RENEW's winter newsletter goes online

The Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly, RENEW Wisconsin's newsletter, features these articles:

+ Rest in Peace: Cassville Generation Plant
+ Mississippi River Bird and Bat Study
+ Osceola School Heats Pools with Solar
+ Bob Ramlow: Solar Pioneer
+ Focus on Energy Issues Biogas Profiles
+ Focus on Energy Earns National Honor
+ State Plugs into Renewable Energy

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Sales tax for KRM rail faces fresh opposition

From an article by Sean Ryan in The Daily Reporter:

A new sales tax in southeastern Wisconsin will pay for the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee Commuter Link if the idea can overcome opposition in the state Legislature and Racine County.

State Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, said he supports the proposed rail project that would connect the three cities, but voters in his district won’t support a sales tax. Lehman last year convinced the state Senate to include a car-rental fee in the Budget Repair Bill to pay for transit in southeastern Wisconsin. The state Assembly later rejected the fee.

Milwaukee County opposed the car-rental fee because passengers from General Mitchell International Airport would pay the bulk of the money, Lehman said. Now Racine County, which has never levied its own sales tax, stands as the likely roadblock to the KRM under this plan, he said.

“So the sales tax recommendation, in my opinion, doesn’t make sense for Racine County,” Lehman said, “and it is unnecessary to finance a bus system in Racine County.

“I recognize that the Milwaukee County bus system is very challenged, and I think the sales tax makes more sense for Milwaukee County than Racine County.”

Sen. Jeff Plale, D-South Milwaukee, said residents in his district support a sales tax to pay for the KRM and the bus system. But he would not predict the reception it will receive in Madison once biennial budget discussions begin next month.

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State keeps working on Milwaukee-Madison railroad

From an article by in The Daily Reporter:

Wisconsin does not have enough money to pay for the estimated $500 million Milwaukee-Madison high-speed rail line, but the state might kick off the project anyway.

“I keep going back to the fact that this is a multiyear project,” said Randall Wade, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s passenger rail manager. “There are things we can do immediately, and I think we should start as soon as possible.”

But before focusing on the Milwaukee-Madison line, WisDOT must consider capacity upgrades to its Milwaukee-Chicago service, which Wade said sets ridership records every month.

Gov. Jim Doyle put $80 million in the state budget to spark Wisconsin involvement in the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, a multistate effort to coordinate and expand high-speed rail use. WisDOT, Wade said, will use that money for upgrades to the Chicago-Milwaukee line and the Milwaukee-Watertown portion of the line to Madison.

The state agency also asked for $137 million in federal stimulus money for high-speed rail projects. Although Wade said that money could pay for track and signal improvements along the Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison route, the combined $217 million would only be enough to establish a passenger-ready line as far as Watertown.

“(Finishing it) is still going to be dependent upon federal funding,” he said.

If finishing the high-speed rail line between Watertown and Madison takes several years, it could test the patience of people in the capital region.

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Snap-on continues commitment to wind industry

From a news release issued by Span-on and posted on Yahoo!Finance:

KENOSHA, Wis., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- It's no mystery that much of the focus for the American economy in the coming years will be on renewable energy sources, with wind power at the forefront. Wind industry experts know that utilizing wind as a major new source of energy will require a huge effort. The entire infrastructure needs to be addressed, including the power grid network and manufacturing capabilities, as well as training the huge numbers of workers needed to build and sustain the wind-generation system. This effort will require an unprecedented collaboration among industry participants from all levels of government, manufacturing, service and education. Snap-on's goal is to lend its global organizational expertise, broad network of relationships, and reputation for quality and innovation to a platform that will bring the entire industry together to meet the work force needs of wind power.

To this end, Snap-on Industrial, a division of Snap-on Tools Company, recently convened an industry consortium at its Kenosha, Wis., manufacturing facility to talk specifically with key members of industry, trade associations, labor groups, government officials and technical colleges about the future needs of both the American and global wind power markets. Some industry experts estimate that manpower requirements to service this market over the next several years could reach 200,000 workers.

"It was our goal to bring together in one room people who not only see the need to train the next generation of technicians in the wind power industry, but people who can make that happen," said Frederick Brookhouse, senior segment sales support manager-education, Snap-on Industrial. "At Snap-on, it's our role to provide the forum and help with the industry perspective. We've done that and now this group promises to be a powerhouse in leading the charge toward maintaining those important sustainable energy resources that are on the drawing board today. . . ."

Topics discussed during the conference included partnership development, implementation of wind technician training and tooling requirements. In addition, participants learned about the Snap-on/Gateway Technical College partnership in Wisconsin, a nationally recognized public-private training and education program, and attended a reception at Gateway's Horizon Center in Kenosha. . . .

WETC members will meet for the second time during the AWEA Windpower 2009 conference and trade show in Chicago. The exhibition runs May 4-7.

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Supervisor supports KRM passenger rail

From a story by Brian Moon on WRN.com:

The Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee Passenger train should be built, according to a Milwaukee County official. County Board Member Chris Larson is reacting to a recent study by Tom Rubin of the Reason Foundation which, citing high costs, favors an expanded commuter bus service instead of the regional passenger rail. Larson agrees with Rubin's assertion that the rapid buses could operate along the I-94 corridor without having to add new lanes. However, he claims by Rubin's own admission, lakeside transit would be most efficient with a rail system.

The County Supervisor supports developing the KRM rail while restoring the decaying Milwaukee County bus line. He says the funding could come from a 1% sales tax already been approved by voters in a referendum last November. Larson hopes the tax hike will clear state lawmakers and believes a portion of the tax hike could go toward regional transit.

But Milwaukee County can't pay for it alone. Larson hopes Racine and Kenosha Counties will follow his county's example of a sales tax hike referendum.

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Gov. Doyle vows to spend federal rail funds fast

From an article by Ellyn Ferguson in the Appleton Post-Crescent:

WASHINGTON — Wisconsin could quickly and effectively spend any rail money Congress provides in an economic recovery package, Gov. Jim Doyle said Thursday.

Doyle and others were called by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to rebut a federal report that said states could not use economic recovery money for roads, bridges and transit quickly enough to generate jobs and counter the recession.

States would have to commit money to projects within a 90-day deadline.

Opponents of the infrastructure portion of the $825 billion economic recovery package have used the report by the Congressional Budget Office, the fiscal watchdog for Congress, to fight the bill.

"The purpose of this hearing today is to nail down the ability of the states to meet these deadlines," committee chairman Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn., said.

Oberstar said transportation and infrastructure projects could produce 1 million jobs by early June if Congress approves the economic recovery package by mid-February.

"We share your view that this recovery act should be designed to get people to work," said Doyle, who testified on behalf of States for Passenger Rail Coalition.

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Milwaukee businesses join group to back proposals on climate change

From a media release issued by CREWE:

(MADISON, Wis.) – Leading Wisconsin companies are joining forces to advocate for the meaningful global warming policy changes proposed by the Governor’s Global Warming Task Force (GWTF).

The business coalition named Clean, Responsible Energy for Wisconsin’s Economy (CREWE) looks forward to working with other members of the GWTF, the Doyle Administration and other companies and organizations to push for the adoption of policies that effectively and responsibly address global warming and capture the economic development and environmental opportunities in Wisconsin, said CREWE Board Chairman Dan Ebert.

“Wisconsin is poised for a transition to a sound economy powered by good, new, green jobs,” Ebert said. “CREWE was formed around the belief that a sustained and shared partnership of government, business and citizens is needed to build a clean energy and reliable future that will benefit all Wisconsin residents and businesses.”

Coalition members include Wisconsin Energy Corp., Madison Gas & Electric, Orion Energy Systems, American Transmission Co., Johnson Controls, MillerCoors, WPPI Energy, Potawatomi Tribe and C5-6 Technologies.

CREWE is dedicated to joining forces with other supporters to promote responsible policies that address climate change, create jobs, promote energy efficiency, reliability and independence, and mitigate the economic impacts of rising energy costs, Ebert added.

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Oconomowoc backs high-speed rail proposal

An article by By Scott Williams of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Elected leaders here have thrown their support behind a proposed network of high-speed commuter trains linking Milwaukee and Madison.

The Oconomowoc Common Council voted Tuesday to support the Midwest Regional Rail System, which would pass through Oconomowoc.

Gov. Jim Doyle and other proponents of the system envision it as part of a 3,000-mile network linking Milwaukee and Chicago to many other Midwestern cities.

The mayor of Winona, Minn., has been soliciting support from communities along the route between the Twin Cities and Chicago.

In addition to Oconomowoc, those communities include Milwaukee, Watertown and Wisconsin Dells.

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Oconomowoc backs Doyle energy plan

A news brief from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Oconomowoc - Oconomowoc has become the latest community in southeastern Wisconsin to adopt Gov. Jim Doyle's commitment for increased energy independence by 2025.

Aldermen passed a resolution Jan. 6 embracing Doyle's "25 by 25" plan, which means that 25% of the city's electricity and motor fuel supplies will come from renewable resources by the year 2025.

Oconomowoc city officials and civic leaders have created a special task force to promote greater use of wind energy, solar energy and other alternative resources.

The governor's office said 73 cities and counties have embraced the 25 by 25 commitment. Other than Oconomowoc, the only one in southeastern Wisconsin is Kenosha County.

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We Energies & MREA team up with solar installers for Habitat for Humanity

From an article on the Web site of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council:

How do you build a local renewable energy workforce and new homes at the same time?

Recognizing a need for more NABCEP certified installers in its service territory, We Energies and other partners teamed up with the Habitat for Humanity (H4H) chapter in Milwaukee to develop a solar training program that would benefit the local industry as well as the H4H chapter and its members.

"It was a natural confluence of events," said Carl Siegrist, Solar Programs Manager. "Last year, I had a number of calls from the local H4H chapter saying they wanted to solarize some of their houses. Around the same time, I'd been talking with our local IBEW and NECA about training opportunities for solar here in Wisconsin. Somewhere between those two conversations, we talked internally about the lack of NABCEP certified solar installers here in the Milwaukee area and in our We Energies service territory. We've got lots of solar work going on here in Milwaukee, but the installers come from Madison or central Wisconsin (where MREA is located). It seemed to us that if there were local installers, maybe the prices would be a bit less because the installers wouldn't be coming from other places in Wisconsin, and we'd be building our own local workforce."

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), long-known for its renewable energy training opportunities, used newly-constructed homes which H4H provided as training roofs for individuals who had prior training, but needed to be the lead on a solar installation in order to qualify for state incentives and to sit for the NABCEP exam.

"We had one of those 'aha' moments," said Siegrist, "when we saw We Energies, NABCEP and IBEW playing together to meet multiple goals: education, training, certification, building our workforce. It was an especially good outcome for NABCEP."

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Sustainable energy and sustainable energy sources

By definition sustainable energy is the provision of energy such that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. That means that sustainable energy is energy which is replenishable within a human lifetime and causes no long-term damage to the environment. From this definition it is clear that all renewable energy sources are

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Wind in the lake needs transmission lines

From an article by Sean Ryan in The Daily Reporter:

There are not enough power lines to support wind farms in Lake Michigan.

That lack of transmission lines to carry power from offshore wind farms was one issue within the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s Wind on the Water report released Thursday. According to the report, if Wisconsin wants to generate more than 600 megawatts from a lake wind farm, the state will need a new power line parallel to Lake Michigan’s shore.

The ability to connect to transmission lines is the No. 1 factor determining where wind farms are built, and Wisconsin could make Lake Michigan more attractive to developers if there is a new power line with capacity for offshore farms, said Mike Donahue, executive vice president of Midwest Wind Energy in Chicago. For land-based wind farms, developers must choose a location and ask transmission companies if the existing power lines can handle the extra electricity generated by the turbines.

“Your transportation infrastructure has become the critical location factor for projects,” he said, “whether they’re land or offshore.”

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State wants pilot porgram in Milwaukee to train weatherization workers

From an article by Sean Ryan in The Daily Reporter:

The state funnels $65 million in public money every year into making homes more energy efficient, but contractors warn they are running low on workers to do the job.

Compared to more traditional construction trades, replacing windows, hauling refrigerators and crawling through attics and basements to install insulation isn’t sexy, said Sheree Dallas Branch, administrator of the Division of Energy Services in the Wisconsin Department of Administration. But for years, the state found workers to weatherize thousands of houses, and the push for greater energy efficiency will only expand the need, she said.

The state hires 21 companies to oversee the weatherization program in different areas of Wisconsin, and for the past year those companies have said they are running short on workers, she said.

“One of the themes that was consistent was an aging work force,” Dallas Branch said. “Weatherization is a very technical field, but a lot of people don’t know about it.”

The point of the program is to conserve energy by fixing up old houses. Using money collected from the U.S. Department of Energy and public electric utilities in Wisconsin, the state weatherized 9,900 homes in 2008, Dallas Branch said. Wisconsin budgeted $65 million for the job in 2009 and plans to fix up 7,900 houses. There are fewer this year because the state is focusing on the worst houses that need the most work, she said.

To meet the need for more workers, the state is looking for a company to recruit up to 25 Milwaukee residents a year, help them get basic job skills and get them on-the-job training on state weatherization projects. Proposals are due Jan. 21.

Dallas Branch said the two-year contract in Milwaukee will serve as a pilot program the Division of Energy Services wants to replicate throughout the state.

Read the procurement announcement here.

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Energy incentives help Ball Corporation plants in Milwaukee, Watertown, & DeForest

From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:

MADISON, Wis. (January 14, 2009) - With the help of Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, Ball Corporation has completed a number of energy saving improvements and upgrades at its Wisconsin plants in Milwaukee, DeForest and Watertown.

The changes made in Ball's three plants are expected to provide $560,636 in savings annually due to reduced energy consumption. Ball received $431,181 in cash incentives through Focus on Energy in 2008 to boost its efforts toward becoming more energy efficient.

"Ball Corporation has made a huge investment in its Wisconsin facilities," said Ken Williams, Focus on Energy's business programs director. "By making energy management a priority in its business plan, Ball Corporation will reduce its energy use, experience cost savings and benefit the environment for years to come."

"These projects were part of our ongoing sustainability program," explained Doug Barndt, principle energy-demand engineer for Ball. "Focus on Energy was very straightforward and easy to work with, and the incentives they provided were an important catalyst in making lasting, meaningful changes in our Wisconsin operations."

The Milwaukee facility, which manufactures two-piece beverage and food cans, received the majority of incentive funds for projects that will reduce energy consumption by 2,523,540 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 470,875 therms of natural gas annually - enough energy to power 738 homes for a year.

The biggest energy saver was an innovative heat recovery system that captures waste heat from its regenerative thermal oxidizer and uses it to supply preheated water to the boiler of its heating system. The plant also installed new energy management controls for its HVAC system and replaced nearly 600 light fixtures with high efficiency models.

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US Clean energy sector - Long way to go

Though Obama said many times how his vision includes renewables and clean energy sector, latest report carried out by U.S. Government National Intelligence Councill showed that we will have to wait at least 25 years for this vision of his to come true. All curent renewable energy technologies are simply not adequate to replace dominant fossil fuels, and also many energy experts agree that it will

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Port of Milwuakee will get biodiesel terminal

From an article by Rick Barrett in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The old Shell Oil terminal at the Port of Milwaukee has been sold to a New York-based biodiesel company that plans to use the terminal for distributing biodiesel and other renewable fuels in the Midwest.

The terminal, built in the 1950s, includes a 20,000 square foot warehouse, offices and a garage. It also has access to railroad service and an idled connection to a petroleum pipeline.

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We Energies wants okay to study wind in Lake Michigan

From an article by Pete Millard in The Business Journal:

Wisconsin Electric Power Co. [d/b/a We Energies], the state’s largest public energy utility, is seeking Public Service Commission approval to spend $3 million to study the feasibility of harnessing the Great Lakes’ wind power.

With more than a half-dozen wind farms sprouting up in corn and soybean fields from Montfort in southwest Wisconsin to Portage, Eden and Kewaunee on the banks of Lake Michigan in northeast Wisconsin, the real potential for wind power exists on the Great Lakes. That’s according to a November 2008 PSC report.

While no one doubts the potential for wind power on the Great Lakes, there are environmental, construction, transmission and maintenance issues that need examination before wind turbines and towers begin rising in the depths of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

“What we’re proposing is taking the next step forward from the PSC report,” said Roman Draba, WEPCO’s vice president of regulatory affairs and policy.

The PSC’s own Great Lakes wind power study summarizes the various state, federal and tribal statutes, rules and regulations that may have to be changed before any proposal to build an off-shore wind project can move ahead, but these are not insurmountable obstacles, said Carl Siegrist, WEPCO’s senior renewable energy strategist.

Less known is whether the technology exists to economically transmit the wind power from off-shore turbines to on-shore transmission lines. Also unknown is the cost to build and maintain the turbines and towers, especially in winter, Siegrist said.

“A big part of the study will also monitor exactly what the wind patterns are and how productive they may be,” said Draba.

The WEPCO Lake Michigan study also will look at the potential environmental impact the towers and turbines would have on bats and migratory birds.

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A vision for 2009

From the list of items in an article on a vision for 2009 from the Shepherd Express:

Develop a green economy. We must also create jobs that will last, and hopefully will not be easily exported to another state or country. Good options are green jobs that will benefit Wisconsin residents by helping the state to use our resources wisely. Right now, Wisconsin is an energy island-that is, a fossil fuel energy island. But the state is rich in clean energy potential, such as wind, solar, hydro and biomass. We absolutely must wean ourselves from our reliance on gas and coal.

What's more, these green job projects will train workers in skills that will be helpful in the coming decades, whether they're upgrading the city's aging housing stock, house by house, or launching massive clean energy projects like a wind farm or a green roof.

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What will we win this year?

From the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters:

Join Us For CONSERVATION LOBBY DAY 2009!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - RSVP here!
*RSVP Required—RSVP DEADLINE is February 13!
Since the first Conservation Lobby Day in 2005, it has grown from just over 100 citizens to over 500! Each year these citizens from across Wisconsin descend on the Capitol to share their conservation values with their Legislators. As we head into the 5th annual Conservation Lobby Day, there is one thing we can guarantee-when citizens come together to make their conservation values known, legislators listen, and conservation victories soon follow!

The reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund and the passage of the Strong Great Lakes Compact are two great examples of how citizen lobbying resulted in ground-breaking conservation laws.

The participation of local groups and citizens like YOU is incredibly important to the success of Conservation Lobby Day. Every day throughout the state, countless citizens work tirelessly to protect the local land, water, and wildlife.

Conservation Lobby Day is a unique opportunity to share your conservation stories and experiences with legislators and have a huge impact on conservation policies affecting all of Wisconsin.

In 2009-2010, the conservation community will be fighting to:

Preserve Groundwater: Wisconsin's Buried Treasure: manage Wisconsin's groundwater resources to preserve drinking water supplies, lakes, streams, and wetlands.

Stop Global Warming in Wisconsin: address the threats of global warming in Wisconsin through clean, renewable energy jobs and energy conservation.

Restore Conservation Integrity: return Wisconsin to an Independent DNR Secretary and a timely appointment of Natural Resource Board members.

Protect Wisconsin's Drinking Water: protect Wisconsin's drinking water supplies by making sure we safely spread agricultural, municipal, and industrial waste.

For a 1-page brief on each of these issues, click on their title above.

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MATC puts up largest tech college turbine

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

Mequon - The largest wind turbine on a technical college campus in Wisconsin has been erected at Milwaukee Area Technical College in Mequon, where officials hope that what's been dubbed "Blades of Freedom" will reduce campus energy costs and help train students for sustainable energy jobs of the future.

The turbine, which at 160 feet high and 56 feet wide easily is visible from Highland Road, also is aimed at raising awareness among the public about renewable sources of energy, said Michael Townsend, vice president of the Mequon campus.

Questions about the turbine's appearance, noise and other issues initially caused City of Mequon officials to pause when they took up MATC's request in April 2006. But four months later, after hiring a consultant, the city gave the turbine a green light.

The school purchased a reconditioned 90-kilowatt, V-17 turbine from Vestas, a company in Denmark.

The original cost to MATC was pegged at $150,000, but it has since climbed to $188,000. With $67,000 in grants from We Energies and the state's Focus on Energy program, the total cost is about $255,000.

The MATC portion rose because a vendor that the school originally intended to use withdrew from the deal, said MATC spokeswoman Kathleen Hohl. And after the turbine was purchased, it sustained damage while being stored on the Mequon campus as the school waited for approvals from the city, she said.

MATC expects to recoup its investment because the turbine will generate about 8% of the Mequon campus' electricity. . . .

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Dates announced for Milwaukee solar workshops

From the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA):

PV Systems For Your Home
Course Instructor: Jim Funk, Energize LLC

Wednesday, January 28, 2009 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Metropolitan Builders Association
N16 W23321 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI 53188

Thursday, March 19, 2009 
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Outpost Natural Foods - Bay View
2826 S. Kinnickinnic
Milwaukee, WI 53207

Saturday, April 25, 2009 
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Keep Great Milwaukee Beautiful
1313 Mount Vernon Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53233

Saturday, May 16, 2009 
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Urban Ecology Center - Riverside Park
1500 E. Park Place
Milwaukee, WI 53211

Solar Water Heating for Your Home
Course Instructor: 
Roak Parker, Beyond Green

Thursday, March 5, 2009 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Metropolitan Builders Association
N16 W23321 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI 53188

Thursday, March 26, 2009 
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Outpost Natural Foods - Bay View
2826 S. Kinnickinnic
Milwaukee, WI 53207

Saturday, April 25, 2009 
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Keep Great Milwaukee Beautiful
1313 Mount Vernon Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53233

Saturday, May 16, 2009 
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Urban Ecology Center - Riverside Park
1500 E. Park Place
Milwaukee, WI 53211

Course descriptions and registration details
PV (Solar Electric) Systems for Your Home: Participants in this two hour seminar will learn about: how photovoltaic (PV) systems create electricity from the sun; what components make up a PV system; how to determine what size system will meet your needs; where to locate a system on your home or property; what PV systems cost and the financial incentives that are available. This program includes handouts, demonstrations, and a question and answer period. We Energies and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) have partnered to offer this seminar, and it is only available to We Energies Customers. Cost: $15/person, or $5/We Energies’ Energy For Tomorrow Customers. To register visit: www.we-energies.com/RE, or call the MREA at 715-592-6595.

Solar Water Heating for Your Home: Participants in this two hour seminar will learn how to supplement their existing water heating system with a solar water heater that uses the sun’s energy to heat water. They will also learn about the components that make up a solar water heating system, the most reliable system types for cold climates, where to locate a system on a home or property, what solar water heating systems cost and the financial incentives available, and the steps to get started with an installation. We Energies and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) have partnered to offer this seminar, and it is only available to We Energies Customers. Cost: $15/person, or $5/We Energies’ Energy For Tomorrow Customers. To register visit: www.we-energies.com/RE, or call the MREA at 715-592-6595.

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