by jboullion | Dec 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a Tom Content post on JSOnline:
Nine Wisconsin companies including Briggs & Stratton Corp. and Kohler Co. will receive $14.5 million in energy efficiency fencing through the federal stimulus package.
Gov. Jim Doyle announced the moves during an appearance at Kohler Co. The money is funded through the state Focus on Energy program, after the state won the funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The announcement was the second made Thursday by Doyle concerning energy efficiency and green jobs for state manufacturers.
The companies receiving funds include Briggs & Stratton Corp., Wauwatosa, $1.29 million; Didion Milling Inc. of Cambria, $5.59 million, Domtar Paper, Rothschild, $870,500; Kohler Co., $1.72 million; NewPage, Wisconsin Rapids, $495,000; Quad/Graphics, Sussex, $868,466; Thilmany Paper, Kaukauna, $1.07 million; and Wausau Paper Specialty Products, which will receive $706,968 for its Mosinee mill and $1.97 million for its Rhinelander paper mill.
by jboullion | Dec 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article in the BizTimes Daily:
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle announced today that three Milwaukee area companies have been granted a total of $3.1 million in federal funding to help them invest in manufacturing equipment and create 276 new green jobs.
“Wisconsin has a tremendous opportunity to be a leader in clean energy,” Doyle said. “With these funds, we will help these companies not only create hundreds of new green jobs in Milwaukee, but also manufacture renewable energy and energy efficient products.”
The companies receiving the federal funding are:
+ Helios USA – $1 million. The Milwaukee start-up is a manufacturer that will produce solar panels for residential and commercial applications. It is leasing 40,000 square feet in an existing facility and will invest more than $8 million for equipment and working capital. Helios expects to create 54 new clean energy jobs.
+ Nature Tech LLC – $800,000. The company is a Milwaukee start-up manufacturer of energy efficient cellulose insulation manufactured from recycled newsprint. It is leasing a vacant facility and will invest more than $3 million in the project. The company plans to create 47 new clean energy jobs.
+ ZBB Energy Corp. – $1.3 million. ZBB of Menomonee Falls is investing $4.5 million in equipment and working capital to expand its advanced battery products manufacturing. The company will retain 26 jobs and plans to create 175 additional jobs.
Doyle has launched a plan calling for the state to achieve energy independence by generating 25 percent of its electricity and 25 percent of its transportation fuels from renewable resources by 2025.
by jboullion | Dec 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:
MADISON, Wis. (Dec. 9, 2009) — Central Waters Brewing Company of Amherst, Wis., received a $25,000 financial incentive from Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s statewide
resource for energy efficiency and renewable energy, for the installation of its solar hot-water system. The renewable energy system will dramatically lower the brewery’s consumption of natural gas, reducing its operating costs and shielding it from increases in energy prices.
With 1,000 square feet of collector area and a 2,500-gallon storage tank, the system is expected to meet more than 18 percent of the brewery’s annual hot-water needs, saving at least $150,000 over its lifetime.
Every day, Central Waters’ brewing process uses about 1,500 gallons of water heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Before the solar hot-water system, this water was heated entirely using natural gas. Now, the water is pre-heated by the sun to a temperature of 130 degrees to 140 degrees. A natural-gas boiler heats the water the rest of the way, dramatically reducing the amount of natural gas the brewery consumes. Central Waters also uses the preheated water to clean tanks and kegs — an energy-intensive job that requires a water temperature of 180 degrees.
“Focus has been a great partner who’s helped us along as we’ve installed the solar hotwater system,” said Paul Graham, president of Central Waters Brewing Company. “Focus paid nearly 25 percent of our costs for the equipment and installation. Plus, there’s a 30 percent federal tax credit for businesses and individuals.”
by jboullion | Dec 8, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Joseph Room on Center for American Progress:
A new study puts the generation costs for power from new nuclear plants at 25 to 30 cents per kilowatt-hour—triple current U.S. electricity rates!
This staggering price is far higher than the cost of a variety of carbon-free renewable power sources available today—and 10 times the cost of energy efficiency (see “Is 450 ppm possible? Part 5: Old coal’s out, can’t wait for new nukes, so what do we do NOW?”
The new study, “Business Risks and Costs of New Nuclear Power,” is one of the most detailed cost analyses publically available on the current generation of nuclear power plants being considered in this country. It is by a leading expert in power plant costs, Craig A. Severance. A practicing CPA, Severance is co-author of The Economics of Nuclear and Coal Power (Praeger 1976), and former assistant to the chairman and to commerce counsel, Iowa State Commerce Commission.
This important new analysis is being published by Climate Progress because it fills a critical gap in the current debate over nuclear power—transparency. Severance explains:
All assumptions, and methods of calculation are clearly stated. The piece is a deliberate effort to demystify the entire process, so that anyone reading it (including non-technical readers) can develop a clear understanding of how total generation costs per kWh come together.
As stunning as this new, detailed cost estimate is, it should not come as a total surprise. I detailed the escalating capital costs of nuclear power in my May 2008 report, “The Self-Limiting Future of Nuclear Power.” And in a story last week on nuclear power’s supposed comeback, Time magazine notes that nuclear plants’ capital costs are “out of control,” concluding:
Most efficiency improvements have been priced at 1¢ to 3¢ per kilowatt-hour, while new nuclear energy is on track to cost 15¢ to 20¢ per kilowatt-hour. And no nuclear plant has ever been completed on budget.
Time buried that in the penultimate paragraph of the story!
by jboullion | Dec 8, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:
Home sales prices are very sensitive to the overall quality of the scenic vista from a property, but a view of a wind energy facility does not demonstrably impact sales prices.Over 30,000 megawatts of wind energy capacity are installed across the United States and an increasing number of communities are considering new wind power facilities. Given these developments, there is an urgent need to empirically investigate typical community concerns about wind energy and thereby provide stakeholders involved in the wind project siting process a common base of knowledge. A major new report released today by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory evaluates one of those concerns, and finds that proximity to wind energy facilities does not have a pervasive or widespread adverse effect on the property values of nearby homes.
The new report, funded by the DOE, is based on site visits, data collection, and analysis of almost 7,500 single-family home sales, making it the most comprehensive and data-rich analysis to date on the potential impact of U.S. wind projects on residential property values.
“Neither the view of wind energy facilities nor the distance of the home to those facilities was found to have any consistent, measurable, and significant effect on the selling prices of nearby homes,” says report author Ben Hoen, a consultant to Berkeley Lab. “No matter how we looked at the data, the same result kept coming back – no evidence of widespread impacts.”
An expert witness on real estate voiced the same conclusion during hearings on We Energies proposed Glacier Hills Wind Park.
by jboullion | Dec 8, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a post on the Fixer-Upper Blog:
With the winter season upon us, the high heating expenses are not far behind. There was a time when the only to combat them was to stay away from the heater and suffer. However, in recent times there have been loads of advances in conservation, efficiency, and technology. Below are 8 painless ways to cut your electric bill that require a little time, less money, and can end up saving you hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of dollars across a short span of time.
1.Strip : According to the experts at Lowe’s, a 1/8″ space between a standard exterior door and its threshold is equivalent to a two square inch hole in the wall. Closing those gaps can save you up to 15% in heating costs and reduce the demand on your heating system. They also offer a guide on how to accomplish this at the beginner level. Only three tools, three materials, and a day is all it requires to weatherstrip your entire home.
2.Dodge The Draft : Cold air can seep in through your front, rear, or any entryway door. One of the best ways to deal with this is to install a draft dodger. As Seen On TV sells one for a considerable price. However, Green Upgrader shows you how to make one of your own at a fraction of the cost. All you need is some fabric and sewing supplies.
3.Find An Outlet : Another way drafts go in and out of the home is through the outlet and outlet covers, particularly the ones along exterior walls. Not to worry, there are special outlet and switch gaskets specially made to significantly reduce drafts. This store sells an entire kit for only $1.94.
4.Insulate : Water needs to be heated in the winter as well, so don’t throw money away by not insulating. If your water heater’s storage tank has a R-value of under R-24, adding insulation can reduce heat loss by 25-45%. The U.S. Department of Energy has tips on how to insulate both electric and gas heated water tanks. There are also other useful related guides.
5.Go Tankless : If you’re in the market for a new water heater, try a tankless one. They create hot water on demand so there’s no stored water needing to be continuously heated. They cost about $200 more than a standard water heater. However, the money you save by cutting your electric bills, especially in winter, can add up to that difference in just a few years. In addition, certain tankless heaters can qualify for up to a $1,500 tax credit.
6.Reflect On It : Radiator reflectors are insulation boards with aluminum or material on one side. When placed on the wall behind the radiator unit, they reflect heat back into the room, instead of allowing the heat to escape. An easy install for anyone looking to cut bills. They are also an inexpensive purchase at a hardware store, or you can make your own.
7.Program the Problems Away : A programmable thermostat allows you to set different temperatures for different times of the day, and even different times on different days. Cut your winter electric bills by setting it to automatically lower the temperature when you leave for work and raise it an hour before you return home. The DIY network shows you how to choose one and install it yourself, all in less than two hours.
8.Watch Out For Carbon Monoxide : The leading cause of poisoning accidents in the United States, a common cause of it is poorly maintained heating systems. Also, since the symptoms seem like the flu, it is not taken seriously. This video from WebMD show you how to prevent and detect it. Don’t waste the money you saved on winter electric bills with costly medical ones.
