Report: Reaching Energy Goal Would Cost Region $3.8 Million
Article from the Ashland Current | Fri, 07/02/2010 - 19:57 | By Claudia Broman
The Chequamegon Bay region would need to spend about $3.8 million to meet a state goal of increasing renewable energy usage by 25 percent by 2025, according to an Energy Center of Wisconsin report.
Those projected costs include savings from more efficient energy use, but don't factor in the possibility of receiving extra funding for renewable energy-related projects, the report shows.
Along with Chequamegon Bay, other communities have found ways to reduce their overall 2025 fossil fuel-based energy consumption by 30 percent, according to a news release issued Friday by the Office of Energy Independence.
“This is significant considering we spend $16 billion on fossil fuel energy every year in Wisconsin, and all those dollars go outside of our state. We are finding ways to reduce our dependence and generate jobs in Wisconsin,” stated Gov. Jim Doyle in the release.
The cities of Ashland, Bayfield and Washburn; the towns of Bayfield and La Pointe; the counties of Ashland and Bayfield; the Red Cliff tribe and the Bay Area Regional Transit authority are all part of a joint pilot Chequamegon Bay Energy Independence program managed by the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence.
Other communities involved in the program include Brown County, Columbus, Evansville, Fairfield, Marshfield, Oconomowoc, Osceola (including the school district), Platteville and Lancaster, and Spring Green (including the school district), according to the Energy Center of Wisconsin report.
The program's 10 participating communities were asked to assess their baseline energy usage, set a goal to have renewable energy account for 25 percent of their projected 2025 energy consumption, and develop a plan to execute energy efficiency and renewable energy measures to accomplish that goal.
After calculating how much energy they consumed from January 2006 to December 2008, the communities estimated their energy use in 2025. For example, the Chequamegon Bay region anticipates a one percent annual growth rate in energy use each year based on 2008 consumption levels.
The communities' plans focus on using purchased renewable energy, as well as “customer-sited renewables,” such as solar photovoltaic, solar hot water, geothermal systems, biomass combustion, wind farms, anaerobic digesters and landfill gas turbines, the report states.
If the 10 communities, including Chequamegon Bay, all put their plans into actual practice, they would reduce their overall 2025 fossil fuel-based energy consumption by 30 percent and reduce their 2025 carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent, the news release states.
“This is an opportunity for local governments to increase collaboration, ensure that these investments are made locally, and maximize generation while minimizing up-front costs,” states the Energy Center of Wisconsin report.
For more information, visit www.energyindependence.wi.gov
The Chequamegon Bay region would need to spend about $3.8 million to meet a state goal of increasing renewable energy usage by 25 percent by 2025, according to an Energy Center of Wisconsin report.
Those projected costs include savings from more efficient energy use, but don't factor in the possibility of receiving extra funding for renewable energy-related projects, the report shows.
Along with Chequamegon Bay, other communities have found ways to reduce their overall 2025 fossil fuel-based energy consumption by 30 percent, according to a news release issued Friday by the Office of Energy Independence.
“This is significant considering we spend $16 billion on fossil fuel energy every year in Wisconsin, and all those dollars go outside of our state. We are finding ways to reduce our dependence and generate jobs in Wisconsin,” stated Gov. Jim Doyle in the release.
The cities of Ashland, Bayfield and Washburn; the towns of Bayfield and La Pointe; the counties of Ashland and Bayfield; the Red Cliff tribe and the Bay Area Regional Transit authority are all part of a joint pilot Chequamegon Bay Energy Independence program managed by the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence.
Other communities involved in the program include Brown County, Columbus, Evansville, Fairfield, Marshfield, Oconomowoc, Osceola (including the school district), Platteville and Lancaster, and Spring Green (including the school district), according to the Energy Center of Wisconsin report.
The program's 10 participating communities were asked to assess their baseline energy usage, set a goal to have renewable energy account for 25 percent of their projected 2025 energy consumption, and develop a plan to execute energy efficiency and renewable energy measures to accomplish that goal.
After calculating how much energy they consumed from January 2006 to December 2008, the communities estimated their energy use in 2025. For example, the Chequamegon Bay region anticipates a one percent annual growth rate in energy use each year based on 2008 consumption levels.
The communities' plans focus on using purchased renewable energy, as well as “customer-sited renewables,” such as solar photovoltaic, solar hot water, geothermal systems, biomass combustion, wind farms, anaerobic digesters and landfill gas turbines, the report states.
If the 10 communities, including Chequamegon Bay, all put their plans into actual practice, they would reduce their overall 2025 fossil fuel-based energy consumption by 30 percent and reduce their 2025 carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent, the news release states.
“This is an opportunity for local governments to increase collaboration, ensure that these investments are made locally, and maximize generation while minimizing up-front costs,” states the Energy Center of Wisconsin report.
For more information, visit www.energyindependence.wi.gov