Northern Wisconsin has potential for renewable energy
From a story by Chad Dally in The Daily Press (Ashland, WI):
While there is potential to expand both production and consumption of renewable and alternative energy in the Chequamegon Bay region and beyond, factors such as fuel supply and biodiversity need to be part of the equation.
So said a panel of energy experts who convened for a discussion during Thursday’s Lake Superior Technology Conference at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Ashland.
“We’re going to have to transition into plantations for energy production, whether that’s switchgrass or trees or other sources, and that’s going to be dependent on the technology that each individual company utilizes,” said Dave Donovan, manager of regulatory policy for Xcel Energy.
Likewise, Cumberland-based Ardisam is eventually hoping to convert 30,000 acres of land in northern Wisconsin for the production of canola, sunflower and other feedstocks to fuel biodiesel production.
So now they are going to cut down 30,000 acres of forest for sunflower seed production so the yuppies can feel good about not putting regular diesel in their ‘bio’-gas guzzlers.
Yeah, that’s going to fly…
Akela Ely
September 3, 2007