Dane County Energy Update

Federal Grant To Help Homeowners Go Green – Channel3000 – As we wrote about recently, the City of Madison has officially launched the Green Madison program. The primary benefit is an unsecured, low-interest loan for energy efficiency improvements. Piping Plover’s project management will be even more helpful for homeowners trying to understand what they need to do to qualify, the incentives available, and how to manage qualifying contractors.

Audit For Focus On Energy – Wisconsin Radio Network – This brief audio clip just explains that the Republican legislature has decided to take a deeper look at Focus’ expenses and operating procedures. There haven’t been any red flags but there is a lot of discussion regarding reducing the amount of funding Focus On Energy receives in the coming years. Finding problems would certainly help the Republicans’ cause of cutting energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

Walker Administration Still Intends To Sell State Power Plants - Wisconsin State Journal - Though it was removed from the budget repair bill, there are plans to introduce a stand alone bill that will call for privatizing the state’s 37 power plants.

Biz Beat: Walker Rapped Over Wind Farm Cancellation – The Cap Times – This is starting to feel like a broken record, but Governor Walker’s calls for making wind siting rules some of the strictest in the country have resulted in the cancellation of a major wind farm near Green Bay. The developer, Invenergy, wrote a letter to the PSC saying that they would cancel the second largest wind project in the state due to the regulatory climate in Wisconsin. Also a brief article from Thomas Content of the Journal Sentinel.

Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Named Energy Star Leader – Channel3000 - The EPA recognized MCPASD as a leader in each of its 10 schools. The district has saved $1.5 million in energy costs since they began their energy program in 2004. Only eight other school districts in the state received the award.

Biz Beat: Louisiana Firm In Line To Run State Energy Program – The Cap Times – The Public Service Commission has begun the process of selecting Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure to administer the Focus On Energy program. Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC) is the current administer of it and may continue to implement the homes program.

Green Energy Summit: Consortium To Launch Job Training Initiative – Journal Sentinel Online – A partnership was announced during last week’s Green Energy Summit in Milwaukee that will put $250,000 towards training people for jobs in manufacturing of products for energy, power and controls. The Wisconsin Energy Research Consortium will launch next month with a grant from the state Department of Workforce Development.

Energy Efficiency Program Could Be Cut – Milwaukee News Buzz – Focus On Energy (which may be changing administrators) is coming under the scrutiny of the new Republican legislature for planned increases in funding. The Doyle administration had approved increasing the funding from $100 million to $256 million in 2014.

WisBusiness: Some at Green Energy Summit Frustrated With Politics - WisBusiness.com – The state’s efficiency and renewable energy expert voiced frustration with the Walker administration for ceasing or cutting funding for multiple projects and generally slowing the state’s pursuit of alternative energy. Wisconsin had been progressing faster than our Midwest neighbors but unfortunately that momentum will be lost.

The Green Madison program will launch officially in a few weeks but based on conversations we’ve had with the city, it’s shaping up to be very helpful to homeowners who need financial help with energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. With help from a U.S. Department of Energy grant, the City of Madison and Focus On Energy aim to provide assistance to 4,500 homeowners over 3 years.

The major benefits of the program are:

• Lengthy loan term – A term of 15 years will be typical.
• Affordable interest rates – Rates ranging from 5-7% will be offered through the financing partner.
• Unsecured loan – Because it’s an unsecured loan, it won’t be tied at all to your existing mortgage and any lack of equity in your home won’t affect whether or not you qualify.
• Anyone can qualify – There are no low income qualifications so homeowners only need to have a certain credit level.

The best part of the whole thing is that in the overwhelming majority of cases, homeowners will end up savings more in energy each month than they will to pay off their loan. So they’ll increase their home’s comfort, safety and value all while actually saving money. It’s a win-win.

So what do you need to do to become a part of the Green Madison program? First you must hire a certified home performance consultant (energy auditor) and schedule an energy assessment (energy audit). Remember — Piping Plover is the only company in the Madison area that includes an analysis of a home’s electricity usage in our standard energy audit. From there, you can contact your own contractors, get bids, fill out all the paperwork, act as your own general contractor, get in touch with the bank, so on and so forth. Or, you can have Piping Plover manage the entire process for you. The best thing is that, because of the advantageous pricing we get from contractors, you don’t pay anything for our services. You get an unconflicted consultant that will save you money, headaches and time.

Call Piping Plover today at (608) 826-HOME to find out more about how the process works. We’re also the only ones who can run an instant report that compares your home’s energy use to other homes around Dane County and in your own neighborhood. That way you’ll have a sense of whether or not there is much in the way of potential savings.

For more information regarding the Green Madison program visit the link below.

http://cityofmadison.com/greenMadison

City, Focus, Summit Team Up on New Energy Efficiency Program – Journal Sentinel Online – Though this program is Milwaukee based, the City of Madison will be launching a similar program soon. The Green Madison program will offer low interest financing to homeowners participating in the Home Performance with ENERGYSTAR program.

Legislative Committee Clears Way For Stricter Wind Farm Regulations – Wisconsin State Journal - The Public Service Commission’s rules that were set last year were due to take effect last week but the standards were suspended by the Republican lawmakers that opposed it. They’d like the siting rules to much stricter and beneficial to landowners.

Biz Beat: Energy Programs Get Walker Ax – The Cap Times – Governor Walker’s proposed budget eliminates the Office Of Energy Independence, reduces the goal of gasoline reduction from 50% to only 20%, gets rid of guidelines requiring hybrid or alternative energy vehicles, and eliminates the Small Business Environmental Council, amongst other cuts. Along with the wind siting changes and the proposed reduction in the PSC’s energy efficiency programs, Wisconsin will be taking a dramatic step back in energy and will guarantee our continued dependence on fossil fuels.

Local Utility Helps School Save Money and Improve Its Lighting – The Columbus Journal – Columbus Water & Light, with grants from Focus On Energy and WPPI, will make lighting improvements to St. Jerome’s School that will save $1,500 annually.