by jboullion | Sep 29, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a story by Matthew Perenchio in the Jackson County Chronicle:
BROCKWAY — When Tom and Verona Chambers were looking for a place to build their home, all they really wanted was a spot with a good view, a hill and some water nearby.
And for what they found that Mother Nature created naturally, they’re giving right back.
The Chamberses are in the midst of constructing what will not only be an energy-efficient home in Brockway but a net-zero energy home as well — meaning it has the potential to produce as much energy as it uses.
“It’s actually quite easy to do but not done much,” said Tom, who is the principal at Black River Falls High School.
“I’m not really one to freeze or sit by a little light, and I’m certainly not someone who hunkers down in a quilt on cold nights and doesn’t move,” said Verona, who teaches German and world culture at Tomah Middle School. “What I wanted is some dang, darn good living at an affordable price.”
That type of living, as the Chamberses will show, can be Earth-friendly.
The entire project started in 2007, and original plans were to include solar panels, and, in the state of Wisconsin, electrical companies buy any excess energy that is put back into the electrical grid.
In the case of the Chambers’ house, they were hoping their solar panels would produce as much electrical energy as they used — making the residence a net-zero home — and any extra electricity produced would go to help other energy uses on the grid.
Many solar-powered and energy-efficient businesses and homes around Wisconsin, including western Wisconsin, will be open to the public during the Wisconsin Solar Tour on October 3 and 4.
by jboullion | Sep 26, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article in the Wisconsin Ag Connection:
Homeowners, renters, and people who are contemplating building a new home can learn about ways to save energy in the home by attending the second annual Northcentral Home Energy Conservation Workshop on October 11 at the Rib Lake High School. The program will cover alternative home heating systems, solar energy applications, energy saving ideas for new and existing homes, home energy audits, renewable electricity and alternative home construction methods. The workshop will cover the costs and payback potential of the various types of systems and practices as well as tax credits and cash incentives for various energy saving applications. Speakers will discuss practical, feasible ways to save money and energy and provide information that can be used to choose energy-saving practices.
The program includes 15 breakout sessions and includes a lunch featuring locally grown foods from the Price and Taylor County areas. In the afternoon, participants can choose from two options: a tour of two nearby homes demonstrating a variety of energy-saving practices, or a workshop on designing and building window quilts. The Price and Taylor County UW-Extension Offices and Land Conservation Departments, the Upper Chippewa River Basin Program, and Pri-Ru-Ta Resource Conservation and Development Council are sponsoring the program in partnership with Price Electric Cooperative, Taylor Electric Cooperative, Clark Electric Cooperative, Xcel Energy, Medford Electric Utility, Wisconsin Focus on Energy, and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, with major funding through a grant from the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board. . . .
For more information or a brochure, contact the Price County UW-Extension Office at 715-339-2555, or Taylor County UW-Extension at 715-748-3327.
by jboullion | Sep 25, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a story on WKBT.com:
The Holmen School District is undertaking an energy challenge.
Tuesday Lietenant Governor Barbara Lawton announced Holmen will participate in her Energy Star School Challenge.
The challenge means the school district makes a committment to reducing its energy consumption by 10 percent.
La Crosse is already participating in the challenge by doing things like turning off lights and computers when they’re not in use, to cut down on energy consumption.
“Becoming more efficient in the use of energy remains an important and necessary goal for the School District of Holmen,” said Holmen School District Superintendent Dale Carlson. “We look forward to partnering with Lt. Governor Lawton and her Energy Star Challenge as we commit to continually improving our energy performance.”
Lawton issued her Energy Star School Challenge in April as part of her Green Economy Agenda. Lawton said that her goal for the challenge is to commit at least 100 new school districts, nearly 25 percent of all Wisconsin school districts, to reduce their energy costs by at least 10 percent.
by jboullion | Sep 24, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a story on the Web site of WQOW, Eau Claire:
SUPERIOR, Wis. (AP) – Seven shiploads of wind turbine components are being unloaded at the Duluth-Superior port for transport to wind farms across the Midwest and beyond.
The components are being stored on nearly 50 acres at the Twin Ports before they’re trucked to Illinois, Iowa, North Dakota and even as far as Montana.
100-ton-capacity cranes lift and load generators, blades and hubs onto specially built trucks designed to hold the weight. About 2,000 wind turbine components have come through the Twin Ports so far this year.
The Duluth-Superior port set a record in 2007 when 310,000 freight tons of wind cargo passed through.
by jboullion | Sep 23, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a media release from Wisconsin Public Power, Incorporated:
Homeowners looking to build or remodel in communities served by WPPI member utilities have an opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint through WPPI’s GreenMax Home program. WPPI is now soliciting competitive proposals for grants to help fund the construction of up to three net zero energy homes within WPPI member utility service areas.
As part of WPPI’s overall efforts to encourage public and community support for renewable energy, energy conservation and energy efficiency, the GreenMax Home program will help customers build highly efficient, environmentally friendly homes. Grants will be awarded to cover part of the incremental cost of designing and building a GreenMax Home over the cost of constructing a conventional Upper Midwest house. Incremental costs will include the design elements and technologies directly related to reducing energy use or producing energy through renewable resources.
“We are pleased to present another opportunity for homeowners in WPPI member communities to build and live in homes with net zero energy use,” said Senior Vice President of Customer Services and Administration Tom Paque. “The GreenMax Home program allows homeowners to take advantage of renewable energy technologies and demonstrate practical approaches to the efficient use of energy.”
WPPI’s GreenMax Home program supports the design and lifestyle choices that move a home from “highly efficient” to “net zero.” Net zero homes combine state-of-the-art green and environmentally friendly technologies and practices with renewable energy technology to ensure that the homes produce as much energy as they consume. To the greatest extent possible, the energy consumption (heating, cooling and electrical) of the homes will be provided by renewable energy sources.
WPPI’s member utilities are
Alger Delta, MI
Algoma
Baraga, MI
Black River Falls
Boscobel
Brodhead
Cedarburg
Columbus
Cuba City
Eagle River
Evansville
Florence
Gladstone, MI
Hartford
Hustisford
Independence, IA
Jefferson
Juneau
Kaukauna
L’Anse, MI
Lake Mills
Lodi
Maquoketa, IA
Menasha
Mount Horeb
Muscoda
Negaunee, MI
New Glarus
New Holstein
New London
New Richmond
Norway, MI
Oconomowoc
Oconto Falls
Plymouth
Prairie du Sac
Reedsburg
Richland Center
River Falls
Slinger
Stoughton
Sturgeon Bay
Sun Prairie
Two Rivers
Waterloo
Waunakee
Waupun
Westby
Whitehall
