Buy products made with renewable energy

From an article by Steve Kokette, signit2@hotmail.com, creator of the “Buy Products From Renewable Energy” bumper sticker and author of Money Saving Conservation Products and Projects for the Homeowner.

Recently Governor Doyle suggested Wisconsin could become the Saudi Arabia of renewable energy. Doing so would be extremely beneficial for the state in many ways, even if you’re not a believer in global warming. Seventy percent of the U.S. economy is consumer driven, and if consumers started consciously spending their money on the thousands of products made with renewable energy, it could help clean the air, and the water.

It feels strange living in an era when life often seems to be regressing in the very places it started. When I was young, the DNR did not recommend limiting your intake of Wisconsin caught fish. Then in the late 60s, a short stretch of the Fox River polluted by paper mills was so polluted the DNR recommended people eat a limited number of fish from these waters. Since the late 60s the number of Wisconsin waters with DNR fish consumption limitations slowly grew over the years, until a few years ago the DNR recommended fish consumption limitations for fish caught in all Wisconsin lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams. This is not progress.

If you want to reduce acid rain, when you buy products, try to buy products made from renewable energy. If you want to reduce mercury pollution, buy products made from renewables. If you want to reduce particulate matter in the air, buy products made from renewables. If you want to help those with respiratory problems, which might include yourself and/or people you know, buy products made from renewables.

Every person who renews a membership or joins RENEW will get a free bumper sticker!

 

Classic wind machine clears legal barriers, flies again

From an article by Willi Hempel in the quarterly newsletter of RENEW Wisconsin:

Several decades ago, before modern small-scale wind turbines hit the market, one of the most sought-after wind generators was the pre-REA direct-drive machine made by Jacobs Wind Electric. It’s rugged, powerful, and reliable when maintained well. When I was growing up, my father and I flew five different homebuilt wind turbines, and I had always dreamed of someday flying a “Jake.”

In September 2003, I spotted an old Jake sitting idly on a tower only a few miles from my family’s home in Merton, Wisconsin . . .

Unfortunately, my proposed tower location didn’t meet property-line setback requirements, so I had to request a variance through the Merton Zoning Board. In September 2005, I had to attend a public hearing before the Merton Zoning Board of Adjustment (BOA). After I described the project and answered questions from the board members, the meeting was opened to the public. The concerns were declining property values, audible noise, and visual impact to the neighborhood. Our suburban neighborhood homes are about 30 years old and sit on 1- to 3-acre partially wooded lots.

The BOA denied my request, but after all the elbow grease and sweat I’d put into bringing the Jake back to life, I was determined to see it fly.

After discussions between my attorney and the town attorney, and four more public hearings, the BOA granted my variance—but with fifteen conditions attached (including a 70-decibel noise limit at the closest property line, and a requirement that a structural engineer verify that the tower was installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications). After almost six months of effort, I finally received a building permit to erect the wind turbine.

Then came the moment I’d been dreaming about—getting the wind generator into the air. The crew on the ground attached the generator to the crane, and the 14-foot-diameter blade rotor was attached to the generator. The crane hoisted the whole assembly to the top of the 120-foot tower.

Getting the Jake up on the tower wasn’t the end—we still needed to wire the system. Because this system was eligible for net metering, an interconnect agreement and site inspection were required by the local electric utility, and a sign-off was needed from the local electrical inspector. They gave their approval—almost three years to the day after I first set eyes on the old Jake!

 

Sock maker steps up to hot water

 

Paul Milbrath (center) explains to Michael Vickerman (left) and Dave Drapac (right) the workings of the solar collectors on the roof of Wigwam Socks.

From a case study of a solar hot water installation written by RENEW’s Michael Vickerman and Ed Blume for Focus on Energy:

“We wanted to do something genuine, not phony,” said Bob Chesebro, president of family-owned Wigwam Mills, Sheboygan, about his company’s decision to install a solar energy system.

Initially, Chesebro wasn’t sure which kind of solar energy system to go with. But the more he delved into the question, the more he came to believe that solar hot water would provide the best fit for the
103-year-old company.

Placed in service in February 2008, Wigwam’s 27 solar collectors supply 47 percent of the hot water used by the company to shrink, bleach, antimicrobial treat, wash and soften 40,000 pairs of socks each day.

 

 

 

Wind/solar installer named Market Provider of the Year

John Hippensteel (right) talks with a fairgoer at the Energy Fair, where Hippensteel was named Market Provider of the Year by Focus on Energy.

From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:

MADISON, Wis. (June 30) - Focus on Energy’s Renewable Energy Program honored John Hippensteel, of Sturgeon Bay, Wis. based Lake Michigan Wind & Sun Ltd., with the 2008 Market Provider of the Year Award. The award was presented at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s (MREA) 19th annual Energy Fair on June 22, 2008 in Custer, Wis.

The Market Provider of the Year Award was conceived as a way to recognize renewable energy contractors who exemplify the goals and expectations of the Focus on Energy Renewable Energy Program. The award provides the opportunity to honor one such contractor each year for their commitment and dedication to excellent customer service and quality renewable energy systems installation. Contractors who receive this award are exceptional in their passion, intelligence and dedication when it comes to providing renewable energy services.

“For more than a decade John has been installing solar electric, solar hot water and wind electric systems for satisfied customers,” said Don Wichert, renewable energy director for Focus on Energy. “Wisconsin truly benefits from having well qualified businesses like Lake Michigan Wind & Sun Ltd. grow our renewable energy markets.”

Hippensteel has consistently had a strong presence at many events throughout the state and is always willing to share information, photos and his innovative models. His professionalism and workmanship keep existing customers coming back for more projects, and his creativity continues to attract new customers. Hippensteel is the only North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Certified Solar Electric and Solar Thermal Installer in Wisconsin. He has installed more than 50 solar and wind power systems with support from Focus on Energy.

 

Meet the experts: Vickerman, Sagrillo, Bartman

From an article by Dustin Block in The Daily Reporter features RENEW Wisconsin Executuive Director Michael Vickerman, RENEW board members Mick Sagrillo, and Dan Bartman, one of the founders of otherpower.com, an organization dedicated to homegrown alternative energy:

Of all renewable energy sources, wind power presents the best chance for the state to produce green energy. Wind power is expected to make up 95 percent of the state’s goal to have 10 percent of its energy come from renewable sources by 2015, according to the nonprofit environmental group RENEW Wisconsin.

But what does it take to build wind power? We asked four small wind experts what it takes to build a viable wind power project.

Q. What is small wind?

A. MICHAEL VICKERMAN: It essentially means turbines that feed back to the grid from your house or business. They’re not utility-scale. They generate under 100 kilowatts per turbine and are shorter than 170 feet. We Energies new wind turbines near Fond du Lac are 260 feet tall with blades that are 130 feet long.

Q. Why should businesses and individuals consider small wind?

A. VICKERMAN: We need diversity in the size and resources of our energy grid. The more diverse the grid, the strong it is. We would like to empower all sizes of players in the energy market. Anybody who wants to build a power plant should be able to build a power plant, large medium or small.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images of the Energy Fair

The EETimes Web site hosts a gallery of images from the recent Energy Fair.

In addition, the site includes an article by George Leopold:

CUSTER, Wis. — The man’s fishing cap has a picture of a fish piloting a boat. Under the picture it states, “My wife says I fish too much.”
Not the kind of person you’d expect at an alternative energy fair in this bucolic central Wisconsin community known for progressive thinking and it’s back-to-nature lifestyle.

But the fisherman is standing in front of Mike Mitchell’s booth at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s annual fair grilling the electric bike dealer from Milwaukee about how long it will take the recharge the battery on the “Mikey” bike. “What size is the motor?” the fisherman asks. “Thirty-six volts,” Mitchell responds.

“How do I get a dealership?” counters the fisherman, wheels turning in his head.

The fisherman’s son joins in, saying he’s interested in an electric bike to haul his kayak back after long, tiring river trips.

This and countless other examples illustrate how soaring energy costs are pushing alternative power and green technology into the mainstream. This year’s energy fair was the largest ever, according to the association’s executive director, Tehri Parker.

 

Mr. Bush, Lead or Leave

From an op ed by Thomas Friedman in The New York Times:

Two years ago, President Bush declared that America was “addicted to oil,” and, by gosh, he was going to do something about it. Well, now he has. Now we have the new Bush energy plan: “Get more addicted to oil.”

Actually, it’s more sophisticated than that: Get Saudi Arabia, our chief oil pusher, to up our dosage for a little while and bring down the oil price just enough so the renewable energy alternatives can’t totally take off. Then try to strong arm Congress into lifting the ban on drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

It’s as if our addict-in-chief is saying to us: “C’mon guys, you know you want a little more of the good stuff. One more hit, baby. Just one more toke on the ole oil pipe. I promise, next year, we’ll all go straight. I’ll even put a wind turbine on my presidential library. But for now, give me one more pop from that drill, please, baby. Just one more transfusion of that sweet offshore crude.”

It is hard for me to find the words to express what a massive, fraudulent, pathetic excuse for an energy policy this is. But it gets better. The president actually had the gall to set a deadline for this drug deal:

“I know the Democratic leaders have opposed some of these policies in the past,” Mr. Bush said. “Now that their opposition has helped drive gas prices to record levels, I ask them to reconsider their positions. If Congressional leaders leave for the Fourth of July recess without taking action, they will need to explain why $4-a-gallon gasoline is not enough incentive for them to act.”

This from a president who for six years resisted any pressure on Detroit to seriously improve mileage standards on its gas guzzlers; this from a president who’s done nothing to encourage conservation; this from a president who has so neutered the Environmental Protection Agency that the head of the E.P.A. today seems to be in a witness-protection program. I bet there aren’t 12 readers of this newspaper who could tell you his name or identify him in a police lineup.

But, most of all, this deadline is from a president who hasn’t lifted a finger to broker passage of legislation that has been stuck in Congress for a year, which could actually impact America’s energy profile right now — unlike offshore oil that would take years to flow — and create good tech jobs to boot.

That bill is H.R. 6049 — “The Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008,” which extends for another eight years the investment tax credit for installing solar energy and extends for one year the production tax credit for producing wind power and for three years the credits for geothermal, wave energy and other renewables.

 

Alliant needs more compelling case for new coal plant

From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Wisconsin Power & Light Co. took a significant step recently when it promised to offset the greenhouse gas emissions from a new coal plant it is proposing to build in southwestern Wisconsin. Company officials understand the importance of balancing energy sources to provide customers with reliable and affordable energy while reducing emissions that contribute to climate change.

The problem is that while Wisconsin needs power, it also needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, not just offset increases in emissions. So while WP&L officials deserve credit for proposing their mitigation plan, they still need to make a more compelling case than they have so far for building a coal plant in Cassville.

State regulators need to carefully examine that case before they make their decision by the end of the year. And unless WP&L officials make a convincing case for the kind of coal plant they have proposed, the state shouldn’t give its OK.

In a recent meeting with the Journal Sentinel Editorial Board, company officials said demand was growing at a rate of 2% to 3% per year. To meet that demand, the utility says it needs to build a 300-megawatt $1.1 billion base load plant that would generate enough power to supply 150,000 homes.

Based on those numbers, WP&L, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corp., makes a reasonable case. Neither conservation nor renewable sources now available are likely to fill that demand.

But an analysis by state environmental and energy regulators predicts demand to grow by 1.65%. That analysis also concluded that although Alliant “needs to procure more energy resources to keep rates affordable,” this particular coal plant proposal was “not the least-cost option.” The environmental group Clean Wisconsin and the ratepayer group Citizens’ Utility Board oppose the plant and have urged the utility to spend more on energy efficiency and renewables. . . .

 

Complaint filed against Manitowoc wind farm

From an article by Kristopher Wenn in the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter:

MANITOWOC — Residents opposed to a wind farm project in Two Creeks have filed a complaint in Manitowoc County Circuit Court requesting a permit extension for the project be nullified.

Jerome Hlinak, of rural Two Rivers, his neighbors and members of Wisconsin Independent Citizens Opposing Windturbine Sites (WINDCOWS) claim they are aggrieved by the Manitowoc County Board of Adjustment’s decision to uphold the project’s two-year extension.

Navitas Energy Inc. has proposed building 49 wind turbines in Two Rivers, Mishicot and Two Creeks, dubbed the Twin Creeks Wind Park.

Hlinak and others are asking the court to order the permit extension null and void and order the BOA to pay their attorney fees and costs.

Pete Tarnowski, Manitowoc County senior planner, in December granted the permit extension. In March, Hlinak filed an appeal with the BOA to review Tarnowski’s decision. The BOA denied Hlinak’s appeal after discussing the issue at two May meetings.

Navitas told county officials it was unable to complete its project because of difficulty obtaining turbines caused by increased demand and delays in connecting with an electric grid and ordering supplies.

Hlinak and others claim the BOA wrongly concluded Tarnowski had the authority to approve the extension under the county’s recently revised ordinance without also applying other provisions in the new ordinance.

 

RENEW Wisconsin Comments on Comprehensive Strawman Proposal for Governor Doyle’s Global Warming Task Force

From a statement on behalf of RENEW Wisconsin submitted by Michael Vickerman to the Governor’s Global Warming Task Force:

These comments, submitted on behalf of RENEW Wisconsin, address the strawman proposal developed by the co-chairs of Governor Doyle’s Global Warming Task Force. I represented RENEW in the Electric Generation and Supply Workgroup and took part in the drafting and preparing of several specific proposals that were submitted to the full Task Force. Among them were proposals to establish (1) uniform permitting standards for wind projects, (2) fixed-rate production-cost-based tariffs to stimulate customer-sited renewable energy systems; and (3) post-2015 renewable energy requirements on utilities. The comments address various proposed changes to the existing renewable energy standard (RES). . . .