Two Rivers may erect wind turbine

by | Sep 3, 2008 | Uncategorized

From an article by Cindy Hodgson in the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter:

TWO RIVERS — Two Rivers Water & Light is considering erecting a wind turbine near the high school on Highway 42. It would be a joint project of the utility, the school and Wisconsin Public Power Inc., according to electric utility director Tom Bushman.

“We’re in very preliminary talks at this point,” Bushman said.

He said he has been in contact with the school regarding the idea for a couple of years, but “price has always been the issue.”

Now Wisconsin Public Power Inc., which is owned by 49 utilities including Two Rivers Water & Light, has indicated it is willing to provide funding, perhaps as much as 75 percent, according to Bushman.

WPPI would like to see at least one alternative energy demonstration project in each of its member cities, he said. Solar projects have been undertaken, and WPPI wants to see some wind projects implemented.

Two Rivers is a suitable location for a wind project, Bushman said, because it has open spaces and offshore winds from Lake Michigan in the afternoon.

If a wind turbine is set up near the high school, the power it generates will offset a small portion of the school’s electric bill, Bushman said.

Eggers Industries, on the other side of Highway 42, also has expressed interested in having a wind turbine, and the company has some vacant land to its south, he said.

MATC, MSOE have sunny outlooks

by | Sep 2, 2008 | Uncategorized

From an article by Thomas Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The largest solar power project in downtown Milwaukee is up and running at Milwaukee School of Engineering.

144 solar panels sit on the roof of the school’s student union building and are visible to office workers in nearby downtown buildings. That’s by design, said Chris Damm, associate professor of mechanical engineering at MSOE.

“It’s a statement to show that MSOE is leading the way in terms of sustainability and engineering, to attract students who are interested in emerging energy technologies and sustainable engineering,” he said.

But the project is more than just a showcase for the university. It’s part of a training ground for students to engage in research in the growing fields of renewable energy and more efficient energy use.

Already, students did research to help determine the best spot on the downtown campus to place the solar panels – to ensure they wouldn’t be blocked by shadows from nearby buildings and generate too little power.

The solar project is the largest in downtown Milwaukee and one of the biggest at the state, though larger projects may be in the works.

The state’s largest solar systems are at GE Healthcare in Waukesha and Kohl’s Corp. in Menomonee Falls.

The downtown Milwaukee project, with a price tag of $235,000, was paid for through a combination of internal funding, a $100,000 grant from We Energies and a $35,000 grant from the state energy efficiency and renewable program, Focus on Energy.

A side note to the story says:

The future of solar power will be discussed during a conference next month at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee. The Solar Decade conference is planned for Oct. 23-24. For more, go to www.solardecade.com or call (800) 762-7077.

Green Drinks in Milwaukee, September 10

by | Aug 29, 2008 | Uncategorized

Cities across the U.S. host Green Drinks events. Here’s how the Sierra Club describes Milwaukee’s:

Anyone interested in green and sustainable is welcome. No rsvp necessary and feel free to pass this notice on to others interested. What is Green Drinks? Green Drinks is a monthly event where you can meet people, network, do a business deal, learn something new or maybe even find a job! Check out www.greendrinks.org to get an idea of the scope of this movement! Join like-minded people in an informal and unstructured setting to talk about the latest sustainability happenings in Milwaukee and globally. Meet people in various green professions. Have a drink (alcoholic or not) . . .

Green Drinks is held at 5:00 pm on the second Wednesday of the month at Ardor (non-smoking Pub), 607 N. Broadway. The next gathering is Wedesday, September 10.

Coalition wants transit to Pabst Farms development

by | Aug 28, 2008 | Uncategorized

From an article by Sean Ryan in The Daily Reporter:

A Milwaukee group says the construction of an interchange to serve Oconomowoc’s Pabst Farms shouldn’t move forward unless public transit improvements are part of the plan.

American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin Foundation Inc. attorneys filed a complaint (PDF) Tuesday on behalf of the Good Jobs & Livable Neighborhoods coalition.

Coalition Director Pamela Fendt said the complaint doesn’t seek to stop the more than $23 million construction of the Interstate 94 interchange in Oconomowoc. It asks the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to allot resources to mass transit if the interchange is built.

“It seems like what we see moving forward is the freeway work,” Fendt said, “and we are really at a standstill when it comes to making decisions on mass transit.”

The state Department of Transportation decided to expand the interchange at I-94 and County Trunk Highway P before its scheduled 2010 date because of the proposed Town Centre shopping complex at Pabst Farms. Waukesha County is contributing $1.75 million to the project, the city $400,000, and the state will pay the balance.

Representatives from SEWRPC, Pabst Farms and WisDOT did not comment on the complaint before deadline, saying they had not yet seen it.

Good Jobs & Livable Neighborhoods complained SEWRPC appointees and committees did not fairly represent Milwaukee’s minority workers when they approved changes to the regional transportation plan to include the expanded interchange.

Larry Dupuis, legal director for the ACLU of Wisconsin Foundation, said he hopes the feds will require representatives of Milwaukee’s minority communities to sign off on future additions to southeast Wisconsin’s highway project plans.

He also said state and local resources should be allotted for transit projects, including busing and rail projects such as the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail line.

“Everybody talks about ‘smart growth’ and trying to diminish our dependence on foreign oil and those kinds of things,” he said. “The rule has been more roads and fewer transit resources, and we’re trying to put a halt to that.”

The complaint asks the U.S. DOT to order more planning to incorporate concerns of minority and transit-dependent residents and end its “absolute and substantial deference to local governments.” Short of that, it asks the federal government to ban SEWRPC from receiving federal money.

If new transit or bus routes are not created linking Milwaukee to Pabst Farms, unemployed Milwaukee residents will not have the chance to get jobs in the Town Centre mall, Fendt said.

Solar power is working in Wisconsin

by | Aug 27, 2008 | Uncategorized

From a story last fall on Fox 6 News:

WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE — You’d expect solar powered water heaters to be a big deal in Arizona or Texas, but now is becoming a big deal in Wisconsin. FOX 6’s Gus Gnorski shows you why it might be a good decision for your house.

The 2008 Solar Decade Conference, where the story was taped, will be October 23-24, also at the Midwest Airline Center.

The sun powers Racine Eco-Justice Center

by | Aug 25, 2008 | Uncategorized

From a story by Michael Seidel on OnMilwaukee.com:

“Now, when he has enough, he’ll stop,” Sister Janet Weyker says. She’s holding a baby robin; the bird chirp excitedly as Weyker feeds him worms out of a tin of compost and wild black raspberries from a cup. Since the robin’s mother disappeared, Weyker has taken over, tending to the fledling’s hunger at mealtimes.

This type of stewardship is precisely what motivated Weyker and several other sisters of the Racine Dominican order to found the Eco-Justice Center, a 15-acre learning center, farm and homestead located at 5635 Erie St. in Racine.

As a whole, the Racine Dominicans, a Catholic community of vowed women and lay associates, are committed to the ideas of education and justice. But back in 2000, the nuns saw a gap in their order’s efforts to extend those concepts to the environment.

“(We thought) the environment is in crisis and we should really do something,” Sister Janet says, “I didn’t want to just talk about it anymore, I really want to make that dream a reality. . . .”

“Fifty-five solar panels produce all the energy that we use in the summertime,” Weyker explains. Additionally, the house uses geothermal heating for its heating and air conditioning. “Geothermal is a system where there are pipes buried in the ground 9.5 feet deep, and there’s a constant temperature of 55 degrees. . . .”

MATC installs wind turbine at Mequon campus

by | Aug 22, 2008 | Uncategorized

From an article by Sean Ryan in The Daily Reporter:

The first wind turbine gear Milwaukee Area Technical College purchased got scorched in a California brush fire and it took months to find a replacement.

The equipment, a used Vestas Wind Systems 90 kilowatt turbine, was in storage at Halus Power Systems’ facility waiting to be refurbished for use at the MATC Mequon campus when a fire blew through in 2006. Halus had to get another set of gear, and the technical college had to pay another few thousand dollars because there was a shorter supply of the gear a year later, said Al Evinrude, director of construction services for the campus.

The Mequon turbine, envisioned to be a demonstration project and educational tool, has been in the works since 2005. But, after delays caused by the fire and a year-long delay after MATC’s original contractor dropped out of the project, PieperPower, Milwaukee, on Wednesday began to install the gear atop a turbine tower.

There were some unique challenges with the Mequon project, but all plans to build smaller-scale turbines, as opposed to wind farms, require a lot of lead time, said Mick Sagrillo, wind specialist for Focus on Energy. Focus on Energy gave grants to the MATC project in 2005.

He said before anybody hits the market to buy the gear, they need two permits — zoning approval to build the structure and permission from the local utility to connect it to the power system.

“Once you’ve got those two documents in hand, now you’ve got basically permission to build a wind turbine,” he said. “And until you have those two pieces of paper in your hand, you don’t want to put any money down.”

Lakeshore Technical College will visit the Cleveland Plan Commission on Sept. 3 to ask permission to build two 65-kilowatt wind turbines. The college built a turbine in 2005, so it already has negotiated the zoning picture, said Doug Lindsey, Lakeshore Tech dean of agriculture, apprenticeships, trade and industry.

Focus on Energy seeks large renewable projects to fund

by | Aug 21, 2008 | Uncategorized

From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:

Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, is helping businesses statewide become more energy independent by offering large, one time only grants to help finance the installation of innovative renewable energy systems. Eligible businesses must submit grant proposals to Focus on Energy by Oct. 29, 2008. Funds will be awarded on a competitive basis and are meant to support one project in each of the following technologies:

Industrial or Municipal Anaerobic Digesters
Many industries and wastewater treatment facilities are looking for a solution to both organic waste management and a source of on-site energy production. Anaerobic treatment of industrial or municipal wastewater can offset waste treatment costs by collecting and using biogas for energy applications. This grant will fund the installation of a commercially available anaerobic digester system in the $2 to $4 million range. The grant will reward up to 25 percent of the installed project cost, or a maximum of $500,000.

Biomass Combustion
Biomass Combustion can serve as on-site energy production for many industries and commercial facilities. The technology offsets energy costs by burning biomass for energy applications. Biomass combustion systems can help supply space heating, process heating, cooling and electricity. This grant will fund the installation of a commercially available biomass combustion system in the $2 to $4 million range. The grant will reward up to 25 percent of the installed project cost, or a maximum of $500,000.

Solar Water Heating
The sun’s energy can be used to heat water for commercial and industrial applications. Businesses interested in implementing solar water heating can use this grant for the installation of one large, commercially-available solar water heating system or a group of systems owned by the same entity and installed simultaneously. This grant will fund the installation of a solar hot water system that offsets more than 10,000 therms per year. The grant will reward up to 25 percent of the installed project cost for tax-paying entities and up to 35 percent for nonprofits, or a maximum of $100,000.

Solar Electric
Solar energy can be converted directly to electricity with photovoltaic (PV) cells. As light strikes the PV cell, it creates an electrical potential that generates a current of electricity. To implement solar electricity, businesses can use this grant for the installation of a large solar electric system or groups of systems that are innovative and very visible. This grant will fund the installation of a PV system that produces more than 50 kilowatts (kW) per year. The grant will reward up to 25 percent of the installed project cost for tax-paying entities and up to 35 percent for nonprofits, or a maximum of $100,000.

Wind Energy
The energy present in wind can be converted into electricity with a wind turbine. Wind passing over the turbine creates a rotary motion that turns an electric generator and creates electricity. This grant will provide financial support for the installation of one commercially available wind energy system that demonstrates a new type of turbine, has a special type of application and/or provides very high visibility and educational value. To be eligible the project must produce 20 kW to 100 kW per year. This grant will reward up to 35 percent of the installed project cost, or a maximum of $100,000.

“These grants offer a one time opportunity for businesses and non-profits to apply for projects that are twice as large as those normally accepted by Focus on Energy. We believe there is an emerging demand for renewable energy systems at this larger level, offering businesses a way to mitigate the effects of fossil-fuel-based energy use, reduce pollution and lessen America’s dependence on energy from overseas,” said Don Wichert, program director for Focus on Energy’s Renewable Energy Program.

Oconomowoc Utilities leads by example

by | Aug 20, 2008 | Uncategorized

From an article by Matthew Inda in The Lake Country Reporter:

City of Oconomowoc – Saving and conserving energy is easier than you might think.

Turning off the water when it’s not in use and recycling are two simple things everyone can do right at home.

But a local effort under the guidance of Oconomowoc Utilities intends to spread even more conservation endeavors across the city just as easily – by following their lead.

Earlier this spring, Oconomowoc Utilities announced it had been granted a pilot program known as Leading by Example, a program to help better educate and demonstrate the effectiveness of energy efficiency, conservation and renewable resources development around the community.

The program was awarded by Wisconsin Public Power Inc. (WPPI) because of Oconomowoc’s strong leadership in these areas.

The initiative has already made some differences.

Helping to implement the program is a conservation committee composed of community leaders and citizens.

“Our major purpose is to educate the community what they can do to conserve energy and water,” said committee member and former Oconomowoc Mayor Floss Whelan.

Spearheaded by Oconomowoc Utilities Operations Manager Dennis Bednarski, the program and its committee also includes Bob Duffy, city director of economic development; Mike Barry, Oconomowoc School District assistant superintendent of business services; Alderman David Nold; and Mike Farrell, chairman and chief executive officer of Sentry Equipment Corp.

“We have a diverse group of community members that can help us give a view of what concerns are here in Oconomowoc,” Bednarski said.

“It’s about local action,” he added.

Already, the group has implemented and nearly completed a light conservation effort at the high school tennis courts, changing the lights to solar power energy.

And coming soon, the group will work with the public library to also make its lighting and lighting costs more effective and efficient.

”We’re starting a project to relight the library with (light-emitting diode) LED fixtures,” Bednarski said.

LED lights are increasingly popular as it uses less energy but operates with as much brightness as a conventional bulb.

WE Energies plans 243 megawatt wind farm in Columbia County

by | Aug 19, 2008 | Uncategorized

From an article by Kevin Murphy in The Capital Times:

Milwaukee-based WE Energies wants to build a 90-turbine, 234-megawatt wind farm located between the Columbia County villages of Cambria and Friesland.

In an application filed Monday with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, WE Energies proposes to locate the turbines with a hub height of up to 262 feet generally north and west of Friesland and northeast of Cambria in the towns of Randolph and Scott.

The project would gather power from up to 90 turbines, each with a half-acre footprint, by using up to 50 miles of 50-foot-wide corridors for collector cables. Twenty miles of permanent roads would be used to access the turbine sites, according to the application.

WE Energies acquired an option on the site from Florida Power and Light when it sold its interest in the Point Beach nuclear plant, said Brian Manthey, a WE Energies spokesman.

“The area was already sited for its potential for wind power, once we decided to (exercise the option) we saw that it was a good possibility for us, a good area for wind power production,” Manthey said.

Construction costs haven’t been finalized for the wind farm, now called the Randolph Wind Project, because the number and type of wind turbines haven’t been determined. WE Energies plans to submit those costs to the Public Service Commission within a few months, Manthey said.

He compared the new proposal to the company’s $300 million, 88-turbine wind farm spread across 10,600 acres in Fond du Lac County. The Blue Sky Green Field wind project, which became operational in May, has a 145-megawatt capacity, enough to power 36,000 homes, according to WE Energies.

It used turbines that are 397 feet tall from foundation to the blade tip.

Ryan Schryver, Clean Wisconsin’s wind power advocate, called the proposal a great example of the “choice that we have to make regarding our energy production.”