Wisconsin Energy Broadcast

On this episode you will hear part two of our interview with Keith Reopelle of Dane County’s Office of Energy and Climate.   Keith will describe the County’s investments in clean energy including the $25 million investment to clean up methane gas generated at the County landfill and make it available for other uses including fuel for vehicles in other states.  This project will include cleaning and refining gas from agricultural biodigesters to put into the existing interstate gas pipeline.  The County is already using the compressed gas (methane) to power the County’s snowplows and other heavy duty vehicles.

The second part of the show is an interview with our own radio show engineer Dave and his wife Nora who are converting their Sprinter van into an adventure vehicle with DIY solar power and batteries!  Learn how they created a specialized van for the road trip of their dreams!

 

Image credit to http://www.sprinter-rv.com/rv-solar-systems/

We kick off this show with news about major utility commitments announced in August to reduce CO2 emissions.   We speak with Will Dean of RENEW WI about emissions reduction pledges from WEC Energy Group and Alliant Energy and what that will mean for the future of renewable energy in WI.

Keith Reopelle, Director of the Dane County Office of Energy stops by the studio to talk with Nan and Heather about his work creating the first ever Dane County Climate Change Council.  This conversation was so interesting we had to break it up into two episodes.  In this first part Keith explains how the Climate Change Council is building a new Climate Action Plan for the community.  To learn more or get involved you can reach Keith via email at [email protected].

On this special one year anniversary episode of the Wisconsin Energy Broadcast, we explore the world of biogas!

A 2014 survey conducted by the State of WI Office of Energy found that there are 136 operating anerobic biodigesters in WI.  There are four main types of biodigesters in use today: 1)  municipal wastewater, 2) landfill gas capture, 3) industrial wastewater and 4) agricultural digesters.  On this episode we will focus on agricultural digesters.  WI is home to 39 agricultural digesters producing power around the state today.  Together they generate about 30 MW of cow power or enough electricity for 600 homes.

Guests Jessica Niekrasz and John Haeckel of Clean Fuel Partners talk about what it’s like to operate two agricultural biodigesters in south central Wisconsin.  Dave Merritt explains how biodigesters meet carbon, energy and water quality goals for Dane County.  And finally Dea Larsen Converse of the Clean Lakes Alliance explains how biodigesters can protect local lakes from phosphorus pollution.

To learn more about biogas in WI check out the WI Biogas Survey Report issued by the WI Office of Energy Innovation as well as the Wisconsin Bioenergy Institute’s 2011 Bioenergy Strategic Plan.

Thanks for listening to the first year of the Wisconsin Energy Broadcast, you can find us now on itunes and wherever you get your podcasts, so check us out and subscribe today!

 

In 2017 Fitchburg installed 362 kw of solar power on City buildings including the library and fire station.  Experts Erica Kleutmeier and Tony Hartmann from the City of Fitchburg talk about their solar projects and what it takes to make it happen in local government.

Check out the live data about their solar power generation at https://www.fitchburgwi.gov/999/Solar-Panels.

The guests also discussed the Madison based Legacy Solar Coop.  Legacy Solar provides opportunities for folks interested in investing locally in clean energy through solar bonds and other financial instruments.