Too popular Cash for Clunkers suspended

From an article in the Wisconsin State Journal:WASHINGTON — The government plans to suspend its popular "cash for clunkers" program amid concerns it could quickly use up the $1 billion in rebates for new car purchases, congressional officials said Thursday.The Transportation Department called lawmakers’ offices to alert them to the decision to suspend the program at midnight Thursday. The program offers owners of old cars and trucks $3,500 or $4,500 toward a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle. . . .A White House official said later that officials were assessing the situation facing the popular program but auto dealers and consumers should have confidence that transactions under the program that already have taken place would be honored. . . .Congress last month approved the Car Allowance Rebate...

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Lawmakers urge train company to set up shop in Milwaukee

From blog post by Stacy Forster on JSOnline:Madison – Lawmakers who represent the City of Milwaukee are appealing to a Spanish train company planning to make two trains for Wisconsin to locate their manufacturing facility in the state’s urban center.The train maker, Talgo, is expected to make two 14-car train sets to be used on Amtrak's Milwaukee-to-Chicago Hiawatha Service, which will cost the state $47 million. The train sets include the cab car that powers the train. The order will create about 80 manufacturing and maintenance jobs, with the possibility the company could add more if other states buy its trains, Gov. Jim Doyle has said.Talgo hasn’t chosen a location for its assembly and maintenance facility, but Doyle said it was likely to be located in south-central or southeastern Wisconsin....

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Wisconsin offers new apartment weatherization program

From a special project description of HomeEnergy+:As part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Wisconsin Department of Administration received $141 million for weatherization programs for low and moderate income families. These Recovery funds will help expand the current weatherization program as well as fund a new initiative to weatherize 3,000 units in large multifamily buildings. Owners of residential multifamily buildings are encouraged to apply for the Large Multifamily Weatherization Recovery Project if their building meets the following criteria:· Twenty or more residential dwelling units in one structure· Two-thirds of the tenants have an income at or below 60% of the state median income Buildings selected for the project could receive heating system...

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Cash for Clunkers kicks off

From a news release issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation:U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today kicked off a buyer incentive program designed to help consumers purchase new fuel efficient vehicles and boost the economy at the same time. The Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), commonly referred to as Cash for Clunkers, is a new federal program that gives buyers up to $4,500 towards a new, more environmentally-friendly vehicle when they trade-in their old gas guzzling cars or trucks. “With this program, we are giving the auto industry a shot in the arm and struggling consumers can get rid of their gas-guzzlers and buy a more reliable, fuel-efficient vehicle,” Secretary LaHood said. “This is good news for our economy, the environment and consumers’ pocketbooks.”The National...

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$28 million available for state clean energy manufacturing projects

Dave Jenkins, mentioned in the news release issued by Governor Doyle, will speak in the Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing Pavilion at the Wisconsin Machine Tool Show:MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced that Wisconsin has been approved for $28 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act federal funds for its State Energy Program (SEP). The funds are the first part of the $55 million in Recovery Act funding the state is receiving for this program. . . .Projects must create or retain jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce fossil fuel use, and/or deploy renewable energy.Applications and program information will be available at the Commerce website: http://commerce.wi.gov/BD/BD-SEP-ARRA.htmlFor more information on the SEP, contact Amy Cumblad at Commerce, amy.cumblad@wisconsin.gov;...

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'Going green' more than catch phrase for Tosa residents

From an article by Stefanie Scott in Wauwatosa Now:From commercial products to restaurant menus and government grants, campaigns of all kinds are using the ubiquitous phrase "going green." But several local groups are embracing the concept at a deeper level, taking on projects that can help Wauwatosa residents live more environmentally friendly lives.Energy conservation at homeWauwatosa resident John Bahr [a member of RENEW Wisconisn's board of directors] is leading an effort to get neighborhoods citywide to reduce energy consumption. He is the home energy efficiency chairman for the city's Energy Committee, formed this year.He is working with neighborhood associations to help them make their members aware of how household and daily activities impact the environment and local resources that...

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New panel aims to pressure Doyle, lawmakers on transit funding

From an article by Steve Schultze of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:A renewed effort aimed at pressuring Gov. Jim Doyle and state legislators to agree to sales tax funding for transit in the greater Milwaukee area was launched Wednesday with a new panel of regional government and business leaders.The Milwaukee County Committee on Long-Range Transportation Planning, with representatives from six southeastern Wisconsin counties, was named by Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway to keep the sales tax idea alive this year, Holloway said.Legislators included authority for a 0.065% sales tax for transit and public safety for Milwaukee County in the new state budget bill, but Doyle vetoed the provision, saying he wanted a regional solution for transit.Holloway has been harshly critical of...

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High-speed train purchase first step in Madison-to-Milwaukee line

From an article by Mark Pitsch in The Capital Times:In a first step toward building a Midwestern high-speed rail line connecting Madison with Chicago and the Twin Cities, Wisconsin is buying two passenger trains from a Spanish company that will hire state workers to assemble and maintain them.The $47.5 million purchase is expected to create 80 jobs initially, and company officials said Friday they are considering assembling the trains at Janesville’s General Motors production plant, which closed in April idling 1,200 workers. Sites in Milwaukee are also under consideration.Gov. Jim Doyle, local officials and transportation experts said the rail line would spur leisure travel to and from Madison and link the city, home to UW-Madison and its technology-related research, to the economies of Minneapolis-St....

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UWM gets grant to help make wind power flow continuously

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are trying to figure out ways to make power from wind keep flowing even when the wind isn't blowing.One phase of that research received a $422,266 grant Thursday from the U.S. Department of Energy for a project that could boost the efficiency of wind turbines by relieving some of the wear and tear on turbine gear boxes.The engineering school research is taking place in phases - with the final leg studying the use of batteries to capture wind power generated when demand for electricity is low, storing it and then sending it to the grid when demand for power rises."What happens is that the wind speed is very high and we have very good wind speed after midnight, and very early...

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We Energies helps fund nonprofit organization to promote greenhouse gas reduction efforts

From a news release issued by Governor Doyle:MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today announced the creation of a new nonprofit organization, the Wisconsin Climate Change Action Initiative, Inc. (WCCAI), to build on Wisconsin’s strong efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Formation of the nonprofit organization was recommended in the report from Governor Doyle’s Task Force on Global Warming as a way to build upon Wisconsin’s national leadership on climate change. “The Wisconsin Climate Change Action Initiative brings together leaders of business, government, non-governmental advocacy organizations and the research community to increase voluntary conservation practices that will save money and have positive environmental impacts,” Governor Doyle said. “As we continue to move forward on the...

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Battery innovation thrives in area

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:As an energy producer, wind is fickle: Maybe it'll blow when you need it. Maybe not.So the race is on to find more efficient ways to store the electricity wind produces when it's blowing, so the lights can stay on when it isn't. A Milwaukee company is smack in the middle of that race - a player in a high-tech sector that local economic strategists hope will become a growth engine for the region."Wind has incredible potential to be a significant portion of the nation's energy supply," said Kevin Dennis, vice president of sales and marketing for ZBB Energy Corp. "But to be a reliable resource, it ideally needs to be coupled with energy storage and to be flexible in how the power is managed and controlled out to the grid."A joint...

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We Energies offers new grants for wind projects

Under a new program announced by We Energies, schools, nonprofits, and units of government can apply for grants equal to the amount awarded by Focus on Energy for a wind project over 20 kW and not more than 100 kW:This program assists qualified We Energies electric customers (not-for-profit, schools and units of government) with the installation of a wind electric system over 20 kW and not more than 100 kW. Customer incentives are provided from We Energies Renewable Energy Development (RED) Program. The We Energies incentive amount for this limited program is a 100% match of the determined reward from the Focus on Energy 2009 Wind Electric Implementation Grant for Schools, Nonprofits and Units of Government to a maximum of $150,0...

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Which is more energy efficient a dishwasher or hand washing?

A question from AskFocusonEnergy:Quesiton: Would I save more energy by replacing my old dishwasher or doing my dishes by hand?Answer: Compared to washing dishes by hand, an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher: + Can lower utility bills+ Uses half as much energy+ Saves nearly 5,000 gallons of water per yearENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers: + Use 25% less energy than conventional models + Use less hot water, saving you $90 over their lifetime + Internal water heaters, which reduce water heating costs by 20% + Boost water temperatures to 140 degrees -- well above scalding temperatures. Washing dishes with hotter water allows for improved disinfection compared to washing by hand at much lower temperatures. + Run quieter than older models -- over 50% quieter than models produced 10 years a...

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Doyle to offer bus funding plan soon

From an article by Patrick Marley and Larry Sandler in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Gov. Jim Doyle will offer a plan to fund buses in Milwaukee County and elsewhere in a couple of weeks, according to legislators who have met with his staff.Legislative Democrats said Doyle aides told them he would unveil a plan to address regional transit soon - but Doyle's team didn't provide any details. The meetings occurred Thursday.The talks follow the collapse of efforts to forge a deal in the 2009-'11 budget.Doyle had proposed a single regional transit authority for southeastern Wisconsin, wielding power over both public buses and proposed commuter trains, funded by a 0.5% sales tax in Milwaukee, Kenosha and western Racine counties. That followed the recommendations of the interim Southeastern Wisconsin...

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Stimulus funds would help residents, city, businesses save energy

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Milwaukee businesses and residents would benefit from loan programs the city is proposing to develop over the next year to help reduce energy bills.The City of Milwaukee submitted its proposals for spending $5.8 million in energy-efficiency block grants as part of the federal stimulus package.The city was given an indication of how much money it will receive but needed to submit a plan to the U.S. Department of Energy detailing how the funds would be spent, said Jodie Tabak, spokeswoman for Mayor Tom Barrett.In an application submitted late last month, the city unveiled plans to boost energy efficiency of city-owned buildings and launch a revolving loan fund to help homeowners and businesses reduce energy use and save on utility...

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New Berlin firm receives renewable energy grant

From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:MADISON, Wis. (July 8, 2009) - Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, has awarded grants totaling more than $2.6 million to help businesses statewide finance the installation of large renewable energy systems. Funds were awarded on a competitive basis to help eligible businesses become more energy independent."The grants awarded offer businesses financial assistance for projects that will make a significant impact on Wisconsin's growing renewable energy market; in fact, these larger renewable energy systems offer businesses a way to lessen their dependence on fossil fuel based energy use, in turn reducing pollution" said Don Wichert, program director for Focus on Energy. "It is my hope more organizations...

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WIND TURBINES: Laws are in process

A letter to the editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Gerald Flakas:A July 3 editorial asked for opinions on rules governing wind turbines in Wisconsin. By Wisconsin statute, no county, city, town or village may place any restriction on the installation or use of a solar or wind energy system unless the restriction serves to protect public health and safety, does not significantly increase the cost of the system or decrease its efficiency or allows for an alternative system of comparable cost and efficiency.This means that perceived aesthetics or property value impact cannot be used to prevent people from installing wind turbines on their property. The details on what constitutes "public health and safety" are subject to debate. The state Legislature will be considering a uniform wind...

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Focus on Energy announces new wind installation grant opportunity

From an announcement from Focus on Energy:Who is Eligible?Nonprofit organizations and institutions, schools, and units of government are eligible for the Wind Electric Implementation Grant for Schools, Nonprofits and Units of Government if they purchase electricity from an electric provider participating with Focus on Energy. The renewable energy system must be installed on a site whose owner purchases electricity for that site. For a list of participating providers visit focusonenergy.com/utilities or call 888.476.9534.What is an Implementation Grant?Wind Electric Implementation Grants for Schools, Nonprofits and Units of Government provide financial support for the installation of commercially available wind electric systems that produce electricity and are rated over 20 kW and not more...

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Africa – High wind energy potential not used enough

According to many energy experts Africa has huge energy potential but very few African countries are really using wind energy. The three countries that are using wind energy the most are Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia but even these countries have been slow to push for more investments in wind energy sector.These three countries supply around 95 percent of the 563 megawatts of total installed...

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Before the wind

From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Wisconsin needs more wind-powered energy, and it should do what it can to encourage the growth of wind power. That should include the adoption of uniform statewide siting rules for large wind farms, as proposed in legislation sponsored by state Sen. Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee).But municipalities such as Menomonee Falls are smart to move forward with their own rules governing the erection of a wind turbine in someone's back yard to reduce energy costs. Local officials need to address the regulatory issue to give guidance to residents as interest in wind power grows.In a Monday article, Journal Sentinel reporter Lisa Sink noted that Menomonee Falls village employees began researching the question after a local resident expressed interest...

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Governor Doyle vetoes Milwaukee County sales tax for transit

From an post by Jeramey Jannene on Urban Milwaukee:When the budget finally made it to his desk, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle used his extensive veto powers in a lot of ways. The most significant of which was arguably the line-item veto of the Milwaukee Transit Authority and the proposed 0.65% sales tax increase for Milwaukee County. Doyle did not veto SERTA, the authority which is to run the KRM commuter rail line, and the $18 rental car tax. This veto puts back on the drawing board Doyle’s proposal for a three-county sales tax to fund the KRM and bus service in Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee Counties, while at the same time not delaying the KRM development process.The move, which many see as a slam of Milwaukee by Doyle, arguably shouldn’t be completely viewed that way. Doyle did propose...

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Budget has good news, bad news for KRM rail

From an article by Joe Potente in the Kenosha News: The vetoes Gov. Jim Doyle issued and the state budget he signed into law Monday produced a mixed bag for backers of the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail proposal.While the adopted budget retains an $18 fee on rental car transactions to fund KRM, it strips provisions allowing for a Milwaukee regional transit authority and dedicated funding for the Kenosha and Racine bus lines.KRM supporters say the latter initiatives are necessary to secure federal funding for KRM. That, they say, leaves the Legislature to return to the drawing board to devise an acceptable funding source for regional transit.“It definitely has an impact, because the federal government made it very clear that to have a successful new-starts application, the region would...

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