Wisconsin Entrepreneur Working on Fuel Cell Technology

from the Wisconsin Entrepreneur Network

Before returning to his hometown in Colfax, Wisconsin, entrepreneur Kenny Smith worked for five years as an environmental engineer for Toyota Motor Corp. in California’s Silicon Valley and another four years as a project engineer in the high-tech industry. After returning he started Cool Science LLC to capitalize on his experience in the fuel cell industry.

“For over ten years, I’ve been trying to develop fuel cell technology. When I moved back to Wisconsin, I started Cool Science to develop and promote fuel cells here in Wisconsin,” said Smith.

Ready to move forward with his direct methane and hydrogen fuel cell technologies, in 2007 he met with Pat Dillon, Northwest Regional Director for the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network. Dillon explained federal funding through the SBIR program to research and develop Smith’s fuel cell technology for eventual commercialization.

“Pat connected me to a couple of companies for possible joint alliances. She also helped hook me up with Clean Water Solutions to write a grant proposal to the National Science Foundation,” said Smith.

Smith obtained two grants: a Technology Assistance Grant to help write the proposal and an Early Planning Grant to write his business plan.
Dillon also helped Smith to get access to the facilities, equipment and expertise to support his research.

“Pat choreographed meetings with people from Stout, UW-Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley Technical College,” said Smith. “The membrane technology is nanotechnology. That’s where I need the help of the UW system and CVTC.”

Smith hopes to secure funding by early 2008 to step up research and development as well as investment funding through angel and early stage investors.

Dillon continues to work with Smith on funding opportunities, connecting him to the resources he needs to grow Cool Science.

“He’s a bright, talented guy,” said Dillon. “We want to keep him in Wisconsin.”

Green Holiday Auction

From the auction site of the Wisconsin Partnership for Sustainability:

Help support local, independently-owned businesses and educational outreach year round, where we live and work and worldwide.

Anyone can bid on cheese, books, garden items, an item listed under the category Oh My Gawsh! and much more.

WPPI to reward green power buyers

Market memo: November 23, 2007
from the Capital Times, Madison

Don Merkes tells us that WPPI is the source of power for some of our local municipal utilities.

Sun Prairie-based Wisconsin Public Power Inc., which provides electricity to municipal utilities statewide, has filed with the Public Service Commission to double the amount of power provided for each $3 block of green energy customers buy.
"Costs for our Renewable Energy Program have gone down, and we're passing that savings along to customers," Tom Paque, WPPI vice president of customer services, said in a statement.
The program allows customers to voluntarily purchase monthly blocks of power from sustainable sources such as wind, biomass and water. Under the new pricing structure, each block will double from 150 to 300 kilowatt-hours. The change cuts in half the program's original 2 cents per kilowatt-hour price.
Forty WPPI member utilities offer the program, with more than 3,300 customers participating. Resources powering the program include wind turbines in Worthington, Minn., a hydroelectric power plant on Wisconsin's Black River, and a landfill biogas project in Outagamie County.

Going Green? Easy Doesn't Do It

A commentary by Michael Maniates in the Washington Post seems to ring true for many people concerned about energy issues. Here's a excerpt from his column:

The hard facts are these: If we sum up the easy, cost-effective, eco-efficiency measures we should all embrace, the best we get is a slowing of the growth of environmental damage. That's hardly enough: Avoiding the worst risks of climate change, for instance, may require reducing U.S. carbon emissions by 80 percent in the next 30 years while invoking the moral authority such reductions would confer to persuade China, India and other booming nations to embrace similar restraint. Obsessing over recycling and installing a few special light bulbs won't cut it. We need to be looking at fundamental change in our energy, transportation and agricultural systems rather than technological tweaking on the margins, and this means changes and costs that our current and would-be leaders seem afraid to discuss. Which is a pity, since Americans are at their best when they're struggling together, and sometimes with one another, toward difficult goals.

Environmental Summit, St. Norberts, Dec. 5

St. Norberts will host an Environmental Summit:

This event will introduce participants to the Business/Natural Environment interface. We will address the confusion and hype surrounding the topic of sustainability from a business perspective. The triple bottom line strategy of economy, equity and environment will be presented using both local and international success cases involving our presenters.

The Summit is targeted at leaders in business, education, the community and students. If you have questions about the impact of global warming, sustainability, and greening on your organization, you owe it to yourself to attend this dynamic, interactive program. We will outline how you can help your firm become a high performance organization utilizing a strategy that employs environment, people and economics.

Global warming task force proposals now online

From Mike Neuman, author of "Conserve, NOW!: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Other Environmental Costs by Offering Financial Incentives that Reward Less Driving, Flying and Home Energy Use", November 1, 2000

The public has an opportunity to review and comment on Draft Policy Templates prepared by work groups of the Governor's Task Force on Global Warming on: Transportation; Conservation and Energy Efficiency; Industry; Electric Generation and Supply; and Carbon Tax/Cap and Trade. The draft templates are now posted and available on the DNR's web site.

Each Task Force work group prepared a series of templates containing various policy options which the DNR says "may" reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Wisconsin.

Comments on the templates are due to the corresponding work group contact by either November 27th, December 1st, December 6th or December 8th, depending on which policy templates you are submitting comments on.

The DNR site says the Work Groups will revise their policies after considering comments they received from the public. They are to submit their final policy templates to the Governor's Task Force "around the end of the year", according to the DNR.

UW-Green Bay seeks return to Eco-U

From an article by Sean Ryan in The Daily Reporter:

In an attempt to reclaim some of its 1960s glory as Eco-U, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is going to try heating its buildings with biodiesel.

The college was one of four UW campuses that Gov. Jim Doyle wanted to become energy independent — meaning it doesn’t pull any power from outside utilities — by 2012.

The idea of burning biodiesel rather than natural gas in the boiler that heats the university’s buildings is one part of that broader effort, said John Katers, associate professor of natural and applied sciences at UW-Green Bay. And if it succeeds, the university might get the same kind of attention it received in the 1960s, when Harpers magazine dubbed it Eco-U for the university’s environmental education programs, Katers said.

Katers also serves on the Operations Committee of the Focus on Energy Renewable Energy Program.

Governors sign energy pact to cut use, build new resources

From an Associated Press story by Emily Fedrix in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The region's governors signed an agreement Thursday to work together to reduce energy consumption, focus more on renewable energy and limit greenhouse gas emissions.

The noon signing was part of a regional summit on energy and climate change hosted by the Midwestern Governors Association.

The office of Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, chairman of the 12-member group, said the Midwest can lead the nation in renewable energy.

"Our strong manufacturing base and rich agricultural industries, along with the wealth of resources in our vast northern forests and our world-leading research universities, position the Midwest to become the Saudi Arabia of renewable energy," he said in a statement released by his office.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, co-host of the summit, said the agreement could serve as a national model.

"We're a little bit smaller and more nimble than the federal government," Pawlenty said.

The plan calls for a reduction in carbon emissions of between 60 percent and 80 percent. The group will work together to determine limits for each state, Canter said. . . .

The agreement calls for a number of other changes by 2015, including:

- Reducing energy consumption by 2 percent, with a 2 percent reduction each year after that.

- Offering the ethanol-based gasoline known as E-85 at 15 percent of gas stations, up from the current 3 percent.

- Generating 10 percent of the region's electricity from renewable resources. By 2030, that portion should be 30 percent.

Introductory renewable energy workshops,Nov. 17

We Energies is sponsoring 2 two-hour workshops next Saturday, November 17, in Room E114 of the new ECAM Center on MATC's Oak Creek Campus in cooperation with MATC and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA). Both workshops will be taught by Jim Funk for MREA.

10 AM to Noon: Introduction to Renewable Energy Systems
This two-hour workshop covers renewable energy systems (solar electric, solar hot water, solar thermal and small wind systems) for the residential and small business setting, 10 steps to install a renewable energy system and available financial incentives.

1 to 3 PM: Solar PV Systems for Homeowners
This two-hour workshop covers solar photovoltaic (PV) technology basics, making solar PV work in Wisconsin, determining if your site is solar ready, sizing a system to meet your needs, obtaining financial incentives and selecting an installer.

The official street address of Milwaukee Area Technical College's Oak Creek campus is 6665 South Howell Avenue, Oak Creek, WI.

If you're driving from downtown Milwaukee, go south on I-43 approximately 8 miles to the first exit past the airport at College Avenue; drive east about a mile on College to the MATC entrance on the right. The ECAM Center is on the west end of the Oak Creek campus.

Each workshop includes handouts and Focus on Energy fact sheets. Demonstration equipment will be available for viewing and hands-on activities are included in the Solar PV Systems for Homeowners workshop. The workshops have no prerequisites. You may attend one or both workshops. The cost is $15 per workshop or $5 for any We Energies Energy for Tomorrow® residential, small business or large business customer.

To register, phone George Stone, MATC instructor, at 414-297-7430.

How are wind farms regulated and permitted?

From an article by Gina Duwe in The Janesville Gazette clearly outlines process and issues in siting wind turbines in Wisconsin:

A new crop is sprouting in Wisconsin.

In windy areas of the state, utility and renewable energy companies are planting wind farms that will help the state meet its mandate of producing 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2015.

But that’s not the only reason utility companies are attracted to wind energy, said Michael Vickerman, executive director of Renew Wisconsin.

-- With tax credits, wind energy can compete with natural gas or coal generation plants.

“If a utility were to build something new, all three are roughly competitive,” Vickerman said.

-- Wind is the only renewable energy that can be scaled up to the utility size, he said. For example, 2,000 homes each with a solar electrical system would be needed to match one commercial wind turbine, he said.

“We expect wind to account for about 90 percent of all renewable electricity required under the law,” he said.

-- The cost to produce wind energy doesn’t increase over time, Vickerman said.

“Ninety percent of the cost is wrapped up in original generating equipment,” he said.

Wisconsin has 53 megawatts being generated by 55 commercial wind turbines, although several other projects are being planned, permitted and or built.

The state Public Service Commission has approved three projects in the Fox River Valley, and We Energies announced plans last month to build a 100 MW project in central Wisconsin.

“There’s no shortage of projects in the pipeline or development queue,” Vickerman said.

So how are the farms regulated and permitted?

The fuel of the future? Say 'cheese'

From a story in the Oshkosh Northwestern:

STRATFORD — What will the fuel of the future look like and where will it come from?

Prepare for a variety of fuels from many sources, says Wisconsin entrepreneur Joe Van Groll whose start-up renewable energy company produces both ethanol and bio-diesel without a single corn kernel or soybean in sight.

The Grand Meadow Energy LLC near Stratford trucks in waste from surrounding cheese plants and raw canola oil from a nearby farm.

"There is no one silver bullet," Van Groll said in a press release. "The silver bullets are already out there — taking waste streams and turning them into profit centers."

Van Groll bought the Grand Meadow Coop cheese plant when it closed more than three years ago, converted it and with $29,000 from the state's Agricultural Development and Diversification grant program, began testing what is now a trade secret. Today, customers buy a license to use the yeast-based technology he developed with help from the grant.

As concerns about the environmental and societal impact of corn-based ethanol rise, he lists the advantages of his method.

"I don't use energy; I put it back on the grid. I don't slurp up water; I purify and recycle it. I don't push up food costs; I dispose of waste," he said.

Van Groll is a 13-year veteran of the state's cheese industry, and his process focuses on permeate, a by-product of cheese making. But Van Groll says the technology can be used on a variety of waste streams and he sees no end in sight to its application.

Photos of FDL wind project construction

Fond du Lac Reporter photographer Patrick Flood documents progress on the Forward Wind Energy Project in a gallery posted on the paper's Web site.

One of the photo captions highlights the short-term economics of renewable energy for Wisconsin:

Rodney Borkenhagen of Appleton, a union iron worker for White Construction, checks over the very tip of one of the blades of a wind turbine about to be raised near Leroy Wisconsin Thursday afternoon. The wind tower os one of 66 locations in Dodge and Fond du Lac counties being built by Michels corporation of Brownsville as part of the Forward Wind Energy Project. The towers will be 262 feet high, with 122 foot blades, each blade weighing 14,000 lbs.

Portsmouth NH Study Circles Support Change

With the term "sustainability" becoming more and more ingrained in the collective consciousness, the Piscataqua NH Sustainability Initiative (PSI) and Portsmouth Listens have teamed up to implement sustainable practices.

Through education, PSI, a grass-roots effort borne out of the city's Blue Ribbon Committee on Sustainable Practices, hopes to generate excitement and energy about making a difference in the Portsmouth community and beyond.

An eight-week series of Portsmouth Listens study circles this fall will consider how to create a network of citizens committed to sustainability. The circles will center around a book, "The Natural Step for Communities," by Torbjorn Lahti and Sarah James, a guide book on how municipalities can be sustainable.

Bert Cohen, a member of the city committee and PSI and teacher of sustainable practices at the University of New Hampshire, said the public's awareness of issues such as global warming and energy consumption has provided a unique opportunity to make positive changes.
"There's been a real shift in consciousness around what is happening on the planet and some urgency on what we need to do," Cohen said. "So I think we have real terrific opportunity to focus on what each of us can do as individuals and how we can (effect change in) the big system."

Lahti and James' book lists four sustainability objectives: reduce wasteful dependence on fossil fuels, underground metals and minerals; reduce wasteful dependence on chemicals and unnatural substances; reduce encroachment on nature; and meet human needs fairly and efficiently.The guide has been tested and revised by many users and has been particularly successful in Sweden, thanks in large part to study circles.

Fellow PSI and committee member Skye Maher said the city's current initiatives, such as building the new public library under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building system, planning for a green fire station and encouraging sustainable practices in the zoning ordinance rewrite are all good things. But more needs to be done inside and outside city borders to enact change on a larger level.

"'The Natural Step for Communities is designed to help people get to a deeper level of understanding of the systematic changes that need to occur, to let people know, 'What do I do after I change my light bulbs?" Maher said.

"We want to be encouraged by terrific things we're doing, but we also want to fully grasp the magnitude of the changes we need to make," Cohen said. "So it's a balancing act of staying encouraged and not getting overwhelmed by what has to happen."

Kunstler Speaking at Lawrence University October 30th

James Howard Kunstler, social critic, author and proponent of "New Urbanism" will speak at Lawrence University's Wriston Auditorium at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, October 30th. The talk is part of the Spoerl Lectureship in Science in Society; it is free and the public is invited to attend.

Kunstler's most well-known books are The Geography of Nowhere and The Long Emergency. For a sample of his thought and writing, see

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/7/

Clean City Initiatives of Interest to Appleton resident

Below is an article on sustainable cities I wanted to share with you. I recently returned from a visit to the featured city, Vaxjo, Sweden, with a group through the U.W. I would be interested to learn how you think we can incorporate some of these ideas here in Appleton.

Nadine Miller
Appleton

European cities tackle climate change on their own
Vaxjo, Sweden, has cut CO2 emissions 30 percent since 1993
Barcelona requires all new and renovated buildings to install solar panels

VAXJO, Sweden (AP) -- When this quiet city in southern Sweden decided in 1996 to wean itself off fossil fuels, most people doubted the ambitious goal would have any impact beyond the town limits.

A few melting glaciers later, Vaxjo is attracting a green pilgrimage of politicians, scientists and business leaders from as far afield as the U.S. and North Korea seeking inspiration from a city program that has allowed it to cut CO2 emissions 30 percent since 1993.

Vaxjo is a pioneer in a growing movement in dozens of European cities, large and small, that aren't waiting for national or international measures to curb global warming.

From London's congestion charge to Paris' city bike program and Barcelona's solar power campaign, initiatives taken at the local level are being introduced across the continent -- often influencing national policies instead of the other way around.

"People used to ask: Isn't it better to do this at a national or international level?" said Henrik Johansson, environmental controller in Vaxjo, a city of 78,000 on the shores of Lake Helga, surrounded by thick pine forest in the heart of Smaland province. "We want to show everyone else that you can accomplish a lot at the local level. . . ."

"We are convinced that the cities are a key element to change behavior and get results," said Pedro Ballesteros Torres, manager of the Sustainable Energy Europe campaign. "Climate change is a global problem but the origin of the problem is very local."

Read the full article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/10/15/europe.clean.cities.ap/index.html

Solar hot water conference set, Dec. 13, Wisconsin Dells

Focus on Energy will host a one-day conference to help businesses tap into this growing market.

The Wisconsin Solar Hot Water Conference will help plumbing, heating, or solar businesses move into the market or expand if they're already installing residential or commercial solar hot water systems.

Register here.

Focus on Energy facts sheets explain the basics of solar hot water.

WPPI seeks proposals for green-built homes

From the Web site of WPPI (Wisconsin Public Power, Inc.):

. . . WPPI is soliciting competitive proposals for grants that will help fund the construction of up to three net zero energy homes in WPPI member utility service areas. Net zero homes combine state-of-the-art green and environmentally friendly technologies and practices with renewable energy technology to ensure that the homes produce as much energy as they consume.

“As customer-owned utilities, WPPI and its members are uniquely positioned to encourage energy conservation and efficiency, as well as to educate customers on the benefits of renewable energy,” said WPPI President and CEO Roy Thilly. “We are pleased to present this opportunity for creating reliable, sustainable homes.”

Grants will be awarded to cover part of the incremental cost of designing and building a GreenMax Home over the cost of constructing a conventional house. New construction projects as well as existing homes are eligible. Applications are available to download through a link here. Grantees will be announced by December 21, 2007

Neenah embraces ecological principles

Council unanimously passes resolution
By Duke Behnke Post-Crescent staff writer

NEENAH — The city set the framework Wednesday for becoming an ecologically friendly community, provided it's economically feasible.

The Common Council unanimously passed a resolution endorsing principles of sustainability such as reducing dependence on fossil fuels and chemicals that accumulate in the environment.

The resolution says Neenah "will endeavor to apply these principles, when economically feasible, to its decision-making, planning, policy making and municipal practices."

It also challenges Neenah residents and businesses "to promote and embrace the philosophy and principles of sustainability."

Ald. Todd Stevenson opposed an earlier version of the resolution in committee because it did not contain the clause "when economically feasible" and could have bound the city to considerable costs.

"When we add the words 'when economically feasible,' I can support it," he said.

Mayor George Scherck introduced the resolution to the council. As a first step, he asked city staff to explore using solar energy in city buildings.

"While no one community can do everything, each of us has a responsibility to take whatever actions we can to make certain that our decisions do not have a negative impact on future generations," Scherck said.

The resolution calls for the creation of a Sustainable Neenah Committee to guide and promote actions to protect the environment. The mayor will appoint members of the committee.

Scherck said Neenah has made significant strides toward sustainability. It operates a successful curbside recycling program, uses waste oil to heat the city garage and has replaced incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs.

It also has expanded its trail system for pedestrians and bicyclists, and it has supported an environmentally friendly housing development called The Cottages at Woodside Green.

Scherck said while progress has been made, "too often the efforts are unconnected and not part of an ongoing, consistent initiative."

"By adopting the resolution, and creating a Sustainable Neenah Committee, Neenah will join a growing international network of communities committed to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, on chemicals and other manufactured substances that can accumulate in nature, and on activities that harm life-sustaining ecosystems," Scherck said.

Madison, La Crosse, Manitowoc and Marshfield are among Wisconsin cities that have adopted similar resolutions.

Speakers say alternative energy key to development

From a story by Steve Cahalan in the La Crosse Tribune:

Alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, ethanol and biodiesel will play a key role in economic development, officials said Wednesday at an economic forum at the Radisson Hotel.

About 130 people attended the event, held by the La Crosse Area Development Corp. and the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce.

Gundersen Lutheran plans to use renewable energy sources and energy efficiency improvements as part of its new Envision initiative, said Jerry Arndt, the health care company’s senior vice president of business services.

Energy management, recycling, and waste management and control are the three primary elements of Envision, the company’s plan for energy and environmental stewardship.

Arndt said solar panels will provide the electricity needed to power lighting, ventilation and elevator operation for the underground parking structure that will be completed in 2008 next to Gundersen Lutheran’s main clinic. And starting next year, solar energy will be used for at least some of the hot water for Gundersen Lutheran’s laundry operations.

ECOS Climate Change Position Statement

Excerpts from the ECOS Climate Change Position Statement:

Global warming is a sustainability issue that will have unparalleled effects economically, environmentally, and socially. An overwhelming majority of the scientific community agrees global warming, caused primarily by human activity, is occurring. It is altering our climate and increasing the strength of weather events such as heat waves, droughts, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. If left unchecked, it will generate extensive changes to our climate and environment. To preserve quality of life, it is essential we put effective policies in place that stimulate climate-friendly behavior. If we act now, we join organizations, cities and countries around the world in developing and using the broad range of solutions available to avoid the most severe impacts of global warming while improving our economy. This effort requires a civilization-wide response by citizens, institutions, governments and businesses. Wisconsin can prosper by leading the way. . . .

ECOS-Fox Valley recommends the following:

• Educate the public (starting in grade school), our legislators, elected officials about climate change and the urgency to act now.
• Encourage regional renewable energy events to raise awareness of products and sources.
• Encourage the state to be a leader in the reduction of greenhouse gases.
• Support energy independence by increasing renewable energy sources.
• Support state and local grants and tax incentives for universities and other research entities, corporations, and companies to study, promote, provide, and use alternative forms of energy.
• Encourage tax incentives for universities and other research entities, corporations, and companies to study, promote, provide, and use alternative forms of energy.
• Encourage the development of light rail and efficient mass transportation systems.
• Support the establishment of regional and the expansion of local transit systems.
• Encourage the development of pedestrian and bicycle facilities that provide linkage to statewide trails and the development of local systems that encourage pedestrian and bicycle use.
• Encourage municipalities to incorporate and implement sustainable development principals in their smart growth comprehensive plans.
• Encourage sustainable forest management, the preservation of natural areas and the protection of water recharge areas.
• Continue to provide support for incentives that encourage homeowners and businesses to purchase and install energy efficient appliances.
• Encourage the Federal Government to adopt a stronger energy policy and be a leader in sustainable energy use and climate friendly practices.
• Encourage the reduction of emissions into the atmosphere.

Read the complete statement.

Power Companies Get Incentives to Save Kilowatts

from Eric Kelderman, Stateline.org Staff Writer

Environmentalists have long touted conservation as the cheapest way to cut energy pollution, but power companies usually have little or no incentive to sell less electricity.

This year, three states are launching programs to conserve energy and curb global warming while preserving utility profits. Idaho has enacted the nation's boldest plan to encourage efficiency by guaranteeing that utilities won’t sacrifice profits by selling less electricity. Maryland and New York regulators also approved measures to give power companies incentives for energy efficiency.

The latest policies are similar to California's 25-year old "decoupling" plan that breaks the link tying the amount of power a utility sells to its profits. Thanks to those policies, the average Golden State resident consumes a third less electricity than the average American, according to the California Public Utilities Commission. California's average electricity prices also are the eighth highest in the nation, according to data from the Energy Information Administration.

More power producers are jumping on the efficiency bandwagon in order to reduce the costs of cutting emissions blamed for global-climate change and of building new power plants.

"The cheapest kilowatt is the one we don't have to generate or buy," said Dennis Lopez, spokesman for Idaho Power, which advocated for the state's new plan.

Consumer advocates, on the other hand, largely oppose decoupling measures. Ratepayers should see smaller utility bills if they consume less energy, said Charles Acquard, executive director of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA).

Traditionally, electricity rates are set by state regulators who consider power companies' fixed operating costs and the variable costs of producing or buying the energy they distribute to customers.

Under a decoupling plan, regulators set higher kilowatt rates that allow utilities to earn their expected profits while selling less electricity. Rates are adjusted annually and can be decreased if utilities' revenues are higher than expected.
Natural gas rates have been decoupled in California since 1978. The state's entire electricity market was decoupled in 1982, although the policy was suspended while the state experimented between 1997 and 2001 with deregulating the industry.
Other states now are pursuing energy efficiency as the latest tool to manage the fast-rising costs of electricity and to curb the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, chief sources of gases linked to global warming.

In April, New York's Public Service Commission ordered utility companies to submit proposals for a decoupling policy after Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) ordered a 15 percent cut in his state's electricity consumption by 2015.

Maryland's Public Service Commission approved a decoupling plan in July, just three weeks after Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) ordered state government to cut energy use by the same amount as in New York.

Idaho took the California plan a step further this year and created a simple but promising program that could be replicated across the country, said Ralph Cavanaugh, an electricity industry expert with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental advocacy group. Idaho regulators will adjust electricity prices up or down a maximum of 3 percent annually for residential and small business owners only.

In addition, the state will set efficiency goals, and the state's primary power company will get a financial bonus for meeting that benchmark. Under the new plan the company also will provide more marketing for customer incentives to save energy, such as a $750 credit to homebuilders that meet federal Energy Star standards.
"Decoupling is not by itself sufficient to encourage efficiency," said Cavanaugh of the NRDC, pointing to the importance of rewards for utilities that meet conservation goals.

One of the chief proponents of Idaho’s three-year pilot plan was Idaho Power, one of the state's major electricity producers. For many years the company relied primarily on hydroelectric dams on the Snake River, giving Idahoans some of the cheapest and cleanest power in the country.

But a lengthy drought in the West, competing demands for the river's water and the state's growing population have forced Idaho Power to rely more on electricity from natural gas and coal-fired power plants, said Mike Youngblood, a senior pricing analyst with the utility company.

Efficiency is a long-term strategy for the company to meet customers' needs and limit the number of new power plants they will need to build in the future, Youngblood said.

In North Carolina, Duke Energy Corporation has proposed a plan to reward the company for meeting efficiency standards after state regulators balked at the company's plan to build a new coal-fired power plant. The company estimates that plans to increase energy efficiency will cost consumers 10 percent less than the cost of building and operating a new power plant.
Acquard, the consumer advocate, said that efficiency pays off for utility companies without subsidies from the state or customers.

The Northwest Energy Coalition, the environmental group that launched the Idaho movement to decouple electricity revenues in Idaho, argues that customers benefit more from having a healthy power company to provide reliable service, said the group's policy analyst Steven Weiss.

Oshkosh signs onto sustainability pact

From a story by Aldrich M. Tan in The Northwestern (Oshkosh):

Oshkosh joined 667 U.S. cities that are increasing their efforts to combat global warming.

Mayor Frank Tower signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement Wednesday night at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh as part of Earth Charter Week on campus.

Tower said the agreement is to promote environmentally sustainable business practices within city government. He said he will be appointing nine people to the energy and environment advisory board at the first November Common Council meeting, to oversee the agreement.

The Oshkosh Common Council approved the plan at its Sept. 11 meeting.

Councilor Tony Palmeri said the document forces the government to think of the environmental consequences of public policy.

"It will force us to take on green policies that will not only save money but are also popular with citizens," he said.

After Tower signed the agreement, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz spoke about the agreement’s impact on his city. Madison, which signed the agreement in May 2005, was the fifth city to sign on.

Cieslewicz said he formed a sustainability committee that drafted the Green Capital Plan and created a sustainability manager position to implement that plan. He said the short amount of investment is paying off in the long run. Practices like installing energy efficient traffic lights paid back in a year or less while others, such as solar powered hot water heaters in the fire stations, will pay back in 10 years.
"I think that is an important thing to remember that the investments that you make in the long run are also good for taxpayers in the long run," he said.

Jan Scalpone, 76, of Oshkosh said she hopes the city can model its environmental practices after Madison, even though Oshkosh is on a smaller scale.

"It is about time that the city got on the sustainability bandwagon," she said.

Governor Doyle Proclaims October Energy Awareness Month in Wisconsin

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle proclaimed October 2007 Wisconsin Energy Awareness Month, highlighting resources that are available across the state to help citizens, businesses, and local governments become more energy efficient.

“Wisconsin has the potential to lead the country to energy independence,” Governor Doyle said. “From our farms and fields, to our strong advanced manufacturing sector, to the research and innovation at our businesses and universities, Wisconsin is poised to turn these resources into a powerful new industry and high-paying jobs, and lead the way on energy independence.”

In July 2006, Governor Doyle announced Wisconsin’s “Declaration of Energy Independence” and this year signed Executive Order 192, creating the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence (OEI). OEI is leading the state’s effort to generate 25 percent of the state’s electricity and transportation fuels from renewable resources by 2025, capture 10 percent of the emerging bioindustry and renewable energy market by 2030, and facilitate groundbreaking bioenergy research and innovation in Wisconsin.

The Public Service Commission leads the effort on behalf of Governor Doyle to educate citizens on the opportunities available to them through the Wisconsin Focus on Energy program. Focus on Energy is the award-winning energy efficiency program that shows people in Wisconsin how they can meet their energy-saving needs. This program alone has saved enough energy to replace 2.3 million barrels of imported oil, the equivalent of 97 million gallons. Consumers can visit www.focusonenergy.com to learn how they can upgrade their homes or businesses.

Wisconsin’s Department of Administration sets the standard for state facilities to save energy dollars, updating over 30 Wisconsin-owned buildings to improve energy management and demand. A recently completed upgrade of incandescent lights to compact fluorescent fixtures in the Capitol is saving enough energy to light over 30 homes for one year.

Without a state budget, Wisconsin’s ability to harness resources and seize opportunities to achieve energy independence is stalled. The Legislature must continue working together, day and night, continue making compromises, and reach an agreement that keeps Wisconsin on track to lead the way on energy independence.
The Governor’s announcement parallels national energy awareness programs that recognize the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Energy Awareness Month is a national campaign to recognize energy efficiency as an important tool in reducing the use of petroleum.
A copy of the proclamation is available at: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=12141.

Failure to Address Energy Anxiety Could Derail Global Warming Policies, Survey Finds

According to a new survey on global warming released by the Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Breakthrough Institute people are more concerned about the price of gas and electricity than they are about global warming. However, it also found support for climate-change solutions that are centered on achieving energy independence, reducing the cost of clean energy, and creating new jobs.

The Nathan Cummings Foundation Global Warming Survey (41 pages, PDF) found that global warming continues to rank low as a priority for Americans, who continue to be extremely anxious about energy costs. Moreover, messages about the potential catastrophic effects of global warming do not increase support for government action. Of the major global warming policy proposals that have been advanced, investment in clean technology is the most popular. The survey followed a review of public opinion on energy and global warming released earlier this summer, which found that voters consistently rate energy costs as a higher concern than global warming and resist policies that would increase the cost of electricity and gasoline. The latest survey confirmed the earlier analysis, with global warming ranked last among the sixteen issues tested.

The survey also divided the sample to observe the effects of various "psychological primes" on global warming public opinion, including using specific consequences of global warming expressed by the environmental community, such as the Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Telling voters about these consequences did not increase their desire to take action on global warming.

While voters expressed initial support for a variety of potential government actions — with support for an "Apollo-type" investment strategy scoring the highest, referring to the 1960s program that placed man on the moon — when told of the potential of such programs, support dropped precipitiously. Only the Apollo-type investment proposal retained support from a majority of voters.

"This poll demonstrates that getting the policy right means getting the politics right," said Lance Lindblom, president of the Cummings Foundation. "Elegant policy prescriptions that cannot generate the political support necessary won't do anything to effectively address the challenges of global climate change."
“New Poll Finds Hurdles, Opportunity on Global Warming.” Nathan Cummings Foundation Press Release 9/26/07.

Fox Valley voices rebut "Renewable energy isn't practical"

Members of ECOS-Fox Valley members wrote responses to the Kurt Williamsen commentary Renewable Energy isn't practical, which ran in the Appleton Post-Crescent:

Dear Editor,

It's been several months since the Post-Crescent began an almost exclusive focus on local news and opinions. I miss the old days.

I urge you to rethink the "Community" section. Please provide your readers with credentials and professional affiliations so that we may better judge the expertise of the members of the public who write "Commentary" articles. Please direct the community opinion columnists to provide information sources and more evidence to help readers weigh the validity of their opinions.

For example, I would have liked for the Post-Crescent to tell me that Kurt Williamsen is employed by the John Birch Society as a magazine copy editor. His unbalanced and illogical commentary of September 26 slammed renewable energy as impractical and problem-ridden. Does Mr. Williamsen have credentials and expertise on energy systems? There's no way to know.

He largely quotes another "energy expert", Ed Hiserodt. We do not learn what supposedly makes Mr. Hiserodt an "energy expert," or that he also works for the John Birch Society. We are provided no basis for judging his quoted statements.

We could do a search for Mr. Hiserodt online, though, and find that he's written numerous books and articles promoting nuclear energy. Then we might understand that a bias toward nuclear energy underlies the September 26 "Commentary."

I am tired of reading many opinion pieces whose authors spew "facts" or who simply make assertions without providing credible evidence. I'm tired of trying to determine the agendas and information sources hidden beneath many reader commentaries.

Opinions and "commentary" are just that, but I believe you have a duty to ensure that your readers are provided sufficient tools for judging the validity of the community member opinions printed in your paper.

Joy B. Perry

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Bla... His assertions on solar are completely wrong. His assertions that wind doesnt have value even tho it cannot produce enough energy to supply the whole of the country is also misguided. And Biomass...again, wrong. And lastly...the economics of the whole is completely wrong. A few topics...

Coal isn't produced all over the country...its mostly produced in pockets of areas of the country (and world). These 'mine mouths' like wyoming and Apaalachian are where the vast majority of coal comes from. And then that coal is shipped to the rest of the country. There is no reason to believe that solar energy will not follow the same pathway in that solar 'mine mouths' will be generating the bulk of the energy needs for the entire country.

The sun could easily completely power the USA and the world at present burn rate. The sun bakes the earth with 175PW's yet the planet only uses 15TW's. That means the sun shines about 11666 x more energy than the earth presently consumes. Yes even in wisconsin...with its 'dome' is laced with more than 5000x more energy than we consume so the notion that we cannot produce our needed energy from the sun is pure rubbish.

Wind makes $, pure and simple. Who cares if we cannot completely power the whole of the planet with turbines... I cannot feed the whole of the world off my 10 acres of land yet that doesnt stop me from producing food on that land. I produce food on my land because it makes me $ and there is a market. And wind $ is local $, there is a value in local economy over shipping $ out of the state. Lastly...a clean watt has more intrinsic value than a dirty coal watt. As to the economics of wind??? 'Ryan Wiser and Edward Kahn of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's Energy and Environment Division estimate that a typical 50-MW wind plant, which would deliver power at just under 5 cents/kWh if financed by a wind developer, could generate at 3.5 cents/kWh--a nearly 30% reduction--if an investor-owned utility (IOU) owned and financed the facility instead.' Which brings me to another quote from those two, 'Regarding the comparison to gas-fired power plants, the two write, "Due to the real and perceived risks associated with wind turbine technology and wind resources, privately-owned wind projects typically receive financing that is both more costly and restrictive than is available to more traditional gas-fired generation sources . . . If wind developers received similar financing terms and costs as gas-fired NUGs [non-utility generators], the nominal levelized cost of windpower might decrease by 25% ( 1.2 cents/kWh) . . .

"As wind turbine technology matures, resource evaluation becomes more accepted, and information becomes readily available to the financial community, debt and equity costs and terms may become less restrictive and costly for project-financed windpower facilities."

The most important variable, according to Wiser and Kahn, is the relatively low return on equity (12%) that is required by investors in gas projects, compared to 18% for wind projects. If a similar return is required for wind projects, the cost drops from 4.95 cents/kWh to 4.05 cents/kWh, a reduction of 18%. '

As to Biomass... I quote,'The energy content of this annual biomass production is estimated to be more than 6 times world energy use or 2,640 exajoules (2500 Quads) on land, with an additional 2024 exajoules (1920 Quads) in the waters. Human farm ~ 20% of that biomass which means that we have 1.2x the amount of total energy the would uses in the palm of our hands at one time or another. This means that our ag. waste streams have HUGE potential. In addition...by purposely farming for energy crops like Miscanthus, switchgrass or Sorgum...we could substantually increase photosynthesis efficiency and thus...make more energy/acre. Again...maybe not all but a significant #. And then there is algae...

My friend Mike Briggs writes 'we found that to replace all transportation fuels in the US, we would need 140.8 billion gallons of biodiesel, or roughly 19 quads (one quad is roughly 7.5 billion gallons of biodiesel). To produce that amount would require a land mass of almost 15,000 square miles. To put that in perspective, consider that the Sonora desert in the southwestern US comprises 120,000 square miles. Enough biodiesel to replace all petroleum transportation fuels could be grown in 15,000 square miles, or roughly 12.5 percent of the area of the Sonora desert.'

In summary...the notion that we COULDN'T do it is folly. And the notion that we SHOULDN'T do it is not only an economic folly but a social and ecological folly.

Brian Hans

Sustainable Initiative Lunch Program in Oshkosh October 10th

Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt will be the guest speaker at the League of Women Voters Food for Thought lunch program scheduled for Wednesday, October 10, 11:45am-1:00pm at China King Restaurant, 280 N. Koeller Rd, Oshkosh. The event is open to the public but seating is limited.

Mayor Schmitt will present his perspective of the history and implementation of the Sustainable Green Bay project. The Green Bay initiative is a collaboration of business leaders, government officials, non-profit organizations and citizens formed by the Mayor and committed to making Green Bay a more vibrant, resource-efficient and sustainable community. Sustainable community development was first introduced over a decade ago in Sweden using the Natural Step model. Probably the most recognized definition is from the Brundtland (Sweden) Commission: “Sustainable development…meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The lunch program is part of the 2007 Earth Charter Summit hosted by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh from October 6-13. It also kicks-off a study by the Oshkosh Area League of Women Voters on Sustainable Oshkosh, a look at ways the city and surrounding towns can become more “green” communities.

For more information about the lunch program contact Dorry Wilner 233-8579. For more information about the Earth Charter Summit go to www.uwosh.edu/earthcharter or call Andrew Robson at 920 424 1185.

Paul Hawken to Speak in Appleton -- Lawrence University Convocation Address, Nov. 6

Paul Hawken
Environmentalist, Entrepreneur, Journalist, Author
Tuesday, November 6, 2007, 11:10 a.m.
Lawrence University Chapel

Since the age of 20, Paul Hawken has dedicated his life to sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment. He has written extensively about the impact of commerce on living systems, served as a consultant to governments and corporations on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy, and has founded and run several ecological businesses.

Hawken has written seven books, which collectively have been published in more than 50 countries in 27 languages and have sold more than 2 million copies. Among them are Growing a Business, which became the basis of a 17-part PBS series that Hawken hosted and produced, and The Ecology of Commerce, which was voted the no. 1 college text on business and the environment in 1998 by professors in more than 60 business schools. His 1999 book, Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, was hailed by President Bill Clinton as one of the five most important books in the world today. Hawken's latest book, Blessed Unrest, released in the spring of 2007, examines the history of the environmental and social justice movement in which he estimates as many as two million organizations worldwide have participated.

In addition to his writing, Hawken has founded and run numerous ecological businesses, including Smith & Hawken, the popular garden and catalog retailer, as well as several of the country's first natural food companies that relied solely on sustainable agricultural methods.

Hawken has served on the board of many environmental organizations, among them Friends of the Earth and the National Audubon Society, and been honored with numerous awards, including the Green Cross Millennium Award for Individual Environmental Leadership presented by Mikhail Gorbachev in 2003.
Utne Reader magazine named Hawken one of its "One Hundred Visionaries who could Change our Lives" in 1995.

Oshkosh Becomes 15th Wisconsin City to Sign Mayors’ Protection Agreement

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Oshkosh has joined 667 cities, including 14 others in Wisconsin, to sign on to the United States Council of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. The agreement, first presented in 2005, pledges mayors and city leaders to:

• Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns;
• Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol -- 7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012; and
• Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system.
  

"I'm proud of my neighbors in Oshkosh for taking the lead on this issue," said Representative Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh). "Energy independence is one of the most vital issues we'll face in the next decade, and leaders at every level of government and the private sector will have to tackle it head-on. I'm proud that my hometown has joined the fight."

"End of Suburbia" film showing October 4th

The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of The American Dream presented by: Energy Coalition for a Sustainable Fox Valley (ECOS-FV) Thursday, October 4, 6:30 pm – 8:00pm Menasha Public Library, Company E Room, lower level

The End of Suburbia (78 min.) is a 2004 documentary film that discusses the dwindling supply of cheap energy in the form of fossil fuels and its effect on society. Suburbs support more than 50 percent America's 297 million people. The End of Suburbia explores the question of sustainability of the American way of life as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. The consequences of inaction in the face of this global crisis are enormous. What does Oil Peak mean for North America? As energy prices skyrocket in the coming years, how will the populations of suburbia react to the collapse of their dream? What can be done NOW, individually and collectively, to avoid The End of Suburbia? Author James Howard Kunstler, who is prominently featured in the End of Suburbia will be speaking at Lawrence University on October 30th. His books are The Geography of Nowhere, and The Long Emergency. The End of Suburbia was awarded a prestigious Chris Award at the Columbus International Film and Video Festival in November of 2005. The documentary also received The Environmental Vision Award at the Putnam County Film & Video Festival in September, 2005. The director is Gregory Greene and the producer is Barry Silverthorn. For more information: Contact Roger or Connie Kanitz, 722-6438

Green Building Fair, Oct. 6

Mosquito Hill Nature Center
N3880 Rogers Road, New London

On October 6th, from 12:00 noon until 4:00, Mosquito Hill Nature Center, Valley Home Builders' Association and ECOS Fox Valley are sponsoring a Green Building Fair showcasing exhibitors and offering educational seminars about building, remodeling, operating or reusing buildings in an ecological and resource-efficient manner. The fair is at Mosquito Hill Nature Center, N3880 Rogers Rd., New London.

For more information call Mary Swifka at 920-779-6433.

Movie showing, Nov. 14, Appleton: Who Killed the Electric Car?

Appleton Public Library
6:30 p.m.

A screening of Who Killed the Electric Car?. Joy Perry, Lecturer of Biological Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, will lead a discussion following the film.

For further information contact the Reference desk at 920-832-6173.

Several events planned for fall

Beginning October 2nd, and continuing on Tuesdays (October 9, 16 and 23), 4:30 - 6:00 p.m., the Appleton Public Library will be hosting a book/study circle about The Natural Step for Communities.

On October 4th, at 6:30 pm in the lower level of the Menasha Public Library, ECOS-Fox Valley invites the public to a showing of The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of The American Dream, the James Howard Kunstler film which many have called the most important documentary in years. This film inspired the founding of ECOS-Fox Valley.

Kunstler will speak at Lawrence University, Appleton, on October 30th. Reviewers have said: "What a hoot. [James Howard] Kunstler is the funniest man alive, and he really had his material polished for this one. I nominate him for prophet status." For more information call Roger or Connie Kanitz, 920-722-6438.

On October 6th, from 12:00 noon until 4:00, Mosquito Hill Nature Center, Valley Home Builders' Association and ECOS Fox Valley are sponsoring a Green Building Fair showcasing exhibitors and offering educational seminars about building, remodeling, operating or reusing buildings in an ecological and resource-efficient manner. The fair is at Mosquito Hill Nature Center, N3880 Rogers Rd., New London; for more information call Mary Swifka at 920-779-6433.

The Northeast Wisconsin Solar Home Tour is also taking place on this day. For more information about the Tour contact Jim Resick at 920-832-5122.

Beginning on October 9th, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, the United Church of Christ of Neenah-Menasha and the Neenah-Menasha League of Women Voters are sponsoring a series of Tuesday evening study groups about The Natural Step for Communities to be held at the church, 1511 Nicolet Boulevard in Neenah. The study groups are open to all who are interested. For more information call Pastor Lynne at 920-725-4873.

On November 3rd, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, ECOS Fox Valley and UW- Extension are offering a workshop A Sustainable Fox Valley - Building Sustainable Communtities Using the Natural Step Approach.

On November 9th, 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. at Liberty Hall in Kimberly, a Fox Cities Workforce Housing Public Event will feature David Rusk as a speaker. Rusk is an Urban Policy Consultant and author of books including Cities Without Suburbs and Inside/Outside Game. The event is sponsored by E.S.T.H.E.R., a coalition of Faith Communities engaged in justice ministry, and the Fox Cities Housing Coalition. For more information contact Rev. Maynard Beemer, 920-738-9566.

On November 14th, Appleton Public Library will have a 6:30 p.m. screening of Who Killed the Electric Car?. Joy Perry, Lecturer of Biological Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, will lead a discussion following the film.For further information contactthe Reference desk at 920-832-6173.