Geologists: Energy's future in for big change

From an article by Joe Knight in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram:

"This is the age of oil, but the age of oil is about to end," said Lori Snyder of UW-Eau Claire's geology department.

In 1950, the U.S. did not import any oil. Today, we still like our cars, and we have to import 60 percent of the oil we use to support our driving habit, she said.

Vehicles may have gotten a smaller and more fuel efficient since the 1950s, but our appetite for energy - the majority of it coming from fossil fuels - is huge. Today the average American uses three times the amount of energy we used in 1950, Snyder said.

Snyder and J. Brian Mahoney, also of the geology department, discussed the future of fossil fuels and energy Tuesday night for an "Ask A Scientist" program at UW-Eau Claire.

An audience of mixed ages attended, and many asked questions of the scientists, but the answers they received painted a less-than-reassuring picture of our energy future.

Fossil fuel basically is solar energy trapped by plants and bugs - sometimes millions of years ago - that never completely decomposed. We have extracted the fuels and used it to power our cars, heat our homes and generate our electricity, but supplies are becoming scarce, the geologists said.

Oil supplies in the U.S. peaked in the 1970s, Mahoney said. World supplies of oil that is readily accessible are peaking now, he said.

There are some alternative sources of oil, such as sand tars in Alberta, Canada, which are being mined, but they require a substantial amount of energy to extract and are costly to the environment, Mahoney said.

We still have an abundance of coal in the U.S. - enough to meet our electrical needs for 200 to 250 years, Snyder said. Unfortunately, coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel for emissions. We're already altering the composition of the atmosphere, and continuing at the current rate or increasing emissions brings about more questions about climate change and what life on Earth might be like in 100 years, Mahoney said.

"It's taking us to a place we don't really understand," he said.

WPS planning layoffs and furloughs

From a story by Cameron Clark on WLUK-TV (Green Bay):

GREEN BAY - There has been a lot less juice flowing through the power lines at Wisconsin Public Service.

"Primarily in the large commercial use, it is down almost nine percent from last year," said WPS spokesman Kerry Spees.

As a result, Spees and about 600 other WPS administrators will be forced to take an unpaid week off in 2010. Even more concern, WPS's holding company, Integrys, has announced there will be layoffs at all of its five utility companies in the Midwest.

"The numbers haven't been determined but there will be and impact," said Spees.

Paul Jadin with the Green Bay Area Chamber says the dip in demand for power is probably a lagging indicator of the recession.

RENEW brief supports Glacier Hills Wind Park

From RENEW Wisconsin's brief filed with the Public Service Commission in support of the Glacier Hills Wind Park:

The design of the proposed Project is in the public interest first and foremost because it will be powered by wind rather than fossil fuels. Wind energy is a locally available, self-replenishing, emission-free electricity source. Fossil fuels, on the other hand, must be imported, are available in limited quantities, and emit pollutants. Moreover, using wind energy furthers the State’s policy goal that all new installed capacity for electric generation be based on renewable energy resources to the extent cost-effective and technically feasible. Wis. Stat. § 1.12(3)(b).

In his direct testimony, RENEW Wisconsin witness Michael Vickerman outlined a number of other public policy objectives that would be advanced by the construction of Glacier Hills. These include:
1. Helping Wisconsin Electric Power Company (“WEPCO”) meet its renewable energy requirements under Wis. Stat. § 196.378(2)(a)(2)d;
2. Securing adequate supplies of energy from sustainable sources;
3. Protecting ratepayers from rising fossil fuel prices;
4. Reducing air and water emissions from generation sources;
5. Preserving working farms and pasture land;
6. Generating additional revenues for host towns and counties;
7. Reducing the flow of capital out of Wisconsin for energy purchases; and
8. Investing Wisconsin capital in a wealth-producing energy generating facility within its borders.

Focus on Energy offers WPS customers increased incentives for home energy efficiency projects

From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:

MADISON, Wis. (Nov. 23, 2009) — Homeowners who purchase their gas from Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) have the opportunity to enhance the comfort of their homes and reduce their energy bills with the introduction of new financial incentives. The additional financial incentives are being offered by Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy resource, in partnership with WPS and are meant to encourage participation in Focus on Energy's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program. . . .

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR – How the Program Works
High energy bills are primarily traced to poorly performing components of a home such as air leaks and insufficient insulation. This is an important reason why homeowners should try to pinpoint the exact source of their high energy bills. Through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program and a network of partnering consultants, homeowners can schedule a home energy evaluation which will help them find out exactly what energy efficiency improvements their home needs. The program’s qualified contractors and trade partners can then implement the recommended improvements, ensuring the work is done to Home Performance with ENERGY STAR standards.

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR – Increased Financial Incentives In addition to technical expertise, the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program offers Cash-Back Rewards to consumers who improve the energy efficiency of their omes. And for a limited time, homeowners who have an evaluation and complete at least three recommendations within six months, will be eligible for additional rewards of up to $3,000. Improvements made will pay off not only in lower energy bills, but in peace of mind knowing the home is now comfortable and less of a strain on the environment.

To find out more about the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program, including details on the increased financial incentives, program Cash-Back Rewards, eligibility requirements and names of consultants and qualified contractors who partner with the program, call (800) 762-7077 or visit focusonenergy.com/wps.

Report: Nuclear power will set back race against climate change

From a news release issued by Wisconsin Environment:

Madison, WI - Far from a solution to global warming, nuclear power will actually set America back in the race to reduce pollution, according to a new report by Wisconsin Environment. Leading environmental organizations, consumer groups and energy experts gathered today to release the report and call on state and federal leaders to focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy instead of nuclear power as the solution to global warming. . . .

Wisconsin Environment’s new report, Generating Failure: How Building Nuclear Power Plants Would Set America Back in the Race Against Global Warming, analyzes the role, under a best-case scenario, that nuclear power could play in reducing global warming pollution. Some key findings of the report include:

• To avoid the most catastrophic impacts of global warming, America must cut power plant emissions roughly in half over the next 10 years.
• Nuclear power is too slow to contribute to this effort. No new reactors are now under construction in the United States. Building a single reactor could take 10 years or longer. As a result, it is quite possible that nuclear power could deliver no progress in the critical next decade, despite spending billions on reactor construction.
• Even if the nuclear industry somehow managed to build 100 new nuclear reactors by 2030, nuclear power could reduce total U.S. emissions of global warming pollution over the next 20 years by only 12 percent -- far too little, too late.
• In contrast, energy efficiency and renewable energy can immediately reduce global warming pollution. Energy efficiency programs are already cutting electricity consumption by 1-2 percent annually in leading states, and the U.S. wind industry is already building the equivalent of three nuclear reactors per year in wind farms. America has vast potential to do more.
• Building 100 new reactors would require an up-front investment on the order of $600 billion dollars – money which could cut at least twice as much carbon pollution by 2030 if invested in clean energy. Taking into account the ongoing costs of running the nuclear plants, clean energy could deliver 5 times more pollution-cutting progress per dollar.
• Nuclear power is not necessary to provide clean, carbon-free electricity for the long haul. The need for base-load power is exaggerated and small-scale clean energy solutions can actually enhance the reliability of the electric grid.

To address global warming, state and federal policy makers should focus on improving energy efficiency and generating electricity from clean sources that never run out – such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal power, according to Wisconsin Environment and the coalition groups that attended today’s event.

Discounted LED holiday lights help consumers trim their trees, not their wallets

From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:

(Nov. 16, 2009) - LED (light emitting diode) holiday lights are a proven way to help consumers trim energy costs while trimming their trees. How? This technology saves energy, while helping to preserve the environment. What’s more, Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy resource, is offering financial incentives toward the purchase of ENERGY STAR® qualified LED holiday light strings.

Now through Dec. 31, 2009, or until supplies last, Focus on Energy is offering a $3Instant Reward, taken at the register, on the purchase of ENERGY STAR qualified LED holiday light strings at participating locations including Ace Hardware, Costco, Do it Best, Hardware Hank, Menards, Mills Fleet Farm, Shopko, Stein Gardens & Gifts and True Value Hardware locations. Limit twelve (12) light sets per customer.

Transition Wisconsin seeks board members

From an announcement from Transition Wisconsin:

Transition Wisconsin is looking for individuals who would like to serve on the board or be a director for the Incorporation of "Transition Wisconsin" as a non-profit in the State of Wisconsin.

Transition Wisconsin is currently a part of the Transition Movement looking to formalize it's involvement. It is currently involved, through its web presence, in providing people information on Peak Oil and Climate Change as well as opportunities for people to help make a positive transition to a world in which petroleum will become terminally in decline. Similarly, providing as much factual information concerning Climate Change is another priority. It is hoped that the infrastructure created would allow Wisconsin neighborhood, Town, Village or City communities as Transition initiatives with the benefits of tax exempt financial benefits working as an umbrella organization.

Anyone interested or have questions should email Rees Roberts.

Individuals have until December 31, 2009 to respond. It is hoped a diverse cross section of Wisconsin be represented.

This message will be repeated and shared widely.

Supreme Court denies Calumet County wind turbine review

From an article by Jim Collar in the Appleton Post- Crescent:

CHILTON — Calumet County supervisors jumped the gun on new wind turbine rules this summer even while asking the state Supreme Court to consider whether its old ordinance met legal muster.

A denial from Wisconsin's justices will now require the county to put that early work to action.

The state Supreme Court on Friday denied Calumet County's petition for review of an appeals court decision that invalidated the county's wind turbine rules. The ordinance dictated setbacks and maximum heights and sound levels for all turbine construction within its zoning jurisdiction.

Wisconsin's 2nd District Court of Appeals struck down the ordinance in July, saying each proposed project has to be reviewed on its own merits. . . .

Chester Dietzen, chairman of the county's planning, zoning and farmland preservation committee, said supervisors made good use of their time since asking the Supreme Court for review. The committee already held a public hearing on proposed ordinance changes, which clears the path to forward compliant rules to the county board for consideration.

"We're ahead of the game," he said.

The decision stemmed from a 2006 lawsuit filed against Calumet County by a Town of Stockbridge farmer who sought to add four turbines to his property. The county, however, placed a moratorium on construction after Marvin Ecker Jr. declared his intention, and then passed the ordinance that tightened requirements.

The appeals court found the County Board overstepped its authority. . . .

A new ordinance will also become moot in time due to a newly passed law that directed the state's Public Service Commission to draft statewide regulations for turbine placement.

While those rules will override local ordinances, Dietzen said passage of a new ordinance would protect county interests in the meantime.

Dietzen said it could be up to a year before the statewide rules are enacted.

More efficient gas-to-energy operation sought at Ledgeview facility

From an article by Tony Walter in the Green Bay Press Gazette:

LEDGEVIEW — Brown County officials hope additional wells and better equipment will help the new gas-to-energy facility in Ledgeview produce the amount of energy they expected it to create.

"We're only getting about 76 percent of what we designed, so we want to find out if there's a reason for that," said Chuck Larscheid, port and solid waste department director.

The $3.8 million facility, at 3800 Heritage Road, opened at the former landfill in April. It produces electricity from methane, which is then sold to utilities. A recent study by Foth Engineering and Consulting showed that there were no problems with the equipment.

"There really wasn't a smoking gun, so to speak, of what was causing the difference," said Larscheid, who will present Foth's report to the Solid Waste Board today.

Town of Menasha sustainability goals and objectives

From the Town of Menasha sustainability Web site:

1. Develop a policy for sustainability to guide actions and decision-making to submit to the Town Board for approval and adoption.

2. Develop and implement a plan to raise overall awareness of sustainability within Town Hall and the greater community in hopes of causing a significant change in thinking and decision-making.

3. Develop and implement a plan to measure the current “carbon footprint” of the Town of Menasha.

4. Based on the results of the carbon footprint assessment, develop and implement a plan focused on reducing the Town’s carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment.

5. Within the Sustainability Committee, develop and implement a plan for continuous learning and improvement of the Committee and its effectiveness and impact on others.

Renewable Energy Quarterly, Fall 2009, now online

RENEW Wisconsin's newsletter features these articles:

+ Doyle Signs Wind Siting Reform Bill into Law
+ Solar Outlook Set to Dim in 2010
+ PSC Approves Coal to Wood Conversion
+ Producer Profile: Rick Adamski
+ Educating Schools on Solar Air Heating
+ RENEW Slams Anti-Wind Article
+ Calendar

Solar thermal expo and conference,December 3-4

From the Midwest Renewable Energy Association:

SOLAR THERMAL '09 is a national conference and expo for the solar thermal professional. The Midwest Renewable Energy Association invites you to the only professional level conference devoted to solar heating and cooling.

Installers, manufacturers, site assessors, dealers, distributors, state agency representatives, and policy makers will not want to miss this one-of-a-kind conference.

TOPICS INCLUDE:
•Solar hot water, solar hot air, and solar space heating sessions
•Manufacturer and dealer updates
•Best practices on residential and commercial applications
•New control and balance of system options
•Structural considerations
•State policy and incentive updates

Register here.

Two showings set for Coal Country documentary video

An announcement from the Sierra Club's campaign Moving Wisconsin Beyond Coal:

Fond du Lac, WI
Hosts: Thomas and Karen S.
When: 7:00 PM, November 13, 2009
We will view this video and discuss it's implications and talk about actions we can take. Click here for more details.

Appleton
Host: Kristine B.
When: 6:30 PM, November 14, 2009
This will be a relaxed viewing. If you wish to bring a snack to share feel free. There is parking in back plus the eventis on the busline! Click here for more details.

Coal Country is a stunning new documentary that reveals the devastation of mountaintop-removal coal mining to the forests, streams, and communities of Appalachia. Produced by Mari-Lynn Evans and Phylis Geller, Coal Country brings us inside the lives of Appalachian residents who are directly threatened by mountaintop-removal, a destructive mining practice where mountaintops are blasted away to expose the coal; the waste is then dumped in the waterways of nearby communities. As it takes us through each stage of coal mining and processing, Coal Country reveals the shocking true cost of America's over-reliance on coal.

The State of Wisconsin owns 15 coal plants across Wisconsin - including eight UW campuses and three health facilities. Governor Doyle agreed to clean up two in Madison.

Wisconsin's State-Owned Coal Plants
1.Capitol Heat & Power (Madison)*
2.Hill Farms (Madison)
3.Mendota Health Institute (Madison)
4.Northern Wisconsin Center (Chippewa Falls)
5.UW-Eau Claire
6.UW-LaCrosse
7.UW-Madison*
8.UW-Oshkosh
9.UW-Platteville
10.UW-River Falls
11.UW-Stevens Point
12.UW-Stout
13.UW-Superior
14.Waupun Correctional Institution
15.Winnebago Mental Health Institute (Oshkosh)
*Governor Doyle committed these facilities to burn biomass and natural gas instead of coal.

Invenergy seeks Brown County land for major wind farm

From an article by Scott Williams in the Manitowoc Herald Tribune Reporter:

Business has been slow, so dairy farmer Bernie Kozlovsky could use a little extra cash as much as the next guy.

But a developer's offer of $6,000 annually for access to his property has Kozlovsky — and many of his neighbors — conflicted about whether to welcome a wind farm into southern Brown County.

The proposal by Chicago-based Invenergy LLC would be Brown County's first major commercial wind farm and would be larger than any currently operating in the state.
Proponents say wind energy protects the environment and provides economic growth, while opponents fear the intrusion of spinning turbines that stand 400 feet tall.
As presented to state regulators, Invenergy's plan calls for 100 turbines south of Green Bay in the towns of Glenmore, Wrightstown, Morrison and Holland.

Kozlovsky, who farms 80 acres in Glenmore, has made up his mind.

"I said, 'Thanks, but no thanks,'" he said. "Sure the money's tempting. But then you've got to step back."

In addition to paying farmers and other landowners $6,000 a year or more to allow turbines on their property, Invenergy is offering the county and local communities a combined $600,000 annually in incentives.

Nuclear power is a false solution to climate change

From a guest column by Al Gedicks in the Green Bay Press Gazette:

The argument that nuclear power can contribute to reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions that cause global climate change ("Ban on new nuclear power plants should be lifted" Oct. 16, Green Bay Press-Gazette) is flawed for three main reasons.

First, nuclear power is not carbon-free electricity. At each stage of the nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium mining, milling, enrichment to construction, decommissioning and waste storage, nuclear power uses fossil fuels and contributes greenhouse gas emissions that accelerate global climate change. Compared to renewable energy, nuclear power releases four to five times the CO2 per unit of energy produced.

A recent study of solutions to global warming by Dr. Mark Z. Jacobson of Stanford University concluded that over its entire lifecycle, nuclear electricity emits between 68 and 180 grams of CO2-equivalent emissions per kilowatt hour, compared to 3 to 11 grams for wind and concentrated solar.

Renewable energy tour, Nov. 13

A news release issued by Wisconsin Farmers Union:

Chippewa Falls, Wis. - The Wisconsin Farmers Union and other Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign partners will host a bus tour on Nov. 13 to highlight the benefits of four homegrown renewable energy policies promoted by the campaign and the opportunities for clean energy jobs in Wisconsin.

The four signature partners of the activities are Wisconsin Farmers Union, the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Clean Wisconsin and RENEW Wisconsin. The Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection and the Office of Energy Independence are co-sponsors of the event.

The bus tour will begin at 9 a.m. at the Montfort Wind Farm, 254 Highway 18, Montfort, Wis. The wind farm is an example of one way to reduce carbon emissions and emphasizes the campaign's advocacy for a Low-Carbon Fuel Standard. A LCFS calls for a reduction in carbon emissions from transportation fuels, based on the carbon content of all fuels, and the transformation of the market.

The Fuels for Schools and Communities Program and the Biomass Crop Reserve Program will be addressed at the second stop on the tour - at the Meister Cheese Plant, 1160 Industrial Drive, Muscoda, Wis. The cheese plant uses a wood-chip heating system. Research at the University of Wisconsin will also be highlighted demonstrate the prospects for Wisconsin farmers to grow biomass crops.

Providing funding for schools and communities to install renewable energy projects that use biomass crops will create demand for renewable energy. The Biomass Crop Reserve Program provides incentives for farmers to meet that demand by growing biomass crops.

The third stop will be at the Cardinal Glass factory in Mazomanie, Wis. Cardinal Glass is one of the leading suppliers of glass for solar panels. The stop is an example of how homegrown renewable energy can provide jobs for Wisconsin.

Renewable energy buyback rates, the fourth component of the Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign, will set utility payments for small renewable energy producers who want to feed energy into the electric grid. The tour will stop at a residential home in Ridgeway, Wis. using solar panels to feed electricity into the grid.

The bus will return to the Montfort Wind Farm at 5 p.m.

To register for the Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign Bus Tour, contact Mike Stranz, WFU Government Relations Specialist, by Nov. 9 at 608-256-6661 or email mstranz@wisconsinfarmersunion.com. A $10 registration fee, payable by cash or check the day of the event, covers the cost of the tour, lunch and snacks.

CLICK HERE for more information on the Homegrown Renewable Energy Bus Tour.

New St. Norbert library gets kudos, cash for energy efficiency

From an article by Kelly McBride in the Green Bay Press Gazette:

DE PERE — St. Norbert College has received more than $45,000 in cash incentives from Focus on Energy for using environmentally friendly design in its new library.

The $20 million, 80-000 Miriam B. and James J. Mulva Library opened earlier this year. Crews installed numerous “green” features including energy efficient ventilators, motors and an air-cooled chiller.

The energy saving projects are expected to save more than 332,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 16,000 therms of natural gas each year, compared to a conventional building of its size. Those savings are enough to power 50 Wisconsin homes for a year, according to Focus on Energy.

St. Norbert is projected to save $44,000 on annual library energy bills because of the features.

Businesses can get grants for energy efficiency efforts

From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:

MADISON, Wis. (November 2, 2009) — Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's statewide resource for energy efficiency and renewable energy, announced new staffing grants today to help businesses, manufacturers, schools and government facilities throughout the state complete energy efficiency projects during the next calendar year.

“Businesses don’t need to let staffing issues become a barrier to energy savings,” said Ken Williams, Focus on Energy’s business programs director. “Focus on Energy is committed to helping companies overcome barriers that prevent them from completing energy efficiency projects.”

The grants will fund up to $100,000 for a full- or part-time employee or consultant to work onsite and manage energy efficiency projects that otherwise would not be completed due to a lack of human resources. Grant funding will go toward the salary and benefits of project staff who will oversee and engineer energy saving projects.

“The staffing grant is an excellent means to fund energy efficiency projects. It’s made the difference for us to pursue projects and make progress,” said Steve Keith, P.E., sustainability and environmental engineer at the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation and Public Works.

Keith’s organization received a staffing grant in 2009. “The grant helps take the edge off project costs when every dollar counts. Focus has been very responsive to help get us what we need to get our projects done.”

The grant is designed to help businesses hire new staff or retain existing employees who might otherwise be at risk of lay-off. Partnering or neighboring companies are encouraged to submit a joint application and share an employee or consultant between businesses.

Interested businesses should visit focusonenergy.com/competitive_incentives for more information. Applications must include a list of potential projects as funding is based on the energy savings from those projects and is paid when projects are completed. Applications must be received by December 4, 2009.

Completed energy efficiency projects are also eligible for Focus on Energy
financial incentives that can be found at focusonenergy.com/incentives/business.

ECOS to meet, November 5

Free and open to the public

Meeting to be held Nov. 5th starting at 6:00 PM.
Menasha Public Library (corner of Racine and First streets).
Company E Room (Lower level accessible by elevator).