Get Free Admission to the Energy Fair

by | Apr 4, 2011 | Uncategorized

Last year, over 300 individuals volunteered at the nation’s largest Energy Fair. From working the front gates to working in the MREA Café, the success of the Energy Fair depends greatly on our volunteers.

Sign up to volunteer 2 hours during The Fair and you’ll get free admission to that day of the Fair.

Sign up to volunteer for 12 hours or more during the week of The Fair and get free weekend admission and a Hardcore Volunteer t-shirt!

This year the MREA is partnering with the United Way Volunteer Center of Portage County to register volunteers for the 22nd Annual Energy Fair. Click here and register to volunteer for any of the 30 projects available from June 13-June 20.

Midwest Wind suspends project development in Wisconsin

by | Apr 1, 2011 | Uncategorized

Immediate release:
March 30, 2011

Contact:
Bill French
Midwest Wind Energy
(847) 414-0134
French@midwestwind.com

In view of continued regulatory uncertainty in the State of Wisconsin, a leading wind farm developer has announced that it has suspended development activity until a more predictable climate is restored. Chicago-based Midwest Wind Energy, LLC (MWE) has been developing utility scale wind farms in Wisconsin since 2003 and has two of its developed projects operating; one a 54-megawatt project in Dodge County and the other a 67-megawatt project in Fond du Lac
County. MWE is also developing a 98-megawatt project in Calumet County and another project which had not yet been announced publicly.

According to MWE President, Stefan Noe, it no longer makes sense to invest significant development capital in a state that appears to be closed to the wind energy business. “Most states are clearly open for renewable energy development and the economic development dollars and jobs that come with it. So long as there are states rolling out the welcome mat it doesn’t make sense to devote significant dollars to a state that is creating unreasonable roadblocks for wind development.”

Noe cites the recent suspension of PSC 128 by the Wisconsin Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules as the most convincing evidence that Wisconsin is not interested in working in good faith with the U.S. wind energy industry. The rule was the culmination of almost two years of work by the Public Service Commission and resulted in some of the most stringent and detailed wind siting rules in the country. Although restrictive, these rules created a workable
compromise between the wind industry and a range of stakeholders.

“Our four projects alone represent more than $600 million of capital investment in Wisconsin and more than 400 construction jobs and 40 permanent high-tech jobs. The industry as a whole has the potential to be a multi-bill ion dollar industry for the state. These projects also generate millions in local landowner payments and local government revenues, cash flow that is sorely needed in Wisconsin’s rural communities.” Noe said.

Midwest Wind Energy, LLC is a leading developer of utility-scale wind farms in the Midwest and Great Plains with seven projects totaling 649 megawatts currently in operation. MWE has an additional 5000 megawatts of projects in its development pipeline.

END

Dane County's manure digester ready to provide electricity

by | Apr 1, 2011 | Uncategorized

From an article by Ron Seely in the Wisconsin State Journal:

WAUNAKEE – Sure, the cows on the farm run by Chuck Ripp and his brothers near here generate a lot of manure — about 7 million gallons a year.

But now they also generate electricity.

Call it cow power.

Thursday, Dane County officials were joined by farmers and utility officials and others to flip a ceremonial switch and power up the state’s first cooperative manure digester. Spearheaded by Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, the $12 million project has been more than six years in the making.

When it is in full operation, the digester plant with its three huge tanks will process manure from three adjacent farms and a total of 2,500 cows. It will remove about 60 percent of weed-growing phosphorus from the manure. The digester will produce methane and that methane will be used to power generators that will churn out $2 million a year in electricity, enough to allow Alliant Energy to power 2,500 homes.

And, according to Dick Pieper, with Clear Horizons, the company that will run the plant, the entire operation can be run with an iPod.

“The efficiency of this plant is exceptional,” said Pieper. “It’s world class.”

Falk said the plant represents an important milestone in green energy production and in manure management in Wisconsin. Many digesters don’t remove phosphorus, which clogs lakes with weeds and toxic blue-green algae during warm months. But the Dane County plant was designed specifically to remove the nutrient.

Environmental groups challenge Valley plant's air pollution permit

by | Apr 1, 2011 | Uncategorized

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

A new air pollution permit issued by state regulators for the coal-fired power plant near downtown Milwaukee doesn’t go far enough to protect public health, environmental groups said Thursday as they filed challenges to the permit.

We Energies’ Valley plant doesn’t have modern controls to reduce emissions linked to soot, smog and respiratory health problems.

The state Department of Natural Resources recently issued a permit for the plant to keep operating without installing more controls.

Sierra Club and Clean Wisconsin, backed by the Cleaner Valley Coalition, filed petitions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the DNR seeking changes to the permit. The DNR filing seeks a contested case hearing before an administrative law judge.

In light of new EPA standards, the Milwaukee utility is continuing to evaluate whether to add controls to the plant or switch the plant from burning coal to burning natural gas.

A decision on changes for the Valley plant, which provides steam to heat and cool downtown Milwaukee buildings, is expected this year.

“It’s great that they’re deciding. We need a decision now because Milwaukee air quality is bad now. And we’re hoping they’ll make the right decision and move away from coal because it’s just going to get more expensive to continue to burn coal,” said Jennifer Feyerherm of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign. “There are so many people living by that plant, and coal is too dirty to burn amid that many people.”

PSC ruling is last hurdle Rothschild biomass plant must face

by | Apr 1, 2011 | Uncategorized

From an article by Kathleen Footy in the Wausau Daily Herald:

ROTHSCHILD — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ approval Monday of a proposed biomass energy plant leaves just one obstacle in the way of the $250 million project.

The state’s Public Service Commission, including new Chairman Phil Montgomery, is a three-member panel charged with regulating the state’s utilities and vetting new construction projects. The PSC will rule on whether the power plant — a joint project of Milwaukee utility We Energies and Domtar Paper — would serve customers and residents well.

PSC regulators can schedule a meeting on the proposal at any time. The commissioners typically discuss cases at an open meeting in Madison, then finalize an order to be voted on at their next meeting.

Opponents of the Rothschild project, who feel out of options since comments to the PSC are closed, plan to push for the DNR to create a safeguard against emissions from the plant.

Rob Hughes, a member of the citizens group Saving Our Air Resources, or SOAR, said he was disappointed by the DNR’s decision. Hughes said the DNR should move its air-quality monitoring station in Marathon County from Lake DuBay to Rothschild to guarantee residents’ safety.

“It shouldn’t be a big deal since they say the air will be safe,” Hughes said. “That would reassure the community that ‘Yes, the air is safe.’ I think that’s the best we can hope for.”