by jboullion | Dec 21, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Jake Miller in the Wausau Daily Herald:
ROTHSCHILD — A $255 million biomass power plant under construction in Rothschild already has put more than 75 people to work full time, providing them with family-sustaining wages, officials said.
The workers — mostly general laborers, iron workers and carpenters — have spent recent months pouring concrete and erecting the 11-story steel frame for a building that ultimately will house the plant’s boiler, said Randy DeMeuse, vice president of operations for The Boldt Co., the Appleton-based firm overseeing construction.
The plant, a We Energies and Domtar Corp. project, remains on schedule after crews began to build the facility this summer, We Energies spokesman Brian Manthey said. The plant at Domtar’s Rothschild paper mill will generate steam for the papermaker and electricity for We Energies and is expected to be complete by late summer of 2013.
The state Public Service Commission approved the project this past summer after neighbors of the site waged a fierce battle to block its construction. Opponents cited pollution and visual concerns, while supporters argued the much-needed jobs outweighed those issues.
The number of people working on-site during construction is expected to climb to 250 by summer. If the project hits any delays, that number could grow to 400 because project managers would need to add a second shift of workers, DeMeuse said.
The number of people working on-site during construction is expected to climb to 250 by summer. If the project hits any delays, that number could grow to 400 because project managers would need to add a second shift of workers, DeMeuse said.
“That’s just staff on site; it doesn’t include truck drivers at all,” he said. “Chances are we may peak out higher than (250).”
by jboullion | Dec 19, 2011 | Uncategorized
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 19, 2011 Contact: Kristin Ruesch or Matthew Pagel, 608-266-9600 Kristin.Ruesch@wisconsin.gov or Matt.Pagel@wisconsin.gov
Madison, WI—The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (Commission) has received an application from Highland Wind Farm, LLC to build a 102.5 megawatt wind project located in the townships of Forest and Cylon, St. Croix County, Wisconsin. When the application is deemed complete, the Commission will have up to 360 days to make a decision on the application.
An electric generation project of 100 megawatts (MW) or greater requires a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the Commission.
The Commission has siting jurisdiction over all wind energy systems 100 MW or larger and over utility-owned wind energy systems, regardless of size.
A political subdivision (city, town, village, or county) has siting jurisdiction over non-utility wind energy systems smaller than 100 megawatts.
2009 Wisconsin Act 40 made several changes to the state statutes regarding the siting of wind energy systems. The law retained the jurisdictional split between the Commission and political subdivisions; directed the Commission to write wind siting rules; and stated that a political subdivision may not impose requirements that are more restrictive than those in the Commission’s wind siting rules.
In response, final Wind Siting Rules promulgated by the Commission (PSC 128) were published in the Wisconsin Administrative Register on February 28, 2011, to be effective March 1, 2011. Currently the rules are not in effect due to legislative suspension.
The Commission and interested parties are currently working to resolve concerns regarding wind siting for non-utility projects under 100 MW. Because Highland Wind Farm, LLC has planned a project surpassing the 100 MW threshold, the project application will be treated like any other CPCN application received by the Commission; however, the Commission is also statutorily required to “consider whether installation or use of the facility is consistent with the standards specified in the rules promulgated by the commission under Wis. Stats. §196.378 (4g) (b),” meaning the Commission will need to at least consider whether the application is consistent with the standards in the promulgated, yet suspended, PSC 128 rules.
Once the Commission receives all pieces of an application, the Commission has 30 days to determine whether the application is complete. After a CPCN application is deemed complete, the Commission urges the public to take advantage of the many opportunities to weigh in. The public is encouraged to read the Commission’s public notification letter, verify interested parties are included on the Commission mailing lists, review the application posted online, ask questions of the Commission staff, submit comments, and testify at hearings. Information can be found at the Commission’s web site, http://psc.wi.gov, and at local libraries, government offices, clerks’ offices, and within the environmental review documents that will be prepared for the project.
Wis. Stats. § 196.491 describes the procedures related to the issuance of a CPCN. The general application requirements for the CPCN are described in Wis. Admin. Code ch. PSC 111. An overview of a typical application review process can be found at: http://psc.wi.gov/thelibrary/publications/electric/electric03.pdf.
Documents associated with the Highland Wind Farm application can be viewed on the PSC’s Electronic Regulatory Filing System at http://psc.wi.gov/. Type case numbers 2535-CE-100 in the boxes provided on the PSC homepage, or click on the Electronic Regulatory Filing System button.
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by jboullion | Dec 19, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Louis Weisberg in the Wisconsin Gazette:
When Wisconsin voters elected Scott Walker governor and handed Republicans control of the Legislature, about 1,000 new jobs in the emerging wind energy sector stood waiting on the state’s horizon, according to industry proponents.
But Walker, who received at least $1.5 million in campaign cash directly from interests opposed to wind energy and much more indirectly, quickly quashed the rules that would have allowed those jobs – and the state’s energy independence – to move forward.
Walker’s move reportedly startled wind-energy supporters on both sides of the political aisle, since the so-called “wind siting” rules were ironed out during a year of negotiations with all the major stakeholders and approved by a two-thirds, bipartisan majority of lawmakers during the legislative session immediately preceding the state’s GOP takeover.
by jboullion | Dec 16, 2011 | Uncategorized
An article by Danielle Endvick in The Country Today:
The turbine foundations have been built and basic infrastructure is in place for Wisconsin’s first community wind project.
Cashton Greens Wind Farm, set to begin operation this spring near Highway 27 southwest of Cashton in Monroe County, is expected to generate nearly 5 megawatts of energy, enough to power 1,000 Cashton homes annually.
The $11 million renewable energy project is a collaborative effort of the Village of Cashton, Gundersen Lutheran Health System and Organic Valley, the nation’s largest cooperative of organic farmers.
Cecil Wright, Organic Valley director of sustainability, said planning on the wind farm, which is being erected on land near the cooperative’s distribution center, began in 2008.
“It’s taken a lot of discussion and a lot of learning,” he said.
The project is one of several Organic Valley has spearheaded in an effort to gain energy independence. Others included the use of biodiesel in its truck fleet, solar photovoltaic windows in its headquarters and solar hot water panels in its cheese packaging plant and cafe.
The cooperative also encourages energy efficiency for its members through an On-Farm Sustainability Program.
“Our farmers and board have always wanted us to be responsible and get involved in renewable energy,” Wright said. “Climate change is real for us, there’s no doubt about that. Our farmers get that, our organization gets it, our consumers get it.”
Electricity generated from Cashton Green’s two commercial-scale turbines will flow into the Cashton power grid. The village invested in the wind farm’s infrastructure.
As developers and owners of Cashton Greens, Organic Valley and Gundersen will receive income per kilowatt hour generated. Through a renewable energy contract with the Upper Midwest Municipal Power Agency, the two companies will buy back energy to offset their footprints.
“We’ll turn around and buy it back after it goes through the system,” Wright said, “but the actual electrons will be used by the village.”
The partner companies will benefit from renewable energy credits.
Wright said the wind farm will allow Organic Valley to hedge rising energy costs.
“As the price of electric goes up, our project revenue will go up with it,” he said.
A pre-project performance study suggested a pay-off point of 20 years, he said.
“If the cost of electricity goes up, it should more than pay for itself in that time,” he said.
A plan for independence
Cashton Greens is one step in a long-term plan to make Gundersen Lutheran energy independent by 2014.
Corey Zarecki, director of engineering and operations for Envision, Gundersen’s renewable energy program, said the health care system has aggressively worked toward that goal since 2008.
“Within the first 18 months, we improved energy efficiency by 20 percent,” he said.
Zarecki said Gundersen’s interest in renewable energy was spurred by increasing utility costs.
In 2007, the system’s energy costs were increasing at a rate of more than $350,000 per year.
“Those costs were translating as higher health care costs,” Zarecki said. “We chose to do something about it.”
The resulting renewable energy program has led to implementation of solar and biomass electric, a heat and power partnership with a local brewery, and an Onalaska landfill gas energy project that will be operational in 2012.
Gundersen is also tied to a similar wind farm site near Lewiston, Minn., that should be running by New Year’s, Zarecki said.
“Our overall goal with Envision is to be both ‘green’ and ‘green,’ ” he said. “We want to reduce the cost of health care while being green from the environmental perspective and the financial perspective.”
Most Envision projects have had paybacks of five to 10 years, Zarecki said.
The health care provider is invested in improving the communities it serves, he said.
“If you think about a hospital, we’ve been the community for 100 years,” he said, “and we hope to be in the community for longer than that, into the future.”
With the wind farm and completion of recent solar projects, Wright said renewable energy will account for 10 percent of energy usage at the Organic Valley headquarters.
The wind farm will also serve as a living lab for students from the Western Technical College of La Crosse.
Wright and Zarecki said they hope Cashton Greens sets an example.
“Most wind projects are done by developers or utilities,” Wright said. “It’s a little more unusual for companies and a community to get together.”
Michels Corporation, a Brownsville-based contractor will install the turbines.
The partners are anxious to see the turbines at work.
“The tower and blades will show up in February, and we’ll begin installation in March,” Wright said. “We’re hoping to have things turning by May.”
by jboullion | Dec 16, 2011 | Uncategorized
An article by Danielle Endvick in The Country Today:
The turbine foundations have been built and basic infrastructure is in place for Wisconsin’s first community wind project.
Cashton Greens Wind Farm, set to begin operation this spring near Highway 27 southwest of Cashton in Monroe County, is expected to generate nearly 5 megawatts of energy, enough to power 1,000 Cashton homes annually.
The $11 million renewable energy project is a collaborative effort of the Village of Cashton, Gundersen Lutheran Health System and Organic Valley, the nation’s largest cooperative of organic farmers.
Cecil Wright, Organic Valley director of sustainability, said planning on the wind farm, which is being erected on land near the cooperative’s distribution center, began in 2008.
“It’s taken a lot of discussion and a lot of learning,” he said.
The project is one of several Organic Valley has spearheaded in an effort to gain energy independence. Others included the use of biodiesel in its truck fleet, solar photovoltaic windows in its headquarters and solar hot water panels in its cheese packaging plant and cafe.
The cooperative also encourages energy efficiency for its members through an On-Farm Sustainability Program.
“Our farmers and board have always wanted us to be responsible and get involved in renewable energy,” Wright said. “Climate change is real for us, there’s no doubt about that. Our farmers get that, our organization gets it, our consumers get it.”
Electricity generated from Cashton Green’s two commercial-scale turbines will flow into the Cashton power grid. The village invested in the wind farm’s infrastructure.
As developers and owners of Cashton Greens, Organic Valley and Gundersen will receive income per kilowatt hour generated. Through a renewable energy contract with the Upper Midwest Municipal Power Agency, the two companies will buy back energy to offset their footprints.
“We’ll turn around and buy it back after it goes through the system,” Wright said, “but the actual electrons will be used by the village.”
The partner companies will benefit from renewable energy credits.
Wright said the wind farm will allow Organic Valley to hedge rising energy costs.
“As the price of electric goes up, our project revenue will go up with it,” he said.
A pre-project performance study suggested a pay-off point of 20 years, he said.
“If the cost of electricity goes up, it should more than pay for itself in that time,” he said.
A plan for independence
Cashton Greens is one step in a long-term plan to make Gundersen Lutheran energy independent by 2014.
Corey Zarecki, director of engineering and operations for Envision, Gundersen’s renewable energy program, said the health care system has aggressively worked toward that goal since 2008.
“Within the first 18 months, we improved energy efficiency by 20 percent,” he said.
Zarecki said Gundersen’s interest in renewable energy was spurred by increasing utility costs.
In 2007, the system’s energy costs were increasing at a rate of more than $350,000 per year.
“Those costs were translating as higher health care costs,” Zarecki said. “We chose to do something about it.”
The resulting renewable energy program has led to implementation of solar and biomass electric, a heat and power partnership with a local brewery, and an Onalaska landfill gas energy project that will be operational in 2012.
Gundersen is also tied to a similar wind farm site near Lewiston, Minn., that should be running by New Year’s, Zarecki said.
“Our overall goal with Envision is to be both ‘green’ and ‘green,’ ” he said. “We want to reduce the cost of health care while being green from the environmental perspective and the financial perspective.”
Most Envision projects have had paybacks of five to 10 years, Zarecki said.
The health care provider is invested in improving the communities it serves, he said.
“If you think about a hospital, we’ve been the community for 100 years,” he said, “and we hope to be in the community for longer than that, into the future.”
With the wind farm and completion of recent solar projects, Wright said renewable energy will account for 10 percent of energy usage at the Organic Valley headquarters.
The wind farm will also serve as a living lab for students from the Western Technical College of La Crosse.
Wright and Zarecki said they hope Cashton Greens sets an example.
“Most wind projects are done by developers or utilities,” Wright said. “It’s a little more unusual for companies and a community to get together.”
Michels Corporation, a Brownsville-based contractor will install the turbines.
The partners are anxious to see the turbines at work.
“The tower and blades will show up in February, and we’ll begin installation in March,” Wright said. “We’re hoping to have things turning by May.”
by Ed Blume | Dec 11, 2011 | Uncategorized
From an article by Rick Chamberlin in Midwest Energy News:
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP, Wis. — When the 31 Vestas wind turbines in
northeast Kewaunee County, Wisconsin began producing electricity in the
summer of 1999, a moderate Republican named Tommy Thompson was a few
months into his fourth term as governor. Relative peace reigned between
the parties in the legislature, statewide unemployment was at a record
low and the Dow had just topped 10,000 for the first time.
But in Lincoln and Red River townships, where the turbines were
erected, the climate was anything but mild. Residents’ tempers had been
flaring since before April 1998 when Madison Gas & Electric (MGE)
hosted the first meetings in the community about its plans to build 11.2
megawatts of wind power in the area. Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), a
Green Bay-based utility, had also announced its intention to build a
large-scale wind farm in the area.
Despite the heat, the two utilities found more than enough landowners
in the two towns willing to host all 31 turbines, and the town boards
soon voted to approve conditional use permits for the projects. But
pressure from several vocal landowners convinced the Lincoln town board
in February of 1999 to amend its zoning ordinance to require board
affirmation of all applications for future conditional use permits. A
few months later, both townships adopted 18-month moratoriums on future
wind farm sitings.
“We had some real knock-down-drag-outs,” said Mick Sagrillo, who
chaired a committee charged with evaluating the impact of the projects
on residents and proposing any changes to the permit process. More than
anything, Sagrillo said, people feared change. . . .
A 2003 study
by the Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP) found “no significant
evidence that the presence of the wind farms had a negative effect on
residential property values” in the communities closest to the Kewaunee
County turbines. . . .
When asked if dollars promised to landowners and the townships have
materialized, Jerabek said, “I haven’t had any landowners complain that
they haven’t received their lease payment.”
An excellent video tells the same story.
