel standard.
Southwest Wisconsin rapidly is developing into a hotbed for those, and other green business practices. If the Petry dairy operation makes sure it takes all the precautions to avoid problems with runoff and other environmental issues, it will be welcomed into the area. If not, it will likely face stiff opposition.
