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 Ene...

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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...

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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...

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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,...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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 Del...

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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 Coun...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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 w...

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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 pipeli...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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 LLCWednesday, January 28, 2009 6:00 PM to 8:00 PMMetropolitan Builders AssociationN16 W23321 Stone Ridge DriveWaukesha, WI 53188 Thursday, March 19, 2009 
6:00 PM to 8:00 PMOutpost Natural Foods - Bay View2826 S. KinnickinnicMilwaukee, WI 53207Saturday, April 25, 2009 
10:00 AM to 12:00 PMKeep Great Milwaukee Beautiful1313 Mount Vernon Ave.Milwaukee, WI 53233Saturday, May 16, 2009 
1:00 PM to 3:00 PMUrban Ecology Center - Riverside Park1500 E. Park PlaceMilwaukee, WI 53211Solar Water Heating for Your Home Course Instructor: 
Roak Parker, Beyond GreenThursday, March 5, 2009 6:00 PM to 8:00 PMMetropolitan Builders AssociationN16 W23321 Stone Ridge DriveWaukesha, WI 53188 Thursday,...

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