Dane County Energy Update

MGE Energy Posts Drop in Fourth-Quarter Earnings But Higher Profits for 2010 – Wisconsin State Journal - Madison Gas & Electric’s parent company announced a profit of $57.7 million for 2010 up from $51 million the previous year. The warm summer was the primary reason for the added profit.

Grass Roots: Study Says Rooftop Garden at Central Library Too Expensive - The Cap Times – At $775,000 to build and over $150,000 in annual costs to maintain,  a stuff study by the City of Madison recommends that the rooftop garden not move ahead. A more standard “green roof” would be substantially less to install and maintain and could still be implemented.

PSC: Issues Strategic Energy Assessment - WisBusiness.com – The Public Service Commission prepares a report every two years to evaluate the state’s energy situation. It states in the report that rates in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest will continue to rise but that we’re on our way to getting 10% of our electricity needs from renewable sources by 2015.

PSC Approves $627 Million Coal Plant Pollution Scrubbers – Journal Sentinel Online – WP&L, WPS and MG&E will foot the bill to control sulfur dioxide pollution at the Columbia Energy Center near Portage. Sulfur dioxide is a contributor to asthma and other respiratory problems.

I installed a whole house electricity monitor in my home about 6 weeks ago to show me exactly how much electricity in kilowatt hours (kWh) we’re using at any one time. It is installed at the electric box in our utility room and has a wireless digital display that we keep in our kitchen. It has allowed us to better understand how and when we use our electricity and that knowledge has made it easier to cut our usage.

The digital display

It can be linked to Google PowerMeter, an application that allows you to log in to your account via the web or a smart phone and actually see how much electricity your home is using at any one time. It’ll graph it in two hour increments, by day and by week. You can export the data to a spreadsheet and dig a little deeper too. Below are some things I found in our own house. (continue reading…)

Higher Rates, Warm Weather Boost Profit for Alliant and Heating Season Update: Colder Weather, Lower Prices – Journal Sentinel Online — Two different articles from Thomas Content, the Journal Sentinel’s prolific energy writer, regarding how the weather has affected local energy use and energy providers’ profits.

Central Waters Brewing Co. Recognized for Environmental Energy Efficiency – Stevens Point Journal – If you’ve never tasted Central Waters’ brews then you’re missing out. Visiting their brewery is another treat as they rely largely on the sun to heat the vast amounts of water needed to brew beer.

Legislature Again Considers Tighter Wind Farm Rules — Wisconsin State Journal – The legislature had previously failed to pass Governor Walker’s proposal to increase the distance between homes and wind turbines. However, they’re now considering re-opening the debate regarding what siting rules should be.

Budget Bill Would Allow Sale of State Power Plants — Journal Sentinel Online – Though the removal of state workers’ right to collective bargaining has gained all of the attention, the governor’s budget bill also includes provisions to sell the state’s power plants to private corporations.

Piping Plover Home Energy Solutions will be exhibiting this weekend at the NARI Remodeling Expo at the Madison Marriott West. The hours are:

Friday — 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Saturday — 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday — 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Take a look at the show’s website for more detailed information. We’ve got a few free tickets we can give away but they’re paper tickets, not something I can email so let me know if you’d like to go and we’ll figure out a way to get them to you.