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.

PSC grants Alliant Energy 6.5 percent rate increase

From an article by Brian E. Clark on WisBusiness:

In an oral decision Tuesday, the state Public Service Commission approved an average rate hike of roughly $60 million, or 6.4 percent, for Alliant Energy. It will go into effect Jan. 1.

Officials said the ruling will mean average residential customers will see a monthly jump in their electric bills of about $6.10. The PSC also raised the company’s natural gas rates by about $5.5 million, amounting to a monthly increase of approximately $1.50 for gas distribution service.

“Today’s action struck a balance between a utility that needs more revenue to continue to provide reliable service, and a customer base that is working its way through hard economic times,” PSC Chairman Eric Callisto said. “At the end of the day, we cannot allow a regulated utility to fall off the cliff. Today’s decision kept the current recession in mind while keeping the lights on and keeping the utility moving forward.”

The Madison-based company had initially requested an increase of more than $100 million, or 10 percent. The PSC staff, in an audit, recommended a $73 million boost, or about 7.8 percent on average.

Part of the rate increase will cover declining sales for the utility. Since 2008, it has lost several major industrial customers, including the huge General Motors plant in Janesville. Another part of the rate increase will pay for the utility’s investment in the Bent Tree wind farm in Minnesota.

Charlie Higley, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board, said he was he was “glad the PSC was able to approve a more reasonable rate increase than that sought by the utility.

“That said, the PSC could have done more to lower rates, especially given the bad economy faced by consumers."

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.

Beyond coal ... winners and losers

From an article by Chris Hubbuch in the La Crosse Tribune:

Local utilities support efforts to reduce greenhouse gases but differ on how to do it fairly

CASSVILLE, Wis. - The future of Wisconsin's energy is piled high on the south lot of the E.J. Stoneman plant.

Gone is the coal that fueled the boilers for six decades. Now 40,000 tons of wood chips and railroad ties tower over construction workers building an apparatus to grind that wood into fuel.

With its yellow tile walls and dusty turbines, Stoneman hardly looks futuristic. La Crosse-based Dairyland Power built the plant in 1950 and shuttered it in 1993 for economic reasons.

But with a push to limit carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, utilities are scrambling for new sources of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels. Stoneman again is viable.

DTE Energy Systems bought the plant in 2008, stripped out the boilers and began a two-year project to convert it to biomass. Starting this summer, they expect the turbines to spin again with steam generated primarily by construction and demolition debris.

Even with a cost in the tens of millions - they don't disclose the exact amount - DTE expects to make money because of the premium price for green energy.

On the other side of town, Alliant Energy burns wood pellets along with coal at its Nelson Dewey station as part of a yearlong test. Though Madison-based Alliant has no plans to convert the plant, the company will use the data as it examines ways to reduce its carbon footprint, spokesman Steve Schultz said.

With Congress poised for the first time to limit carbon emissions, power utilities are ramping up efforts to replace coal, a cheap and plentiful resource that long has been the major source of electricity, particularly in the Midwest.

Environmental advocates say it's a start to slowing global climate change, and even utilities favor the principle of limiting greenhouse gases.

But not all utilities are created equal. Xcel Energy, which supplies urban households and industries, has a diverse energy portfolio bolstered by investments in renewable sources and nuclear power, which produces no greenhouse gases. Dairyland Power, which through its member cooperatives provides power for most of the Coulee Region's rural and small town residents, relies almost exclusively on coal.

Both utilities support a congressional approach to cutting carbon emissions but differ on the details of how it should be done.

Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign touts renewable energy buyback rates

From a fact sheet issued by the Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign:

An innovative way to encourage more smaller-scale renewable energy systems by paying premiums to customers for wind, solar, biogas or biomass electric generation.

How are they different from standard utility buyback rates?
Unlike standard buyback rates, Renewable Energy Buyback Rates provide a fixed purchase price for the electricity produced over a period of 10 to 20 years. They are set at levels sufficient to fully recover installation costs along with a modest profit. Because the purchase price is guaranteed over a long period, Renewable Energy Buyback Rates make it easy for customers to obtain financing for their generation projects.

Why don’t utilities pursue these small-scale renewable projects themselves?
In general, the smaller the generating facility, the less likely it is owned by a utility. Utilities tend to favor bulk generation facilities that employ economies of scale to produce electricity at a lower cost. Renewable power plants owned by
utilities—such as large wind projects—are sized to serve their entire territory, not just a particular distribution area. For that reason utilities have shown little appetite for owning and operating distributed generation facilities powered with
solar, biogas, wind, and hydro.

If utilities won’t invest in small-scale renewable projects, how will they get built?
Clearly, the capital needed to build smaller-scale renewable projects has to come from independent sources—either customers or third parties. There is no shortage of investor interest in these systems, and sufficient capital is available. What’s needed to finance these projects is a predictable, long-term purchasing arrangement that assures full capital recovery if the project performs according to expectations. That’s where Renewable Energy Payments come into play.

DOT undecided between La Crosse, Eau Claire high-speed rail routes

From an article by Steve Cahalan in the La Crosse Tribune:

The final version of a Wisconsin Department of Transportation long-range plan still has alternate routes through Eau Claire and La Crosse for high-speed passenger rail service between Tomah and the Twin Cities.

The DOT soon will study which route might be best.

The agency said Wednesday it has formally adopted its new Connections 2030 long-range plan, available online at www.wiconnections2030.gov.

Local business and government leaders argued at an Aug. 26 public hearing on the plan in La Crosse that studies years ago already had determined Amtrak's Empire Builder route is the most ideal in the region for planned high-speed passenger rail service between Chicago and St. Paul. That route goes through Tomah and La Crosse, as well as Winona and Red Wing in Minnesota.

Backers of that route announced last week they have formed the Empire Builder High Speed Rail Coalition.

Coalition members remain convinced that is the best route, said the group's coordinator, James Hill, who also is executive director of the La Crosse Area Development Corp.

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.

First stop on Homegrown Renewable tour

Standing behind an electrical vehicle charger at the beginning of the Homegrown Renewable Energy tour, Tom Shee, Honda Motorwerks, La Crosse, explains that the electricity from the turbines at the Monfort Wind Farm could provide the power for the plug-in hybrid behind him. Photo by Laura Stoesz.

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

Sun Harvest Farm: Solar hot water and more

From a description by Jerry and Penny Kroener of Sun Harvest Farm, Ridgeway, WI, one stop on the Renewable Energy Tour, November 13, 2009:

In 2005 we embarked on major renovations and additions to our old farmhouse. This included working with Focus on Energy to have site assessments performed for Solar Photovoltaic, Solar Thermal and Wind Turbine Systems. We also investigated wood burning systems because we have substantial quantities of firewood on our property. Our decisions included the following:
1. Add additional insulation, all new windows and new doors.
2. Replace our old oil burning furnace with a high efficiency propane boiler (our little Munchkin).
3. Install a Solar Photovoltaic grid-connected system to produce electricity.
4. Install a Solar Thermal (hot water) system to preheat domestic hot water and provide some house heat.
5. Install a counter-flow masonry heater fireplace using our own limestone for the masonry cladding.
6. In 2008 we built and installed a hot air collector to provide some heat in our barn workshop.
7. In 2009 we installed our 2nd Photovoltaic grid-connected system.
8. In 2009 we also upgraded our solar hot water storage tank.

Two showings set for Coal Country documentary video

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

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.

Holmen, WI
Host: Marilyn P.
When: 8:00 PM, November 11, 2009
Please call Marilyn to confirm attendance and get directions: 608-317-9698.

La Crosse, WI
Host: Elizabeth W.
When: 5:00 PM, November 13, 2009
Sign up here.

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.

Economic forum speakers review U.S. cap-and-trade legislation

From an article by Steve Cahalan in the La Crosse Tribune:

"Cap and trade" legislation that the U.S. House of Representatives passed in June and a similar version pending in the Senate were praised Tuesday at a La Crosse forum by Peter Taglia, staff scientist with the Clean Wisconsin environmental group.

Federal legislation is needed, agreed Brian Rude, a vice president with La Crosse-based Dairyland Power Cooperative. But the House and Senate bills have major flaws, Rude argued at The Economic Forum at the Radisson Center.

Legislation sponsored by Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and John Kerry, D-Mass., calls for imposing mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and industrial facilities and cutting emissions by 20 percent by 2020. Polluters would be given emission allowances they could trade among themselves to ease the transition from fossil fuels.

Learn to be “Burn Wise” this winter

A news release from the Dane County Clean Air Coalition:

If you’re burning wood this winter, you can have a cheaper, safer and healthier fire by following these tips:

• Burn only dry, seasoned wood. It’s better for the air and your wallet. Look for wood that is darker, has cracks in the end grain, and sounds hollow when hit against another piece of wood. Dry seasoned wood is more efficient at heating your home and can add up to significant savings over the winter.
• Never burn painted or treated wood or trash.
• Maintain your wood stove or fireplace and have a certified technician inspect it yearly. A certified technician can clean dangerous soot from your chimney and keep your wood stove or fireplace working properly, which reduces your risk of a home fire.
• Change to an EPA-certified wood stove or fireplace insert. These models are more efficient than older models, keeping your air cleaner, your home safer and your fuel bill lower, while keeping you warm in the winter. An estimated 12 million Americans heat their homes with wood stoves each winter, and nearly three-quarters of these stoves are not EPA certified. An EPA-certified wood stove emits nearly 70 percent less smoke than older uncertified models. Go to the EPA’s Burn Wise website for more information: http://www.epa.gov/burnwise
• If you have another source of heat, do not use your fireplace or wood stove on days that are forecast to be Clean Air Action Days for fine particle pollution.

Alliant begins test burns of biomass at Cassville plant

A news release from Alliant Energy:

MADISON, WI – November 5, 2009 – Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), an Alliant Energy company, has begun testing the usage of biomass at its Nelson Dewey Generating Station. The move comes after the company received a Research and Testing Exemption from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) to test burn various biomass fuels at the site.

The WDNR approval allows for the co-firing to be done for a 12-month period within the facility’stwo cyclone coal boilers. Throughout the test burn process, WPL will examine a number of factors including environmental impacts, supply chain capabilities, material delivery and handling costs, and the blending and combustion of biomass based materials within the current plant configuration. No permanent structures or modifications will be made to the existing facility’s equipment to accommodate the test burns.

“We continually work to explore the technologies and costs associated with reducing our carbon footprint and this is another step in that process,” explains Barbara Swan, President – WPL.

“Conducting these test burns at Nelson Dewey will help us understand the capabilities we have within our current system.”

Biomass-based fuels approved for test burning within the current fuel blends include wood chips, agricultural based pellets, as well as native grasses. Other biofuel opportunities may present themselves during the testing, thus WPL would seek to update the test program, upon approval of the WDNR, to include any additions.

Solar Powering Your Community: A Guide for Local Governments

From Solar American Cities in the U.S. Department of Energy:

The U.S. Department of Energy developed this comprehensive resource to assist local governments and stakeholders in building sustainable local solar markets. The guide introduces a range of policy and program options that have been successfully field tested in cities around the country. The guide describes each policy or program, followed by more information on:

•Benefits: Identifies benefits from implementing the policy or program.
•Implementation Tips and Options: Outlines various tips and options for designing and implementing the policy or program.
•Examples: Highlights experiences from communities that have successfully implemented the policy or program.
•Additional References and Resources: Lists additional reports, references, and tools that offer more information on the topic, where applicable.

Learn to recognize the signs of a natural gas leak

From a news release issued by Alliant Energy:

MADISON, WI – November 3, 2009 – Fall is the peak time for detecting natural gas leaks because homeowners are closing their windows and turning on their furnaces for the first time in months. Natural gas is an environmentally friendly and efficient energy source that many Alliant Energy customers use to cook food and heat their homes. Although natural gas leaks are extremely uncommon, remember to use your eyes, ears and nose to recognize a natural gas leak in order to keep your family safe and protect your home.

While rare, natural gas line leaks can be extremely dangerous. The most telling sign of a natural gas line leak is the odor the natural gas coming into the home has. Alliant Energy adds a chemical that smells similar to rotten eggs to make even the smallest leak easy to detect.

It’s also important to be able to identify a natural gas leak outside your home. If you hear an unusual hissing or whistling sound, or if you see unexplained dead or dying grass in an otherwise green area, dirt or debris blowing into the air or water bubbling in a puddle, river, pond or creek, it may be a natural gas leak.

Customers should take the following precautions if they notice any of these warning signs:
+ Everyone should vacate the home immediately, and DO NOT stop to open windows, vents or doors.
+ Avoid touching anything that may create a spark, such as a light switch, telephone, cell phone or a garage door opener. If possible, stay away from carpeted areas to avoid sparks of static electricity.
+ DO NOT try to find the source of the leak yourself. Call Alliant Energy at 1-800-ALLIANT (1-800-255-4268) from a neighbor’s house or outside your house from your cell phone as soon as possible.
+ If natural gas is blowing in your home or outdoors, call 911.

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.