Bipartisan group of legislators introduce wind siting bill

Terry McGowan of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 speaks at the press conference for the introduction of a bill to set uniform siting standards for wind projects in Wisconsin.From a news release issued by Sen. Jeff Plale, Rep. Jim Soletski, Sen. Randy Hopper, and Rep. Phil Montgomery:MADISON – A bipartisan coalition of Wisconsin legislators announced that they are introducing legislation that calls for the creation of uniform siting standards for wind energy projects. Senate Bill 185 (SB 185), and its Assembly companion, directs the Public Service Commission (PSC), after public input, including a stakeholder committee, to establish by rule, permitting standards to be applied by local or state government to wind energy...

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Kohl's ranks third, State of Wisconsin 37th in 'green' power use

An article from The Business Journal of Milwaukee:Kohl's Corp. now get more than 50 percent of its energy from renewable energy sources, enough to rank it the third-largest buyer of "green" power in the country, according to federal officials.The Menomonee Falls-based department store chain moved up in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership list of the top 50 buyers of green power from eighth in 2008. Kohl's more than doubled its annual usage of power from renewable sources to 601 million kilowatt-hours from 236 million a year ago, the EPA said Monday.Kohl's trails fellow Fortune 500 companies Intel Corp. (1.3 billion kWh) and PepsiCo (1.14 billion kWh) on the list. Kohl's is the top ranked retail company. Retailer Whole Foods Market (527 million kWh) ranked fifth...

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Renewable energy facility proposed for Port of Milwaukee land

From an article by Tom Daykin in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:An industrial facility that would collect wood waste and other biomass and use it to make wood pellets and natural gas has been proposed for the Port of Milwaukee.The renewable-energy facility would be operated by Waters' New Biotech Inc., a Pewaukee start-up led by Edward L. Waters.The Common Council's Public Works Committee on Wednesday is to review a proposal to lease 3.7 acres on the Port's south harbor to Waters' New Biotech. The company would pay $85,100 annually for 15 years, according to the lease proposal.The firm would demolish some city-owned buildings to make way for the facility and would receive rent credits to cover $116,000 in estimated demolition costs, the proposal said.Waters' New Biotech plans to convert wood...

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1% sales tax best alternative for regional transit

From a news release issued by the Quality of Life Alliance:This Thursday, Joint Finance will be taking up the issue of the Regional Transit Authority for Southeastern Wisconsin. It is widely speculated that there are not enough votes for it to pass as proposed by Governor Doyle. Instead of leaving out all hope of an RTA in this budget, Quality of Life Alliance urges members of Joint Finance to allow for the start of a single County RTA in Milwaukee.“Instituting the 1% sales tax for Milwaukee County that passed by referendum in November would provide the source of funding needed for a Milwaukee County RTA and could easily accommodate a broader RTA when it is created,” commented County Supervisor Chris Larson, Quality of Life Alliance spokesperson. “Please give us something we can build off...

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Germany to have coal power plants with the least CO2 emissions?

Coal power plants are among the most significant source of CO2 emissions, and mostly responsible for global warming and climate change. Coal is often described as the dirtiest energy source, and if world wants to tackle global warming and climate change coal related emissions would have to be significantly reduced. Though many agree that world should stop relying so much on coal this won't be so...

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Emerging renewable energy industries will help the Midwest compete

From an article by Jim Leute on GazetteXtra.xom (Janesville):JANESVILLE — The wind blows and the sun shines across state lines.And the Great Lakes lap the shores of eight states, not just Wisconsin.Renewable energy can play a critical role in the economic resuscitation of the Midwest, but only if communities, counties and states are willing to shed the traditions of their parochial past."The place to begin is to think across borders in terms of infrastructure, taxation, planning and education," said Richard Longworth, author of "Caught in the Middle: America's Heartland in the Age of Globalism."Published in 2008, Longworth's book paints a grim picture of the Midwest's losing battle with foreign competition. The former chief foreign correspondent for the Chicago Tribune has become a popular...

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DOT ridesharing Web site goes statewide

A news release from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation:Any commuter in Wisconsin who would like to find someone to “share the ride” to work, may now access the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WisDOT’s) interactive ride matching service online. A program that was originated several years ago for residents of the heavily populated southeastern region of the state is now available statewide.“We are pleased to offer this interactive service to commuters across the state,” said WisDOT Secretary Frank Busalacchi. “Ridesharing saves money for commuters, reduces the number of cars on the road during the busiest hours of the day and reduces pollution from car exhaust. Now, commuters in areas that are faced with some of the longest commutes will have an equal opportunity to find carpool...

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Coalition supports legislation on uniform wind-siting standards

From a news release issued by Clean, Responsible Energy for Wisconsin's Economy (CREWE):MADISON, Wis.— CREWE supports the current legislative proposal recommending uniform standards for the siting of large and small wind energy systems to be set by the Public Service Commission (PSC).The bill proposed by State Sen. Jeff Plale (D- South Milwaukee), chair of the Senate Energy and Utilities Committee advocates that the Public Service Commission develop uniform siting standards for wind power projects across the state. The bill is circulating in the legislature but has not yet been introduced.The current siting rules are just not fair says Curt Pawlisch, attorney for Wind for Wisconsin, a member of CREWE. Recent disputes over municipal ordinances have had a negative impact on developing energy...

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Expanding Transit Options, April 29, Racine

From an announcement by the Wisconsin Sierra Club:Wisconsin is on the threshold of modernizing our transit system. With these new opportunities come key decisions that will affect our economy and our future. Come to a FREE discussion and learn more about this critical issue.Wed, April 29, 2009, 6:30 p.m.DeKoven Center, 600 21st Street, Racine Featuring presentations and a panel discussion with: Kevin Brubaker, Environmental Law & Policy Center Lori Richards, SE WI Regional Transit Authority Kerry Thomas, Transit NOW Following the panel, attendees will hear local perspectives from minority, labor, faith & business leaders. Panelists and community leaders will also be available to answer YOUR questions on transit.Please RSVP for this FREE event by April 27, 2...

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Earth Day in Milwaukee

A list of events, ranging from poetry readings to a scrap metal drive, in and around the greater Milwaukee area.Events include:Earth Day for Afternoon NappersEarth Day Festival at Riverside Park22nd Annual Earth Poets & Musicians FestivalIn Celebration of TreesEarth Day Festival at Washington ParkSt. Sebastian Scrap Metal DriveParty for the Pla...

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We Energies recognized for one of nation’s best green power programs

From RENEW Wisconsin's Michael Vickerman:The National Renewable Energy Laboratory today released its annual assessment of leading utility renewable energy subscription programs across the nation. Several programs offered by Wisconsin utilities finished in the Top 10 in four categories of performance. Deserving of kudos are We Energies, Madison Gas & Electric and two municipal utilities--River Falls and Lake Mills--served by WPPI Energy. Congratulations on a fine performance last year! Individual program rankings are as follows: * We Energies' Energy for Tomorrow program came in 8th in total renewable energy sales and 10th in total number of customer participants.* Madison Gas & Electric's Green Power Tomorrow program posted the 4th highest customer participation rate and ranked...

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Go green, save green

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Ixonia - Zero is the latest buzzword for green building - as in houses that generate as much power as they use. Although going green often is seen as more expensive than conventional construction, some homebuilders are trying to change that. Instead of granite countertops and fancy playrooms, the homes have solar panels and heat pumps.Tom and Verona Chambers of Black River Falls recently moved into a new home that includes solar panels on the roof, a ground source heat pump and a gizmo that reuses shower water to preheat water coming in from the city."We don't have a gas line into the house - zero cost for gas. We have an electric line, but the goal is to produce as much as we use so we don't have any electric bill," Tom Chambers...

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Forward on renewables

From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:No one should consider the radar problems posed by a Dodge County wind farm as a reason to slow the push for more wind-generated power in Wisconsin. While the issue needs to be explored, it isn't significant enough to warrant slowing down the move toward more renewable energy.The state needs more wind farms and other renewable sources if it's going to move away from fossil fuels that help contribute to pollution and climate change.According to the National Weather Service, the wind farm's turbines are sending false storm signals to the government's weather radar system. Weather service officials say they see no significant public safety threat, although they say the wind farm could confuse some storm watchers.Meteorologist Marc Kavinsky told...

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Johnson Controls installs state's largest ground-mounted solar electric system

From a news release issued by Venture Electronics:Venture recently finished the installation of a 250 kW solar array at the Johnson Controls Headquarters in Glendale, WI. This massive solar array is currently the largest ground mounted solar field in Wisconsin. The largest roof mount array at the GE Waukesha facility also was installed by Venture Electric. “The Johnson Controls job was quite a project. It took a total team effort to get this array built on time. It proves that solar energy isn’t just for the Sun Belt,” said Venture Electric’s project manager Jim Seefeldt. Venture’s crew battled sub-zero temperatures to erect an intricate maze of piping that created the framework to support the 1452 solar panels. “Each panel had to be at...

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Turbine interference "just a minor blip"

From an article by Scott Williams in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:The National Weather Service has issued a new kind of warning because of a Dodge County wind farm that is disrupting the agency's ability to monitor storms in southeastern Wisconsin.The wind farm's giant turbines - each as wide as a football field and as tall as a 20-story building - are sending false storm signals to the government's weather radar system.Weather service officials say they see no significant public safety threat, although they say the wind farm has caused radar interference and could confuse some storm watchers.Meteorologist Marc Kavinsky said the approaching summer storm season will be the federal agency's first opportunity to gauge the wind farm's full impact."It'll be interesting," he said. "I'm hoping...

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Hybrid buses get better mileage, but cost puts them out of Milwaukee's reach

From an article by Steve Schultze in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Hybrid diesel-electric buses run cleaner and quieter and get better mileage than their conventional diesel engine counterparts, advocates say.Dozens of cities around the United States use hybrids, including Madison, Chicago and New York. But don't expect to see them anytime soon in Milwaukee.Higher hybrid costs have put them out of reach for the Milwaukee County Transit System, at least for now. The local bus system is seeking $16.4 million in federal stimulus aid, which it plans to use to replace 41 aging diesel-powered buses with new diesel buses, transit system managing director Anita Gulotta-Connelly told county supervisors this week.The big reason is cost. Hybrid models each cost about $500,000, or up to $200,000 more...

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Meeting: Milwaukee Transit Riders Union,Apirl 11

MEETING NOTICE The Milwaukee Transit Riders Union will be having it's first April 2009 meeting at Brewing Grounds - 2008 N. Farwell Av. on April 11, 2009 at 11:15 a...

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Waukesha mayor and others tell success stories

From a post by Don Albinger, VP of Renewable Energy, on the blog of Johnson Controls:I was very pleased to be one of the speakers at the recent Wisconsin Renewable Energy Summit in Milwaukee. The session topic was the Role of Local Governments in Moving Towards Energy Independence with Renewable Energy – and I was honored to appear with a distinguished group of people who are doing just that:Larry Nelson, Mayor of Waukesha, Wisconsin. Larry talked about the work he and his colleagues are doing to demonstrate that cities can be fiscally and environmentally responsible at the same time. . . . Jeanne Hoffman, Facilities and Sustainability Manager for the City of Madison, Wisconsin. Jeanne talked about MadiSUN – the city’s solar energy program aimed at doubling installations of solar electric...

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Milwaukee Street car proposed routes on Google Maps

From a post by Jeramey Jannene on Urban Milwaukee: We’ve unveiled a Google Maps implmentation of Mayor’s Tom Barrett’s proposed streetcar system for downtown Milwaukee. Take a look yourself, we think it’s a little more exciting than a PDF.The route is likely to change as the planning process continues, and we’ll track those changes on our m...

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We Energies offers R&D grants, scholarships to conferences

We Energies Renewable Energy Research and Development (R&D) Grant Program We Energies has established the Renewable Energy Research and Development (R&D) Grant Program to offer financial assistance in the form of a grant (up to a maximum award of $200,000) to conduct research on renewable energy technologies that results in the generation of electric energy, or to help demonstrate a renewable energy product associated with the production of renewable electricity. Eligible applicants include We Energies electric business and non-profit customers. Organizations other than We Energies customers may apply if partnered with a customer. A proposed research project must be located within We Energies electric service territory, or if not located within the service territory it must clearly...

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Pleasant Prairie experiment: Subtracting carbon from coal

From a post by Tom Content on JS Online:The carbon dioxide catch-and-release experiment in Pleasant Prairie, which started last year, is getting some more attention today.The We Energies power plant is the site of a project funded in part by the Electric Power Research Institute and the French company Alstom. Alstom has built a system at the state's largest coal-fired power plant that uses chilled ammonia to separate the carbon dioxide that's heads out into the atmosphere.If all goes well with this test, the utility industry is planning a bigger demonstration of this technology at a coal plant in West Virginia.Whatever technological change is forced on utilities, it won't come cheap, Wall Street Journal Environment Editor Jeffrey Ball writes in his column today."Whatever the truth about 'clean...

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KRM, local train service needs to move forward

From a guest editorial by Timothy Sheehy, Roger Caron and Todd Battle in the Racine Journal Times:In southeastern Wisconsin, regional cooperation has been a long time coming.The need for economic development and job creation in our cities has never been more critical. After many years of talking about the benefits of regional cooperation the cities in our region are united in a cause that will address those needs. That cause is regional transportation.Our organizations are responsible for increasing the economic vitality of the surrounding community, and while each city faces unique challenges, we share a common goal of fostering business development, job creation and capital investment.None of our cities is unique in its work to support the efficient and continued operation of transit systems...

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Gov. Doyle talks up wind at supply chain workshop

From a post on the blog of the American Wind Energy Association:Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle provided the Keynote Address today to an over-flowing, standing-room audience at AWEA's supply chain seminar in Appleton. Noting that Wisconsin has seen unemployment rise from 4% to 8.8% since last fall, the highest levels since the Great Depression, he noted, "It is a time of enormous pressures and a time of enormous opportunities" for Wisconsin. He also sees it is a time of major transformation. We will emerge with a stronger economy when we recover and , he says, we don't want to go back to the old way of doing business, built on fragile derivatives and other shaky financial instruments, but rather based on strong jobs and strong industries, focused on clean energy as a large sector."Wisconsin does...

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