by jboullion | Aug 14, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article in The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
Concordia University Wisconsin is installing a $250,000 solar electric system on its Mequon campus.
The system is expected to generate more than 30,000 kilowatt hours of power and will be mounted on Coburg Residence Hall. The project is part of the school’s “green” efforts.
About $170,000 of the project cost will be covered by incentives and grants including a $100,000 contribution from We Energies along with with $23,000 as part of a We Energies buy down program and a $47,000 Focus on Energy 2009 Solar Electric Implementation Grant.
by jboullion | Aug 14, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:
MADISON, Wis. (August 13, 2009) – Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, announced today that Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative (ACEC) officially became a program member beginning August 1, 2009. The utility serves approximately 36,000 customers in 12 Central Wisconsin counties.
ACEC will participate in the Business, Residential and Renewable Energy offerings under the Focus on Energy umbrella. The benefits of participating include:
· Business Programs that help manufacturers, commercial businesses, farmers, schools and local governments reduce operating costs, increase their bottom line and improve productivity and employee and customer comfort. The programs offer technical expertise, training and financial incentives to help implement innovative energy management projects.
· Wisconsin ENERGY STAR Homes, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR and Apartment & Condo Efficiency Services Programs that encompass new and existing homes, multi-family construction and remodeling projects for all types of residential dwellings. These programs help homeowners and landlords integrate energy improvements into their remodeling projects, as well as deliver newly-built homes, apartments and condominiums that are comfortable, safe, durable and energy efficient.
· Lighting and appliance programs that increase the availability of ENERGY STAR qualified products ranging from compact fluorescent light bulbs to heating and cooling equipment. These efforts deliver lower energy bills for residents and businesses and increased sales for retailers and contractors.
· Renewable Energy Programs that help residents and businesses harness energy from sunlight, wind and organic materials.
· Targeted Home Performance that reduces energy bills while increasing comfort and safety for income-qualified participants.
by jboullion | Aug 13, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a story on WKBT:
Students at Onalaska High School will get the chance to see their carbon footprint. Onalaska High School was awarded a “Focus on Energy in Wisconsin” grant.
Teachers were able to buy six digital thermometers and energy watt meters with the grant money. The digital thermometers measure energy efficiency, for example, they can be used to test for air leaks around windows.
And the energy watt meters can be plugged into an appliance or gadget, like an iPod or a cell phone, to show how much electricity that appliance is using.
by jboullion | Aug 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
An article in the West Coulee News:
Get Sustainable of Trempealeau County has released the 2009 edition of its local food brochure for Trempealeau County and outlying regions.
Get Sustainable, which was founded in 2007, is a diverse group of concerned western Wisconsin citizens who meet to discuss what to do in their communities to highlight the need for sustainable living. This food guide is one project which came out of this collaboration.
Eating local means seeking out food grown and raised as close as possible to where one lives. Buying local food also means eating foods that are seasonally available and unique to the region.
The Get Sustainable booklet contains tips on eating wisely, Web sites to explore, and includes Wisconsin and Minnesota community-supported agriculture sites, area farms, orchards and farmers’ markets.
For more information about the food guide or Get Sustainable, contact Mary Graziano at (608) 582-2975 or getsustainablewi @gmail.com.
by jboullion | Aug 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a story on WQOW-TV, Eau Claire:
Eau Claire (WQOW) – A new program aims to teach area residents all about sustainable living.
The UW-Extension was recently awarded a $7,500 grant by the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board to help start eco-teams. Eco-teams are small groups of individuals or businesses that work together to lessen their impact on the environment.
When it comes to going green the options are endless.
“Hanging out your laundry, starting a compost bin, installing low-flow shower heads,” says Erin LaFaive, UW-Extension horticulture educator.
But figuring out what those options are might not always be easy. That’s why the UW-Extension is stepping in with a new program called EcoTeams.
“EcoTeams is a way to have an evironmentally sustainable lifestyle in a fun way. You get groups of people together at work or in your neighborhood or your faith organization and go through a workbook called the green living handbook,” adds LaFaive.
After completing each chapter you meet with your EcoTeam to discuss what you learned and ways to apply that to your everyday life. Topics in each chapter include things like water, electricity and garbage.
“In the workbook, it asks you what actions are you willing to take and you check those off, then when you’re done with the workbook it asks which ones you really did,” says LaFaive.
The book even helps you calculate things like energy bill savings and how much garbage you go through. And with cities going green, LaFaive says now is the perfect time for everyone to jump on board.
by jboullion | Aug 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:
(August 12, 2009) – Like many Wisconsin businesses, Columbia Grinding, Inc. started out with a dream, a lot of hard work and limited resources. In 1953 the business opened as a 1,800-square-foot one-man shop in South Milwaukee. By 1978, the production workload grew and the first employee was hired. Today, Columbia Grinding has grown to 35 employees and a 43,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in the Oak Creek Industrial Park.
Although the company’s values remain the same, over the years Columbia Grinding has enhanced its energy efficiency and high-performance standards to power its state-of-the-art equipment, processes and services.
With the help of Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, Columbia Grinding’s Oak Creek, Wis. plant has reduced energy consumption by more than 230,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 14,000 therms of natural gas – enough energy to power 40 houses for a year. The company will also save $33,500 on its energy bills each year.
Since 2008, Columbia Grinding has received $13,500 in cash incentives from Focus on Energy to boost its efforts toward becoming more energy efficient. The biggest energy saver was an innovative air filtration system installed last month that will significantly reduce the facility’s heating and air conditioning loads. The system connects with the existing energy management system to provide automated control of the make-up air and exhaust in the main production area.
