China Set to Vigorously Develop Green Economy

BEIJING -- "Due to growing urbanization and resulting environmental threats, China has invested nearly US$50 billion annually into its renewable energy sector since 2009. China's five-year investment in environmental protection is on track to reach 3.1 trillion yuan (US$454 billion). By 2015, its environmental protection industry is expected to top 2 trillion yuan (US$317 billion).

China will introduce favorable tax and financial policies to support the development of its green economy, according to its 12th five-year plan, which started last year. A strong “green” policy is essential if China is to maintain its rapid and sustainable growth. "China will build a good fund raising environment for companies to develop green technologies by establishing green technology investment and related equity funds," said Wang Yuqing, deputy director of the Committee of Population, Resources and Environment of the CPPCC National Committee.

The transition to a global green economy may generate a large market exceeding US$1 trillion. During the 12th five-year plan period, the Chinese government will invest US$468 billion in green sectors compared to US$211 billion over the previous five-year period, with a focus on three sectors: waste recycling and re-utilization; clean technologies; and renewable energy. With this amount of public investment, China's environmental protection industry is expected to continue growing at an average of 15 to 20 percent per year, and its industrial output is expected to reach US$743 billion, up from US$166 billion in 2010. The multiplier effect of this emerging sector is estimated to be 8 to 10 times larger than other industry sectors..."

Is this a challenge to the rest of the world? Is China the only country able and willing to invest these kinds of funds into a green economy? What will China look like in five years after investing US$50 billion per year into its renewable energy sector?

We hope that it will look less polluted, less noisy, less dependent on outside oil and energy reserves, and leaner with costs having been driven way down, particularly on energy costs.

Not a bad place to be in 5 years. What about you, your company, your state, country? Falling behind should not be an option.

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Super Bowl/Weekend Edition

Kudos to the NFL for working towards a greener event: A Pleasant Surprise: Super Bowl XLVI Goes Green!

Tom Szaky
Business / Corporate Responsibility
February 1, 2012

"When I went to check out the eco-cred of the Super Bowl, I’ll admit I was pleasantly surprised.

I learned about how the NFL is partnering with Green Mountain Energy Company, the nation’s longest serving provider of clean energy, to the Super Bowl this year.

That means that Green Mountain will provide 15,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy certificates (RECs) that will power everything at the Super Bowl: the lights, the computers, the scoreboard, everything. The company is also providing carbon offsets to balance out the greenhouse gas emissions created from the the Patriots' and Giants’ air and ground travel.

I was, admittedly, surprised and impressed.

This is a positive step in the right direction for an event and a business that don’t really need to market themselves. Everyone knows what the Super Bowl is, what the NFL is, and if they love football, they’re going to watch. The Super Bowl and NFL don’t really need to convert people to being football fans.

The point I’m trying to make here is that generally, as a consumer, I am an eco-skeptic, but I couldn’t help thinking to myself that this is something the NFL probably isn’t doing to gain new viewers. I suspect they’re doing it out of a larger sense of corporate responsibility. I then started thinking about other major events, including the campaigning events that stretch across small towns all over the country and culminate in the National Conventions for each political party. Super Bowl like events in their own respect!

I’m wondering what political parties and other corporations that stand to gain more than the Super Bowl are doing to offset their impact and make their event and cause more sustainable. The Super Bowl and NFL’s efforts deserve applause and respect, and I’m looking forward to seeing other corporations embrace sustainability efforts like the NFL has and work with solution providers like Green Mountain Energy.

What events, corporations or businesses have you spotted doing the “right-thing” recently? Frito Lay has partnered with TerraCycle and the NFL has partnered with Green Mountain Energy. Who else?

And what about you – what activities are you doing to lower your carbon footprint? The first step can come during this weekend’s Super Bowl – Green Mountain Energy offers a few tips on greening your Super Bowl party, but we’d love for you to go further."

Enjoy the game.

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Kodak Switching from Camera Film to Thin-Film Solar Cells

Interesting that a company that just fell into bankruptcy, Kodak, is aspiring to a better future with a better, more eco-friendly product.

This from Eco-Geek:

Written by Megan Treacy on 20/01/12

"Kodak may be in the middle of some financial trouble -- it just filed for bankruptcy yesterday and has shut down almost all of its camera film production -- but they're looking at solar energy as a way to a fresh start. The camera and film maker is hoping to use its already existing manufacturing processes to produce thin-film solar cells.

Kodak is working with Natcore Technology to develop and produce flexible, thin-film solar cells made of nanotubes that could match the efficiency of conventional silicon cells. Thin-film cells haven't made as much of a splash in the market yet mainly because of the efficiency lag between them and silicon cells, but thin-film is catching up.

If Kodak can make a major improvement in efficiency, they have two major advantages compared to other manufacturers: cost and experience. Kodak could use its existing and proven film production equipment to produce the solar cells, potentially cutting costs in half.

It will likely be tricky transition for the company, but we'll be interested to see if Kodak can make this work and improve on the thin-film technology available today."

We've been using thin-film on the solar application to our trucks, and it has worked great. We look forward to testing the Kodak product. Good luck to them in their transition. Let's hope they, and they jobs they hold, stay in our economy.

Don'forget, if you are in RI, MA, CT, watch our show tomorrow at 1:30pEST as we move to ABC 6, then watch each Saturday at 3pEST. Also, look for us soon on the Living Well channel.

We'll have a report this weekend. Enjoy the game on Sunday.

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Nice site to visit

There are some great stories and videos on here: http://www.planetforward.com/.

Here is a story that caught our eye: City Trees Help Combat Urban Heat Islands
by American Society of Landscape Architects | 10:45 am February 2nd, 2012


"Nature provides solutions. Increasing the tree canopy in cities is one way to fight both poor air quality and urban heat islands. Research shows significant short-term improvements in air quality in urban areas with 100 percent tree cover. There, trees can reduce hourly ozone by up to 15 percent, sulfur dioxide by 14 percent, and particulate matter by 13 percent.

U.S. trees remove some 784,000 tons of pollution annually, providing $3.8 billion in value. Furthermore, a single large healthy tree can remove greater than 300 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year. In fact, New York City’s urban forest alone removes 154,000 tons of CO2 annually. Through their leaves, trees also provide evaporative cooling, which increases air humidity. Shaded surfaces may be 20-45 degrees cooler, and evapotranspiration can reduce peak summer temperatures by 2-9 degrees."

There's a nice video on the site that accompanies the story. Take a look. Interesting number to think about: U.S trees remove carbon at an equivalent value of 3.8 billion. You can imagine the economic value, in terms of reduced medical costs, this process represents.

We look forward to covering more stories on Planet Forward.com.

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Small Businesses Request Resumption of Renewable Energy Support

For immediate release
January 31, 2012

Small Businesses Request Resumption of Renewable Energy Support

Over 150 small businesses, organizations, schools, and local officials appealed to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to restore full funding for a nationally recognized renewable energy program that reduces the cost of solar, wind, and biomass installations for Wisconsin utility customers.

In an open letter delivered to the PSC yesterday, the signers asked the PSC to “to exercise its oversight authority over Focus on Energy and restore funding, without delay, for renewables at a level consistent with previous years’ allocations.”

The impetus for the open letter arose from RENEW Wisconsin’s Energy Policy Summit held two weeks ago in Madison. At the summit, the 140 people who participated asked RENEW to make Focus on Energy funding restoration its highest policy priority for 2012.

Focus on Energy suspended its support for customer-sited renewable energy systems last July, when rising demand for renewables outstripped available funds. The program administrator said that incentives will be resumed later this year, but no firm timeline has been set.

“This problem needs to be fixed as expeditiously as possible before the funding interruption permanently damages Wisconsin’s renewable energy marketplace,” said Michael Vickerman, Executive Director of RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide, nonprofit renewable energy advocacy organization.

“A number of renewable energy installers and contractors are already feeling the effects of the funding hiatus, and the result is less new hiring and potential layoffs down the road. However, we remain optimistic that once funding is restored renewable energy development will once again become a dynamic economic sector and a source of new jobs here in Wisconsin,” said Vickerman.

An Open Letter to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
January 30, 2012

In 2002, the State of Wisconsin began offering incentives from Focus on Energy to encourage tangible and significant savings with the implementation of distributed renewable energy systems. By employing a small fraction of the funds available to Focus on Energy for this purpose, the vast majority of customer-sited solar, wind, biogas and biomass projects now operating in Wisconsin received critical financial support. In under 10 years, Focus on Energy succeeded in building an in-state marketplace that supported steady growth of new businesses and jobs in manufacturing, distributing, designing, installing and servicing renewable energy systems. It is no exaggeration to say that the renewable energy program run by Focus on Energy was a nationally recognized as a model for other states to follow.

It’s a very different picture today. For the first time since 2002, Wisconsin business and residential customers entered the new year without a functioning statewide renewable energy program in place. Focus on Energy said that it intends to resume offering incentives for renewables later this year, but has not set a timeline for restoration of funding or services. Nor is there any information available as to whether the renewable products and services supported in the past will be supported again, and, if so, at what levels. What was a successful engine for advancing small-scale renewables in Wisconsin is now, for frustrated businesses and customers alike, a source of vague assurances and little else.

Unfortunately, the ongoing lack of support and uncertainty is guaranteed to cause layoffs and business cutbacks. Furthermore, it is contrary to state law, which specifies that Focus on Energy support customer use of renewable energy as well as energy efficiency. Without the products and services to fuel the renewable market, 2012 will usher in a period of contraction that portends significant declines in installations, accelerated job losses, and increased business migration to markets in other states.

In our view, the most economically efficient way to transition Wisconsin to a sustainable energy future is to pair an aggressive conservation and efficiency program with products and services that increase the market drivers for on-site renewable energy production. Both approaches mutually reinforce each other while delivering economic benefits to customers. Adopting energy efficiency enables customers to reduce the size of their renewable energy investments, and on-site renewables allow customers to lower all or part of their energy bills going forward.

We support the conclusions reached by Commissioner Eric Callisto regarding the economic returns to ratepayers and the public generated by Focus on Energy’s programs. As part of a recent proceeding on Focus on Energy, Commissioner Callisto wrote:

Focus programs save energy, help offset the need for new power generation, lower utility bills, create jobs, reduce fossil fuel emissions, and support broad-based economic development in Wisconsin. And in study after study, it is shown that these benefits are produced at a ratio that far exceeds program costs. As the LAB report points out, the benefit-cost ratio for Focus programs is as high as 7.2 to 1, when taking into account economic metrics like job creation and increased business sales. That is more than seven dollars in benefit to Wisconsin for every dollar invested. http://psc.wi.gov/apps35/ERF_view/viewdoc.aspx?docid=158228

The impressive payback from Focus on Energy is sufficient reason for restoring the renewable energy funding that had been a key feature of that program. Given the near certainty of rising electric rates as the price of delivered coal continues to climb, as coal pollution equipment is mandated to meet new regulations, and to pay for new transmission, we cannot afford any more backsliding by not supporting in-state, distributed renewables. The ongoing funding hiatus for renewables is inconsistent with state law. The Commission has a responsibility to fix this problem immediately, before the lack of support for renewables permanently damages Wisconsin’s renewable energy marketplace. We the undersigned call upon the Public Service Commission to exercise its oversight authority over Focus on Energy and restore funding, without delay, for renewables at a level consistent with previous years’ allocations.

Sincerely,

• John Ahles Solar System Owner Neenah, WI 
• Jeff Anthony American Wind Energy Association Milwaukee, WI 
• Steve Arndt, Director of Facilities Management UW-Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI 
• Michael Arney, Green Neighbor, Inc. Wauwatosa, WI 
• Peter Bakken, Public Policy Coordinator Wisconsin Council of Churches Sun Prairie, WI 
• Rich Bannen, Owner Prairie Solar Power & Light Prairie du Chien, WI 
• Bruce Barker, President Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI 
• Barb Basaj SunSpe, LLC Milwaukee, WI 
• David Behnke-Seper First Affirmative Financial Network Chili, WI 
• Rick Bergman Aquilo Wind Development Glendale, WI Oscar Bloch Arboretum Co-Housing Madison, WI 
• Hans Jr. and Katie Breitenmoser Breitenmoser Family Farms Merrill, WI 
• Thomas Brown, Architect Stevens Point, WI 
• Brent Brucker, General Manager Helios Solar Works Milwaukee, WI 
• Justin Castleman Castleman & Sons Plumbing Franklin, WI 
• Chris Collins, Marketing Director H&H Solar Energy Services Madison, WI 
• Becky Comeau Southwest Community Biofuels LaFarge, WI 
• Lisa Conley, President Town and Country RC&D Jefferson, WI 
• Lisa Daniels, Executive Director Windustry Minneapolis, MN 
• Mark Dawson Sand Creek Solar Amherst, WI 
• Susan De Vos Madison Area Bus Advocates Madison, WI 
• Tom DeBates, Owner Habi-Tek Geneva, IL 
• Michael Dearing, Owner Driftless Solar Spring Green, WI 
• Trang Donovan Unlimited Renewable Energies Prairie du Sac, WI 
• Thomas Duffy, President Commercial Air, Inc. Madison, WI 
• Jeff Ehlers, President Renewegy LLC Oshkosh, WI 
• Jim Erdman Solar Electric and Small Wind Certified Site Assessor Menomonie, WI 
• James Erickson, Owner Antech Properties Janesville, WI 
• Brian Evans, Production Manager Associated Housewrights Madison, WI 
• Jerry Eyler, Executive Dean Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WI
• Randy Faller, Owner Kettle View Renewable Energy Random Lake, WI 
• Jay Farnsworth, Teacher Waunakee School District Waunakee, WI 
• Pete Flesch, Chair, Crawford County Board of Supervisors Prairie du Chien, WI 
• Scott Freier Freiers Electric and Heating Ellsworth, WI
• Greg Fritsch, CEO Clean Energy North America Glendale, WI 
• Jim Funk, Owner Energize LLC Winneconne, WI Mark Furst Grading Spaces LLC Fort Atkinson, WI 
• Rex Gillespie Wisconsin Solar Energy Industries Madison, WI 
• David Goepfert, President Thermal Design, Inc. Stoughton, WI 
• Grant Grinstead Northern Biogas Fond du Lac, WI 
• David Hansen, Owner Lake Country Energy Oconomowoc, WI 
• Daniel Harkins, Manager Trantow Properties LLC Stoughton, WI 
• Ryan Harkins, Project Manager Synergy Renewable Systems LLC Stoughton, WI 
• Michael Harvey Able Electric Co. River Falls, WI 
• Mark Heffernan, President CBT Wear Parts, Inc. Bio-Products Engineering Corp. Richland Center, WI 
• Charlie Higley, Executive Director Citizens Utility Board Madison, WI 
• John Hippensteel, President Lake Michigan Wind and Sun Sturgeon Bay, WI 
• Lou Host-Jablonski, Architect Design Coalition Madison, WI 
• John Imes, Executive Director Wisconsin Environmental Initiative Madison, WI 
• Greg Jahnke, Manager, Renewable Energy Pieper Electric Milwaukee, WI 
• Micah James, General Manager Energycraft Synergy Systems, LLC Stoughton, WI 
• Jennifer Jenkins, Executive Director Distributed Wind Energy Association Flagstaff, AZ 
• Brad Johnson, Director, Business Development Green Sky Energetics Manitowoc, WI 
• James Jozwiak Black Magic Organics Spencer, WI 
• Andrea Kaminski League of Women Voters Wisconsin Education Network Madison, WI 
• Roger Kanitz ECOS – Fox Valley Menasha, WI 
• James Kerbel Photovoltaic Systems LLC Amherst, WI 
• Duane Kexel Duane Kexel Consulting Madison, WI 
• Chris Klein Town of Dayton Waupaca, WI 
• Joe Klein Applied Plastics Oak Creek, WI 
• Mark Klein Gimme Shelter Construction Amherst, WI 
• Richard Klemme, Dean and Director UW Extension - Cooperative Extension Madison, WI 
• Randy Knox Solar PV System Owner Whitewater, WI 
• Jeff Knutson, Owner A-A Exteriors, com Waupaca, WI 
• Kurt Koepp, Manager Hot Water Products Milwaukee, WI 
• Fritz Kreiss Community Green Energy LLC, Lake Geneva, WI 
• Eco-Vision Sustainable Learning Center, Inc., Lake Geneva, WI Green Leaf Inn LLC, Delavan, WI 
• Larry Krom, Principal L&S Technical Associates Spring Green, WI 
• Christopher LaForge, Owner Great Northern Solar Port Wing, WI 
• Alicia Leinberger, Marketing and Development Manager Seventh Generation Energy Systems Madison, WI 
• Jesse Lerner Sustain Dane Madison, WI 
• Doug Lindsey Lakeshore Technical College - Energy Education Center Cleveland, WI 
• Timothy Linn, Partner/Builder Edge Grain LLC Milwaukee, WI 
• Vicki Lipinski, Marketing and Sales Coordinator Procorp Enterprises Milwaukee, WI 
• Jeanne Lisse Madison Computer Works Madison, WI 
• Mark Lydon Artisan Energy LLC Marshall, WI 
• Randy Mader Faith Technologies Sun Prairie, WI 
• Tom Martin, CEO Convergence Energy Lake Geneva, WI 
• Neil Matthes Duck Creek Engineering, Inc. Helenville, WI 
• Nick Matthes Midwest Photovoltaics, Inc. Milwaukee, WI 
• Heather McCombs Wisconsin Green Building Alliance Milwaukee, WI 
• Natalie McIntire enMac Energy Consulting Viroqua, WI 
• Christine Merritt, Ph.D TAPCO – Traffic and Parking Control, Inc. Brown Deer, WI 
• Eric Meyer Werner Electric Wisconsin Neenah, WI 
• Jesse Michalski Eland Electric Corporation Green Bay, WI 
• Randy Moberg Werner Electric Minnesota Cottage Grove, MN 
• Gerd Muehllehner Retgen Solar LLC North Freedom, WI 
• Ingrid Nahm Appleton Solar Appleton, WI 
• Dan Nemke US Biogas LLC Mequon, WI 
• Andy Olsen Environmental Law & Policy Center Madison, WI 
• Jim Olson E3Coalition Viroqua, WI 
• Burke O’Neal, Director Full Spectrum Solar Madison, WI 
• Robert H. Owen, Jr. Consulting Engineer/Meteorologist Middleton, WI 
• Hon. Joe Parisi Dane County Executive Madison, WI 
• George Penn Global Energy Options Madison, WI 
• Katie Peterman, Manager, Cooperative Affairs Organic Valley Family of Farms LaFarge, WI Ted Petith Greenlink Projects, LLC Madison, WI 
• Greg Phillips American Power, Inc. Electrical Contractors Janesville, WI 
• Eric Pipkin Pipkin Electric, Inc. Sparta, WI 
• John Price Access Solar LLC Waukesha, WI 
• Chris Quandt, Senior Project Manager Bachmann Construction Madison, WI 
• Bob Ramlow Artha Sustainable Energy Center Amherst, WI 
• Alex Rein Verona, WI 
• Kurt Reinhold Solar Connections LLC Madison, WI 
• Ed Ritger Ritger Law Office Random Lake, WI 
• Cathy Robinson Chippewa Valley Alternative Energy Chippewa Falls, WI 
• Rik Rosenlund Midwest Solar Power Madison, WI 
• Mick Sagrillo Sagrillo Power & Light Forestville, WI
• Kris Schmid Legacy Solar LLC Frederic, WI 
• Brian Schwaller EcoManity LLC, Owner The Sustainable Living Group, President Elkhart Lake, WI 
• Al Schulz, Owner/CEO Safe Work La Crosse, WI Jeff Seidl, President I-Quip Seymour, WI 
• Roy Settgas, Owner Sunrise Energy Services Washburn, WI 
• Carl Siegrist Carl Siegrist Consulting Whitefish Bay, WI 
• Wes Slaymaker WES Engineering Madison, WI 
• Chuck Smith, President Current Electric Company Brookfield, WI 
• Judy Spring Sustain Sauk County Baraboo, WI 
• Zeus Stark, Owner Next Step Energy LLC Eau Claire, WI 
• Doug Stingle, Development Director Midwest Renewable Energy Association Custer, WI
• Josh Stolzenburg North Wind Renewable Energy, LLC Stevens Point, WI 
• Amy Taivalkoski, Principal ALT Energy Sussex, WI 
• Craig Tarr, President Energy Concepts Hudson, WI 
• Dave Tebo, Administrator Town of Greenville Greenville, WI 
• Neale Thompson Janesville Home and Solar Janesville, WI 
• Todd Timmerman Timmerman’s Talents LLC Platteville, WI 
• Melissa Van Ornum DVO, Inc. Chilton, WI 
• Michael Vickerman, Policy Director RENEW Wisconsin Madison, WI 
• Jerry Viste Door County Environmental Council Sturgeon Bay, WI 
• Larry Walker Walker Energy Systems Madison, WI 
• Ray Walter, Ph.D, President MyEnergy, LLC Pewaukee, WI 
• Michael Ward E & W Heating and Air Conditioning Middleton, WI 
• David Washebek, President/CEO Lemberg Electric Company Brookfield, WI Frank Weeks 
• D H Solar Prairie du Chien, WI Robert 
• Weier, Vice President ELEXCO, Inc. Seymour, WI 
• Laura West, West Winds Renewable Resources, LLC Plover, WI 
• Sr. Janet Weyker, Director Eco-Justice Center Racine, WI 
• Terry Wiggins Earth Justice Ministry of the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI 
• Sally Wiley, Gaea’s Farm Walworth, WI
• Tom Wilson HOME REMEDIES Residential Energy Services, Viroqua, WI 
• Northern Thunder, Eau Claire, WI 
• Dona Wininsky American Lung Association in Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI 
• Dean Wolff Milwaukee Solar Milwaukee, WI 
• Niels Wolter, Owner Madison Solar Consulting Madison, WI 
• Mark Yeager Sun & Daughters Solar, LLC Rhinelander, WI 
• Jim Yockey, CEO Seventh Generation Systems Integration Madison, WI 
• John Young Resource Solar Madison, WI 
• Bruce Zahn, Architect Milwaukee, WI 
• Michael Zander, CEO Biogas Direct Sauk City, WI
• Ed Zinthefer, President Arch Electric, LLC Plymouth, WI

- END -

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Good work from our UK office

The Arpin Group is, we believe, the greenest moving company in the world. Not only have we remodeled our headquarters into an efficient space, powered mostly by solar energy, but we've extended the transformation to every corner of the world through the help of our global offices.

Here's the most recent work done by our staff located in Kent: "ENVIRONMENTAL

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 (sec. 34) places a duty of care on businesses, companies and other organisations who produce waste to be responsible for the safe disposal or recycling of their waste.
Organisations must:
§ Ensure that the waste they produce is suitably contained while awaiting collection, ensuring it does not get blown away causing litter.
§ Ensure that the waste they produce is collected by a registered waste carrier and disposed of at a licensed site (you can check if a collection company is registered or a disposal site is licensed with the Environment Agency by telephoning 0845 933 3111). This system of licensing is designed to prevent waste being fly tipped in areas such as country lay-bys.
www.tmbc.gov.uk

UK OFFICE ACHIEVEMENTS - TONER RECYCING – We now donate all our empty toners to Infotone. We receive £10 credit for each toner recycled. At the end of each month we donate our credit to charity ‘Action for Sick Children’. We receive a certificate once per year.

PAPER AND CARDBOARD RECYCLING – We have enlisted Veolia Environmental Services (UK) Plc to assist with the disposal of our commercial waste. Twice a month pick ups inorder to recycle all our used paper and cardboard.

CSR:

We have donated a Playstation console with games to the Comard Mondello Nursery in Uganda Raffle taking place at The 2012 Corporate Relocation Conference & Exhibition on Monday 6th February at Hotel Russell, Russell Square –"


Small steps, we know, but multiplied times ten, times a thousand times...adds up to a significant impact on the world, and is the foundation for building a sustainable company.

Our thanks to Natalie, Phil, John and our team in the UK. We welcome Natalie as a member of our green team, and look forward to teaming with her on a cleaner, brighter future in the moving industry.

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PSC must establish wind energy rules

From an editorial in the Green Bay Press-Gazette:

A committee wants Brown County to ask the state to pay medical bills for anyone becoming sick because of wind turbines, but we don't think it's the county's place to make such a move.

The human services committee voted last week to seek emergency aid for families near the Shirley Wind Farm in the town of Glenmore, blaming the state for allowing what supervisors said was "irresponsible placement" of wind turbines. Several people testified to the committee that they or their neighbors have experienced conditions such as anxiety, depression and weight loss and fear they have been exposed to a greater cancer risk.

We feel for local residents who believe their health has been compromised by wind turbines. But until the state establishes setback rules and other regulations governing wind turbines, the county's effort in this case is futile. . . .

If county supervisors want to make recommendations on setback limits or other issues involving wind turbines, they should do that and forward their opinions to the state. But a resolution seeking compensation for medical bills comes with the assumption that the wind turbines caused the problems in Glenmore. That's a conclusion that hasn't been determined.

Brown County has been a focus area for wind energy companies in recent years. The landscape is conducive to the placement of turbines because the topography helps produce a steady wind flow. An advocacy group — Brown County Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy — has lobbied for greater setback distances, saying turbines too close to residences and schools pose potential health problems.

The opposition led Illinois-based Invenergy Inc. to withdraw its plans to build a 100-turbine wind farm in the towns of Morrison and Glenmore.

The wind energy industry cites, with good reason, the fact that wind turbines provide a useful and necessary energy source. They also provide financial compensation for land owners who agree to have wind turbines erected on their property.

Still, some opponents say the negatives outweigh the benefits. Some have also claimed the turbines lower property values.

The responsibility for establishing wind energy rules rests with the Public Service Commission. A legislative committee suspended the PSC's proposed turbine siting rules 11 months ago and instructed the state agency to work on a compromise that would be acceptable to both sides. PSC spokeswoman Kristin Ruesch told the Green Bay Press-Gazette Monday that no such compromise has been reached. She also said she doesn't think the issue of medical bill payments has been part of the discussions.

We urge the PSC to accelerate the discussions to reach a compromise that will be acceptable to both sides and the state Legislature. Sincerely, Jeff Anthony American Wind Energy Association Milwaukee, WI Peter Bakken, Public Policy Coordinator Wisconsin Council of Churches Sun Prairie, WI Rich Bannen, Owner Prairie Solar Power & Light Prairie du Chien, WI Barb Basaj SunSpec, LLC Milwaukee, WI Thomas Brown, Architect Stevens Point, WI Brent Brucker, General Manager Helios Solar Works Milwaukee, WI Justin Castleman Castleman & Sons Plumbing Franklin, WI Chris Collins, Marketing Director H&H Solar Energy Services Madison, WI Lisa Conley, President Town and Country RC&D Jefferson, WI Lisa Daniels, Executive Director Windustry Minneapolis, MN Mark Dawson Sand Creek Solar Amherst, WI Susan De Vos Madison Area Bus Advocates Madison, WI Tom DeBates, Owner Habi-Tek Geneva, IL Michael Dearing, Owner Driftless Solar Spring Green, WI Trang Donovan Unlimited Renewable Energies Prairie du Sac, WI Jeff Ehlers, President Renewegy, LLC Oshkosh, WI Jim Erdman Solar Electric and Small Wind Certified Site Assessor Menomonie, WI James Erickson, Owner Antech Properties Janesville, WI Brian Evans, Production Manager Associated Housewrights Madison, WI Randy Faller, Owner Kettle View Renewable Energy Random Lake, WI Pete Flesch, Chair, Crawford County Board of Supervisors Prairie du Chien, WI Scott Freier Freiers Electric and Heating Ellsworth, WI Greg Fritsch, CEO Clean Energy North America Glendale, WI Jim Funk, Owner Energize, LLC Winneconne, WI Mark Furst Grading Spaces, LLC Fort Atkinson, WI David Goepfert, President Thermal Design, Inc. Stoughton, WI David Hansen, Proprietor Lake Country Energy Oconomowoc, WI Daniel Harkins, Manager Trantow Properties, LLC Stoughton, WI Ryan Harkins, Project Manager Synergy Renewable Systems, LLC Stoughton, WI Michael Harvey Able Electric Co. River Falls, WI Charlie Higley, Executive Director Citizens Utility Board Madison, WI John Hippensteel, President Lake Michigan Wind and Sun Sturgeon Bay, WI John Imes, Executive Director Wisconsin Environmental Initiative Madison, WI Micah James, General Manager Energycraft Synergy Systems, LLC Stoughton, WI Andrea Kaminski League of Women Voters Wisconsin Education Network Madison, WI James Kerbel Photovoltaic Systems, LLC Amherst, WI Joe Klein Applied Plastics Oak Creek, WI Richard Klemme, Dean and Director UW-Extension, Cooperative Extension Madison, WI Randy Knox System Owner Whitewater, WI Jeff Knutson A-A Exteriors, com Waupaca, WI Fritz Kreiss Community Green Energy, LLC, Lake Geneva, WI Eco-Vision Sustainable Learning Center, Inc., Lake Geneva, WI Green Leaf Inn, LLC, Delavan, WI Larry Krom L&S Technical Associates Spring Green, WI Alicia Leinberger, Marketing and Development Manager Seventh Generation Energy Systems Madison, WI Vicki Lipinski Marketing and Sales Coordinator Procorp Enterprises Milwaukee, WI Randy Mader Faith Technologies Sun Prairie, WI Tom Martin, CEO Convergence Energy Lake Geneva, WI Neil Matthes Duck Creek Engineering, Inc. Helenville, WI Heather McCombs Wisconsin Green Building Association Milwaukee, WI Natalie McIntire enMac Energy Consulting Viroqua, WI Christine Merritt, Ph.D TAPCO – Traffic and Parking Control, Inc. Brown Deer, WI Eric Meyer Werner Electric Wisconsin Neenah, WI Randy Moberg Werner Electric Minnesota Cottage Grove, MN Ingrid Nahm Appleton Solar Appleton, WI Andy Olsen Environmental Law & Policy Center Madison, WI Jim Olson E3Coalition Viroqua, WI Burke O’Neal, Director Full Spectrum Solar Madison, WI Robert H. Owen, Jr. Consulting Engineer/Meteorologist Middleton, WI George Penn Global Energy Options Madison, WI Katie Peterman, Manager, Cooperative Affairs Organic Valley Family of Farms LaFarge, WI Ted Petith Greenlink Projects, LLC Madison, WI Greg Phillips American Power, Inc. Electrical Contractors Janesville, WI Eric Pipkin Pipkin Electric, Inc. Sparta, WI John Price Access Solar, LLC Waukesha, WI Bob Ramlow Artha Sustainable Energy Center Amherst, WI Alex Rein Verona, WI Kurt Reinhold Solar Connections, LLC Madison, WI Ed Ritger Ritger Law Office Random Lake, WI Cathy Robinson Chippewa Valley Alternative Energy Chippewa Falls, WI Rik Rosenlund Midwest Solar Power Madison, WI Mick Sagrillo Sagrillo Power & Light Forestville, WI Kris Schmid Legacy Solar, LLC Frederic, WI Brian Schwaller, Owner EcoManity, LLC (owner) The Sustainable Living Group (president) Elkhart Lake, WI Al Schulz, Owner/CEO Safe Work La Crosse, WI Roy Settgas, Owner Sunrise Energy Services Washburn, WI Carl Siegrist Carl Siegrist Consulting Whitefish Bay, WI Wes Slaymaker WES Engineering Madison, WI Judy Spring Sustain Sauk County Baraboo, WI Zeus Stark, Owner Next Step Energy Eau Claire, WI Doug Stingle, Development Director Midwest Renewable Energy Association Custer, WI Josh Stolzenburg North Wind Renewable Energy, LLC Stevens Point, WI Amy Taivalkoski, Principal ALT Energy Sussex, WI Craig Tarr, President Energy Concepts Hudson, WI Todd Timmerman Timmerman’s Talents Platteville, WI Melissa Van Ornum DVO, Inc. Chilton, WI Michael Vickerman, Policy Director RENEW Wisconsin Madison, WI Larry Walker Walker Energy Systems Madison, WI Ray Walter, Ph.D, President MyEnergy, LLC Pewaukee, WI Michael Ward E & W Heating and Air Conditioning Middleton, WI David Washebek Lemberg Electric Company Brookfield, WI Robert Weier, Vice President ELEXCO, Inc. Seymour, WI Laura West West Winds Renewable Resources, LLC Plover, WI Tom Wilson HOME REMEDIES Residential Energy Services, Viroqua, WI Northern Thunder, Eau Claire, WI Dona Wininsky American Lung Association (Wisconsin) Milwaukee, WI Niels Wolter, Owner Madison Solar Consulting Madison, WI Mark Yeager Sun & Daughters Solar, LLC Rhinelander, WI Jim Yockey, CEO Seventh Generation Systems Integration Madison, WI John Young Resource Solar Madison, WI Michael Zander, CEO Biogas Direct Sauk City, WI Ed Zinthefer Arch Electric, LLC Plymouth, WI

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