A safe investment in 2010: Hot water

Though written in 2007, an analysis by RENEW's executive director Michael Vickerman may be even truer today an a few years ago, given the risk involved in "traditional" investments. The analysis shows that an investmnet in a solar hot water system generates a better rate of return than putting money in the bank:

I wrote a column which was highly critical of using payback analysis to figure out whether installing a solar hot water system on one’s house makes economic sense. In almost every example you can imagine, the payback period for today’s solar installations ranges between long and forever. For my system, which started operating in January 2006, payback will be achieved in a mere 19 years using today’s energy prices, though by the time 2025 rolls around, half of Florida might be under water and the rest of the country out of natural gas.

But there’s no reason to let payback length rule one’s ability to invest in sustainable energy for the home or business, especially if there are other approaches to valuing important economic decisions. One way to sidestep the gloomy verdicts of payback analysis is to do what most companies do when contemplating a long-term investment like solar energy -- calculate the internal rate of return (IRR) on the invested capital. The definition of IRR is the annualized effective compounded return rate which can be earned on the invested capital, i.e. the yield on the investment.

By using this familiar capital budgeting method, I’m able to calculate an IRR of 6.1%for my solar water heater if natural gas prices rise a measly 3% per annum. That yield exceeds anything that a bank will offer you today. It will likely outperform the stock market this year, which is due for a substantial downward adjustment to reflect the slow-motion implosion of the housing market now underway. And, unless you live in a gold-rush community like Fort McMurray, Alberta, your house will do well just to hold onto its current valuation, let alone appreciate by six percent.

While all investments pose some degree of risk, the return on a solar energy system is about as safe and predictable as, well, the rising sun. Fortunately for the Earth and its varied inhabitants, the center of our solar system is situated well beyond the reach of humanity’s capacity to tamper with a good thing.

Keep working toward energy independence

From an editorial in the Sheboygan Press:

Gov. Jim Doyle's 2006 campaign promise of having four University of Wisconsin campuses completely "off the grid" by 2012 and get their energy needs from renewable sources was an ambitious one.

Unfortunately, it has turned out to be an impossible task.

Doyle said that campuses at Oshkosh, River Falls, Green Bay and Stevens Point were to work toward energy independence as a way to show that it can be done. Doyle has pushed hard for Wisconsin to research and implement alternative energy sources, especially renewable sources — wind, solar and biomass. The goal is to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, especially oil bought from foreign countries.

The four schools were to start producing their own electricity or buy it from utilities using the renewable sources of energy, Doyle said in 2006. The challenge also would spark energy conservation on the four campuses.
But with just two years to go, the promise far outshines the reality.

Still, there has been significant progress.

UW-Green Bay, which specializes in environmental education, has reduced its energy use by 26 percent since 2005.

UW-River Falls is studying the use of wind turbines on the campus farm to generate electricity. . . .

If the governor deserves any criticism for his promise, it is that he set an unrealistic timetable and did not ensure that there was adequate funding.

But Wisconsin must continue to do the research and find the technology that will not only reduce reliance on fossil fuels, but also ensure that energy in the future will be less costly.

Focus releases updated digester case studies

From the introduction of the updated Wisconsin Agricultural Biogas Casebook:

Wisconsin remains at the forefront of U.S. farm-based digester use. This second edition of the Wisconsin Agricultural Biogas Casebook includes brief case studies of farm-based anaerobic digesters installed in Wisconsin. This report gives a look at the experiences of 21 farms with operating anaerobic digester systems in Wisconsin as of fall 2009. The author extends a special thanks to the digester owners, operators, designers and utility representatives who have graciously shared their experiences, time and information to make this casebook possible. This information is presented to give those interested in digesters some insight into how these systems are working in Wisconsin. The task is made easier by the fact that these systems appear to be generally successful. When relevant, insights, problems, mistakes or other issues encountered by the parties involved are shared in the hope that future efforts can benefit from that history.

The Casebook looks at these digester installations:

Baldwin Dairy – Baldwin
Central Sands Dairy – Nekoosa
Clover Hill Dairy – Campbellsport
Crave Brothers Farm – Waterloo
Deere Ridge Dairy – Nelsonville
Double S Dairy – Markesan
Emerald Dairy – Emerald
Five Star Dairy – Elk Mound
Green Valley Dairy – Green Valley
Holsum Dairy, Elm Road – Hilbert
Holsum Dairy, Irish Road – Hilbert
Lake Breeze Dairy – Malone
Norm-E-Lane – Chili
Norswiss Farms – Rice Lake
Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy – Kewaunee
Quantum Dairy – Weyauwega
Statz Brothers, Inc. – Sun Prairie
Sunrise Dairy (formerly Suring Community Dairy) – Suring
Vir-Clar Farm – Fond du Lac
Volm Farms – Kewaskum
Wild Rose Dairy – La Farge

Residents have new tool to "Live Efficiently with Focus"

From Focus on Energy:

Wisconsin residents who would like to learn how energy efficient their home is compared to similar homes in their area - and what they can do to increase that efficiency - now have a new online resource to help them do just that. By visiting LiveEfficientlyWithFocus.com, residents can walk through a simple assessment of their home's current energy use, receive a ranking of its efficiency, get energy saving tips, and even create an account if they'd like to email results to their Home Performance consultant or log in at another time to change responses after improvements have been made.

Scientists: Wisconsin will benefit from strong climate legislation

From a commentary in the Green Bay Press Gazette:

•Editor's note: Some 113 Wisconsin scientists are urging the Wisconsin congressional delegation to support strong federal policies for rapid and deep reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases at least on par with the reductions recommended by the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Here is a condensed version of that letter.

The science now convinces us that calls for immediate action are warranted to avoid the worst consequences of global warming on Wisconsin's economy and environment, including the Great Lakes. While slowing the damaging effects of climate change poses challenges, we also believe such action presents Wisconsin with real opportunities to reinvigorate our economy and improve the quality of life for all Wisconsinites.

Climate policy at the federal level offers a unique opportunity to protect valuable natural resources and stimulate the economy. A comprehensive federal climate and energy policy can provide the stable regulatory framework, appropriate market signals, and long-term investment commitment necessary to jumpstart new business, transition core industries, and enhance our global competitiveness.

Sound climate policy will accelerate this transition — it is a critical part of the stimulus that our struggling economy needs. A recent report from the Apollo Alliance states that a $13 billion investment in clean energy in Wisconsin would yield approximately 93,000 new jobs, with about 27,297 of those in manufacturing and 11,199 in construction. Wisconsin imports all of the 25 million tons of coal we use each year from out of state. Transitioning to clean energy will keep more of our energy dollars here in the local economy.

Doing nothing is not a viable option for Wisconsin. Our state faces serious economic, social, and ecological impacts from global warming. If climate change continues on its present course, not only will we miss out on new economic opportunities, but some of Wisconsin's industries, agriculture and tourism, could suffer. Additionally, climate change could seriously impact water quantity and quality in the Great Lakes, leading to greater conflicts over water resources in the region.

Manitowoc council approves Orion wind turbine

From an article by Steve Prestegard on Marketplace Magazine:

The Manitowoc Common Council Monday [December 21] approved Orion Energy Systems’ request to build a wind turbine at the power technology enterprises’ Woodland Drive world headquarters.

Orion’s wind turbine is expected to generate 20 kilowatts of electricity that will be used to help power the company’s technology center and manufacturing facility. The electricity generated by the wind turbine is enough to regularly power the equivalent of four to five homes a year. The turbine, manufactured by Oshkosh-based Renewegy LLC, will be 115 feet tall.

“We’re excited to be bringing the first urban wind project to Manitowoc County,” said Orion CEO Neal Verfuerth. “By installing this technology adjacent to our facility where the electricity will be used, we are demonstrating how renewable generating sources can be connected directly to the customer load.

“At the same time, we’re supporting a Wisconsin-based company — investing in Wisconsin workers and investing in our state’s economy.” The wind turbine will be erected in early spring 2010 just north of Orion’s technology center.

Think tank flunks renewable energy analysis

From a news release issued by RENEW Wisconsin:

An Examination of Wisconsin Policy Research Institute’s Bogus Methodology

Madison, WI (December 22, 2009) In response to a recent report from the Wisconsin Public Research Institute (WPRI) concluding that policies to increase renewable energy production would be prohibitively expensive, RENEW Wisconsin, a leading sustainable energy advocacy organization, today issued a critique documenting the faulty assumptions and methodological errors that undermine the credibility of that finding.

WPRI’s report, titled “The Economics of Climate Change Proposals in Wisconsin,” reviewed the proposal in the Governor’s Global Warming Task Force to increase the state’s renewable energy requirements on electric utilities to 25% by 2025, and estimated a total cost in excess $16 billion. RENEW’s analysis uncovered a disturbing pattern of “methodological sleight-of-hand, assumptions from outer space, and selective ignoring of facts” that render WPRI’s cost estimate to be completely unreliable.

“It appears that WPRI’s $16 billion number was pulled out of thin air, and that its analysis is nothing more than a tortured effort at reverse-engineering the numbers to fit the preordained conclusion,” said Michael Vickerman, RENEW Wisconsin executive director.

Specifically, RENEW identified four significant errors in WPRI’s analytical approach. The critique says:

+ It relies on a grossly inflated electricity sales forecast that is completely detached from current realities.
+ The final cost estimate includes all the generation built to comply with the current renewable energy standard, a clear-cut case of double-counting.
+ The authors fail to account for existing renewable generation capacity that is not currently being applied to a state renewable energy standard.
+ There is a high likelihood that the savings from the renewable energy standard are undervalued, because the authors fail to model plant retirements in their analysis.

Energy independence goal for UW-Green Bay, 3 other UW campuses not practical

From an Associated Press article by Ryan J. Foley in the Green Bay Press Gazette:

MADISON — Gov. Jim Doyle has backed off a campaign promise that the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and three other UW campuses will be energy independent by 2012 after determining it was not practical as proposed.

Weeks before he was re-elected in 2006, Doyle said campuses would “go off the grid” by becoming the first state agencies to purchase or produce as much energy from renewable sources as they consume. He said they would achieve that by replacing fossil fuels with cleaner energy sources like solar, wind and biomass.

The goal has since been changed to require the campuses to sharply reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, instead of ending them altogether or going off the grid entirely, by 2012. The change came into public view this month during a Board of Regents meeting.

Some university officials say the original plan never made much sense because “going off the grid” would have required them to start producing their own electricity instead of buying it from utilities, which was not feasible or cost-effective.

At the same time, they credit the challenge with spurring them to conserve energy, study alternative fuels, and purchase more renewable sources from the utilities that provide their electricity.

Doyle told reporters Wednesday his original vision may have been unrealistic because of the challenges associated with producing energy on campuses, but the program would still motivate students and university employees to reduce pollution

Join lobby effort at Conservation Lobby Day, January 26

Each year citizens from across Wisconsin descend on the Capitol to share their conservation values with their Legislators. Since the first Conservation Lobby Day in 2005, it has grown from just 100 citizens to more than 600! As we head into the 6th annual Conservation Lobby Day, there is one thing we can guarantee-when citizens come together to make their conservation values known, legislators listen, and conservation victories soon follow!

The reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund and the passage of the Strong Great Lakes Compact are two great examples of how citizen lobbying resulted in ground-breaking conservation laws.

Conservation Lobby Day is a unique opportunity to share your conservation stories and experiences with legislators and have a huge impact on conservation policies affecting all of Wisconsin.

This Conservation Lobby Day, you can help to:

* Preserve Groundwater: Wisconsin's Buried Treasure: manage Wisconsin's groundwater resources to preserve lakes, streams, wetlands and drinking water supplies.
* Stop Global Warming in Wisconsin: address the threats of global warming in Wisconsin through clean, renewable energy jobs and energy conservation.
* Restore Conservation Integrity: return Wisconsin to an Independent DNR Secretary and a timely appointment of Natural Resource Board members.
* Protect Wisconsin's Drinking Water: protect Wisconsin's drinking water supplies by making sure we safely spread agricultural, municipal, and industrial waste.

For a 1-page brief on each of these issues and more information about Conservation Lobby Day 2010, go to: http://www.conservationvoters.org/Public/index.php?custID=110

Registration starts at 9:00am on the day of the event, but you MUST REGISTER BEFORE JANUARY 19th by visiting http://www.conservationvoters.org/Public/index.php?custID=110 and signing up. There you can learn more about the issues in order to better prepare you for the day's events.

Rebates still available to Alliant customers

From an article in the Fond du Lac Reporter:

MADISON, WI – December 16, 2009 – If you are considering replacing the older appliances in your home, 2010 may be the year to do it. Alliant Energy is encouraging its Wisconsin customers to take advantage of the new State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP) next year to receive Cash-Back Rewards to purchase new ENERGY STAR® qualified or high efficiency appliances and equipment when they replace their used ones.

Starting January 1, 2010, as part of funding awarded to the state under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – widely known as the federal stimulus package - all Wisconsin residents will have the opportunity to become more energy efficient while saving money through the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. The initiative is being administered by Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s statewide resource for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

“If homeowners have been considering purchasing new appliances at some point, it’s an ideal time to do so in 2010 under this program,” said Linda Mattes, Alliant Energy Director of Energy Efficiency and Renewables. “Appliances, water heaters, and heating and cooling equipment are among the largest energy users in a home and replacing them with newer, more efficient models will save families money in the long run.”

U.S. Specialty Cheese slices energy usage

From an article by Richard Ryman in the Green Bay Press Gazette:

It was cold outside and it was cold inside, but U.S. Specialty Cheese owner Mark Laack warmly accepted $141,508 from Focus on Energy Thursday for improving efficiency of his North Broadway cheese manufacturing and cold storage operation in Green Bay.

Laack expects to save $164,000 a year in utility costs after upgrading his refrigeration system and installing equipment to capture and use generated heat in the manufacturing process. He said he'll save 1.62 million kilowatt hours a year in electricity use, enough to power 128 4,000-square-foot homes for a year.
The project cost him $980,000.

"When you look at a less than four-year payback, plus the incentive, if you are in it for the long haul … you know you have to do it," Laack said.

Dan Behm, energy adviser for Focus on Energy, said the public/private energy conservation organization will pay up to 30 percent of a commercial project, though 15 to 20 percent is typical. Focus programs are funded by a charge on Wisconsin utility bills and audited by the state Public Service Commission.

Laack worked with Golden Industrial Refrigeration of Waukesha in designing the system. The Business Solutions Center at Wisconsin Public Service Corp. introduced him to Focus on Energy.

New cold weather turbines slated for Glenmore wind farm

From a news release issued by turbine-manufacturer Nordex:

Norderstedt (euro adhoc) - Chicago, 16 December 2009. Nordex USA, Inc. today announced an order for eight N100 wind turbines to be installed at a 20-megawatt wind farm in Glenmore, Wisconsin outside of Green Bay. Developed by Emerging Energies of Wisconsin, the project will generate nearly 64 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, which is enough to power about 8,000 homes and displace an estimated 55,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions. The CH Energy Group, owner of the New York utility Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, holds a controlling interest in the project via its unregulated subsidiary Central Hudson Enterprises.

"The project debuts some of the most advanced turbines in the US," said Ralf Sigrist, President and CEO of Nordex, USA. "It´s been a pleasure partnering with Emerging Energies to provide the best technology for the site, designed to make the absolute most of Glenmore´s wind resources."

The N100s are the latest generation in the Nordex family of 2.5-megawatt N80/N90 turbines. Designed specifically for low to moderate wind speeds, the N100s are ideal for numerous sites across the country, holding great potential in the US. The N100s have a hub height and rotor diameter of 100 meters, with a rotor sweep of 7,823 square meters. That translates into an increase in power yield by up to 20% at average wind speeds of around 7.5 meters per second, compared to the N90.

For the project, called the Shirley Wind Farm, Nordex will supply cold climate models of the N100s, upgraded to operate in temperatures as low as minus 20° Fahrenheit.

"We looked very carefully at the N80/N90/N100 Nordex turbines and were convinced by their great track record, along with the quality and experience Nordex brings to the market," said Bill Rakocy, one of three founders of Emerging Energies. "We selected the N100s because they accomplish two critical project goals - maximizing available land and wind resources by using the largest, tallest turbines available. We´re excited to introduce them in the US and in Wisconsin."

Oshkosh turbine manufacturer gets $525,000 loan from state

From an article by Jeff Bollier in The Northwestern (Oshkosh):

Renewegy Inc. has sold its first eight wind turbines and its plans to ramp up manufacturing in 2010 earned the Oshkosh company recognition and financial support from Gov. Jim Doyle on Thursday.

Doyle announced Renewegy would receive a $525,000 low-interest loan to help it purchase manufacturing equipment and create 40 jobs in the state's growing renewable energy industry.

"Yours is exactly the type of business we want to help grow and support," Doyle said. "We want to be good partners with you to make sure you grow and prosper."

Renewegy's Jeff Ehlers said Menasha's SCA Tissue has agreed to purchase two of the next eight turbines the company builds. Manitowoc's Orion Energy Systems has agreed to purchase one and has an option to purchase a second one as well. Others already purchased will head out of the state.

Ehlers said the company expects to have all tests and reviews of the 20-kilowatt turbine it has produced and mounted on its Jackson Street headquarters completed by summer 2010. Eight to 10 new employees would likely be added at that time, he said.

"We're proud to help lead the way in converting the manufacturing economy in Wisconsin to a clean, renewable energy industry," Ehlers said.

The 40 jobs Renewegy expects to create represent the tip of the iceberg. Ehlers pointed to the fact that more than 50 of the company's 60-plus parts suppliers are based in Wisconsin and said Renewegy's business has helped create or retain "a couple of hundred jobs already."

We all have a stake in curbing warming

From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Even if a global deal can't be reached in Copenhagen, actions by states such as Wisconsin can make a big difference in the fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

When Gov. Jim Doyle arrives in Copenhagen this week to address the international conference on climate change, he can and should stress the need for action on an international scale, but he can also show the importance of states, countries and individuals doing what they can - acting locally - to reduce the human impact on global warming.

Wisconsin has been moving forward, largely under the leadership of Doyle, several key legislators and others, such as Tia Nelson and Roy Thilly, co-chairs of the Governor's Task Force on Global Warming, which made 63 policy recommendations when it concluded its work last year. The next step is to implement some of those recommendations in the form of a bill, a draft of which was unveiled last week.

The bill seeks to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the state while at the same time growing a green economy through investments in energy conservation and alternative fuels.

Doyle made the right point recently when he said, "States that stick their head in the sand and pretend this isn't happening are states that five, 10, 15 years from now are going to be looking around saying, 'How come we don't have a piece of that economy?' "

As Journal Sentinel reporters Tom Content and Lee Bergquist noted in an article Friday, the draft released Thursday calls for greater use of renewable power, opens the door to construction of nuclear power plants and lays the groundwork for how Wisconsin addresses global warming.

Mills, factories to split $14.5 million from stimulus to cut energy use

From a Tom Content post on JSOnline:

Nine Wisconsin companies including Briggs & Stratton Corp. and Kohler Co. will receive $14.5 million in energy efficiency fencing through the federal stimulus package.

Gov. Jim Doyle announced the moves during an appearance at Kohler Co. The money is funded through the state Focus on Energy program, after the state won the funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The announcement was the second made Thursday by Doyle concerning energy efficiency and green jobs for state manufacturers.

The companies receiving funds include Briggs & Stratton Corp., Wauwatosa, $1.29 million; Didion Milling Inc. of Cambria, $5.59 million, Domtar Paper, Rothschild, $870,500; Kohler Co., $1.72 million; NewPage, Wisconsin Rapids, $495,000; Quad/Graphics, Sussex, $868,466; Thilmany Paper, Kaukauna, $1.07 million; and Wausau Paper Specialty Products, which will receive $706,968 for its Mosinee mill and $1.97 million for its Rhinelander paper mill.

A news release issued by the New North:

December 9, 2009 – Governor Jim Doyle recently announced that the New North, Inc. would receive a $100,000 Regional Marketing grant from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce to help the organization promote Northeast Wisconsin’s wind energy industry.

“This grant is a great investment in the New North and in the state’s economy as a whole,” said Jerry Murphy, Executive Director of the New North, Inc. “The wind energy industry is one of our organization’s targeted industry clusters, and we look forward to continuing our efforts to promote our region as the premier location for engineering, component development and production, project management, and worker training related to this industry.”

The New North helped establish Wisconsin Wind Works, a consortium of manufacturers representing the wind manufacturing supply chain within Wisconsin. The group has published a Supply Chain Directory for the industry in Wisconsin, which provides detailed information on over 200 companies in the state that provide a range of services for the wind energy industry. . . .

The grant from the Department of Commerce will also work to help promote the growing cellulosic ethanol industry in Northeast Wisconsin.

New North, Inc. is a regional collaboration effort focused on promoting regional cooperation and economic development in an 18-county region in Northeast Wisconsin. The 18 counties included in the New North are Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Waupaca, Brown, Shawano, Oconto, Marinette, Door, Kewaunee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Florence, Menominee, and Waushara.

Energizing Fort Atkinson’s schools with the sun and earth

The solar water heating systems serve Fort Atkinson high school and the middle school. The radiant energy striking the rooftop panels year-round is efficiently collected and taken inside to preheat the swimming pools inside each structure. Except during the winter months, the incoming solar energy is sufficient to maintain pool temperatures at 84°F. Even in January, however, the savings that a solar hot water system yields simply by preheating a pool to 70°F is substantial when multiplied over several decades.

From a story by Michael Vickerman, RENEW's executive director:

As a result of educating themselves on the connection between energy use and atmospheric pollution, several school districts in Wisconsin are taking increasingly aggressive steps to conserve energy as well as produce a portion of what they use on-site. Some have embraced ground source heat pump systems (Fond du Lac High School), while others have installed solar hot water systems (Osceola Middle School) and solar electric systems (Paul Olson elementary school in Madison). Not to be outdone, Wausau East High School recently installed a 100 kW Northwind turbine, which is now the largest wind generator attached to a school building in Wisconsin.

Yet if one measures success by substantial reductions in energy expenditures and emissions reductions, there is one school district in Wisconsin that stands head and shoulders above its peers: Fort Atkinson. Serving 2,700 school-age children in a community of 12,000, the Fort Atkinson School District operates six buildings: four elementary schools, one middle school and a high school. School officials have made no secret of their aspiration to make Fort Atkinson the most energy-efficient and self-sufficient K-12 district in the state.

Since 2005, Fort Atkinson has rigorously pursued a sustainable energy agenda that integrates, in a systematic and complementary fashion, continuous monitoring of consumption, aggressive building efficiency measures, and renewable energy capture. As articulated in its 2009 energy plan, the district, the district’s principal goals for 2010 are nothing if not ambitious:

+ Pare energy costs by 20% from 2005 levels;
+ Lower carbon emissions by 25% from 2005 levels;
+ Obtain EnergyStar certification for all six schools; and
+ Install on-site renewable production at all six schools.

Focus on Energy offers $1 million in opportunity grants

From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:

(December 7, 2009)—Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s statewide resource for energy efficiency and renewable energy, in partnership with Wisconsin Public Service, announced plans to award $1 million in Opportunity Grants through a request for proposal (RFP) process to help eligible WPS customers finance innovative energy-saving project ideas. Potential bidders must submit a RFP by January 7, 2010 to be considered.

The RFP seeks “out-of-the-box” ideas for energy-saving projects and initiatives. Winning proposals will complement existing Focus programs and/or explore and test emerging energyefficiency technologies. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, and the number of grant awards will depend on available funding. New and innovative products, technologies, and services that save energy are encouraged.

“At Focus on Energy, we encourage new, innovative ways to save energy and money,” said Kathy Kuntz, Energy Programs Director at Focus on Energy. “This Opportunity Grant provides a real opportunity to do just that. We’re excited to see what residents, businesses, and organizations will come up with!”

The Opportunity Grant is open to all individuals, firms, and organizations that are proposing project ideas and energy-saving initiatives that would serve WPS customers. Efforts can target innovative energy-saving technologies as well as behavioral changes. Projects may target any sector, product, or service eligible for support through Focus on Energy (including residential, business, and renewable energy). Proposals should not duplicate current Focus on Energy efforts.

For more information about Focus on Energy and current efforts, visit focusonenergy.com.

Menasha rain garden works like mini water treatment plant

From an article by Michael King in the Appleton Post-Crescent:

MENASHA — The shallow dug-out area in front of the Gilbert office building at 400 Ahnaip St. is not a golf sand trap under construction, but rather a garden.

More precisely, it's a 240-square-foot rain garden that's part of a collaborative project between the Menasha Sustainability Committee, East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission staff, developer Randy Stadtmueller of Neenah and some local businesses that aims to show the public how they work.

"Essentially, rain gardens are beautiful, miniature water treatment plants," said Eric Fowle, East Central executive director. Staff at the regional planning agency have built a retaining wall for the project and will plant vegetation next spring.
It's an urban storm water management tool that officials hope will serve as a visible "demonstration project" for the public, said Greg Keil, Menasha community development director.

Fowle said rainwater from half of the office building's roof will be funneled into the rain garden instead of going directly into the adjacent duck pond or the city storm sewer.

Study: Wind farms have no effect on property values

From a news release issued by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:

Home sales prices are very sensitive to the overall quality of the scenic vista from a property, but a view of a wind energy facility does not demonstrably impact sales prices.Over 30,000 megawatts of wind energy capacity are installed across the United States and an increasing number of communities are considering new wind power facilities. Given these developments, there is an urgent need to empirically investigate typical community concerns about wind energy and thereby provide stakeholders involved in the wind project siting process a common base of knowledge. A major new report released today by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory evaluates one of those concerns, and finds that proximity to wind energy facilities does not have a pervasive or widespread adverse effect on the property values of nearby homes.

The new report, funded by the DOE, is based on site visits, data collection, and analysis of almost 7,500 single-family home sales, making it the most comprehensive and data-rich analysis to date on the potential impact of U.S. wind projects on residential property values.

“Neither the view of wind energy facilities nor the distance of the home to those facilities was found to have any consistent, measurable, and significant effect on the selling prices of nearby homes,” says report author Ben Hoen, a consultant to Berkeley Lab. “No matter how we looked at the data, the same result kept coming back - no evidence of widespread impacts.”

An expert witness on real estate voiced the same conclusion during hearings on We Energies proposed Glacier Hills Wind Park.

ECOS-Fox Valley meeting & Web site review, December 3

Greg Steiner will be conducting a review of the Sustainability Web-Site he has been designing at the Dec 3rd meeting of ECOS-FV.

He will be projecting the site on the wall for better visibility and asking for comments on content details and links/information that the sustainability community would like to see added into the site. In preparation, If you find time, please visit the website (www.sustainfv.org) being developed by the Sustainable Fox Valley Initiative, explore its features, and bring along the information, links and ideas that you and your group would like to see added to the site!

Date: Thursday, December 3rd
Time: Begins at 6:15 PM
Place: Menasha Public Library (Corner of Racine and First streets)
Room: Activity Room in the lower level
Cost: Free and Open to the public

Greg would like feedback on (www.sustainfv.org).

UWGB sets public presentations on climate change

From an article by Mike Hoeft in the Green Bay Perss Gazette:

A bank of six computers will be used to project possible climate changes in the coming century during a free seminar Tuesday at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

The seminar, "Climate Change Wisconsin: What it Means for Us," will be presented at 7p.m. in Mary Ann Cofrin Hall 208.

Graduate students from the UW-Green Bay Capstone Seminar in Environmental Science and Policy will present their work on the topic of climate change, covering the most current science projections.

"There's a lot of public misunderstanding, and we think it's important to look at real impacts by examining what might be termed the consensus among scientists," said Michael Kraft, political science chair and professor of Public and Environmental Affairs.

The projections will focus on Northeastern Wisconsin and potential environmental, social and economic impacts.

For example, some projections suggest that within the next 50 years a Wisconsin summer could resemble summer in Arkansas.

Such a scenario certainly has ramifications upon agriculture, tourism and the economy, Kraft said.