Helping Business and Industry Remain Competitive

Through WPPI’s RFP for Energy Efficiency program, five large power customers of member utilities received a total of more than $220,000 in grants for energy efficiency projects.

Awards went to five Wisconsin companies: Pace Industries of Reedsburg, Minnesota Rubber & Plastics of River Falls, Thilmany LLC of Kaukauna, Nestle Purina PetCare of Jefferson, and Saputo Cheese USA, Reedsburg. Together, these projects are reducing energy use by 2,242,000 kWh per year, equivalent to the energy needed to power 250 homes.

WPPI’s RFP for Energy Efficiency program makes energy-saving projects a worthwhile business investment for large power customers. Large commercial and industrial customers are invited to submit competitive proposals for cost-effective upgrades to equipment and systems within their facilities. An additional three bidding cycles will be made available in 2008, with up to $250,000 awarded in each cycle.

Funding for energy efficiency projects is also available through WPPI’s Efficiency Improvement Incentive program. Business, government, school and agricultural customers may participate. More than $750,000 in incentives was awarded in 2007 by WPPI and its member utilities, funding projects such as industrial equipment upgrades.

Encouraging Wind and Solar Energy Projects

WPPI also provided $56,067 in financial incentives to both residential and business customers of member utilities in 2007 for renewable projects. These grants are designed to help customers install new photovoltaic (PV), wind and solar water heating systems, repair existing systems, or assess the potential for installing a system at their homes or businesses.

To date, incentives have supported more than a dozen site assessment surveys, the installation of new PV and solar water heating systems, and repairs to existing solar water heating systems. Incentives granted in 2007 achieved energy efficiencies that will save approximately 44,325 kWh each year.

Also in partnership with members, WPPI funded a number of community-based solar projects that will help power municipally owned and operated buildings in member communities. These included a solar project at River Falls High School; a solar PV project that has been installed at the high school maintenance garage in Lake Mills, a partnership between Lake Mills Light & Water and Crystal Farms; and the installation of PV solar panels at Waupun Utilities and Stoughton Utilities.

Partnering with School Districts

Several initiatives introduced by WPPI are bringing renewable energy to local schools and providing teaching opportunities at the same time. Using a Demonstration of Energy-Efficiency Developments (DEED) grant from the American Public Power Association, WPPI developed a community energy conservation package that incorporates “service learning” by high school students.

In Reedsburg, the Reedsburg Utility Commission (RUC) and WPPI have been working with the Reedsburg School District for several years to implement energy-saving improvements to the high school. These improvements, funded in part with RUC and WPPI grants, yielded significant savings in energy costs for the school district. In 2007, students gained hands-on experience in energy efficiency and conservation by analyzing the school’s energy use and suggesting improvements.

Energy management services have been provided to many schools in WPPI member communities. In Lodi, an energy audit revealed that the high school needed to optimize its heating, cooling and ventilation system. The Stoughton Area School District used grant assistance from Stoughton Utilities and WPPI for lighting efficiency upgrades and other improvements, earning the district the ENERGY STAR® rating for all its buildings.

Bettering Community Life

Member utilities, working through WPPI’s community relations program, donated more than $210,000 to support community causes and events in 2007. Contributions were earmarked for donations to local charities, service groups, economic development organizations and community events. Member utilities also provided scholarships to local high school students.

Leading by Example in River Falls

WPPI developed its “Leading by Example” program in order to encourage local communities to instill a strong conservation ethic while demonstrating the effectiveness of energy efficiency, conservation and renewable resource development.

The goal is to establish WPPI member utilities as models in the community and the region. Each pilot community is expected to make a substantial leadership commitment by its utility and the city or village, as well as some monetary commitment. WPPI provides funding that can be used to support the effort, as well as staff assistance and expertise.

River Falls Municipal Utilities (RFMU) became the first WPPI member to pilot the program, working in tandem with the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. In September 2006, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle selected UW-River Falls to serve as one of the four educational campuses participating in his “Energy Independence” initiative. RFMU, WPPI and university officials are working together to achieve “carbon neutrality” for the campus within five years.

  Early on, the students of UW-River Falls voted to purchase the electricity needed to operate the University Center — a model of sustainability — from renewable energy sources. The campus plans additional energy conservation efforts, including an eventual conversion to all renewable resources for its energy needs campus-wide. WPPI staff is assisting in these efforts, including a study to determine the wind resource potential on campus.

From this beginning, the River Falls initiative has expanded to a community-wide effort led by a broad coalition of local officials, educators, business leaders, environmental groups and citizens. In 2007, RFMU formed a leadership advisory committee comprised of community representatives. The group has introduced “POWERful Choices!,” a multi-year campaign to motivate the entire community to work together to save energy and use electricity more efficiently. It is WPPI’s intention that the momentum and leadership demonstrated by River Falls will extend to additional member communities.

Using Energy Responsibly

For WPPI, energy efficiency and conservation begins at home. We strive to be a model for our member utilities and other businesses by implementing measures that save energy and help control costs.

A company-wide energy focus on energy conservation at WPPI’s Sun Prairie headquarters has achieved a 15 percent reduction in energy use. WPPI is working towards a 20 percent goal for 2009 and is urging member utilities to set similar goals.

For the second year, WPPI’s headquarters earned ENERGY STAR certification from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in recognition of superior energy performance. Commercial buildings that have been recognized with the ENERGY STAR designation use about 35 percent less energy than comparable facilities and generate one-third less carbon dioxide.

We have also taken steps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. WPPI’s building is now powered 100 percent by renewable energy purchased from WPPI member utility Sun Prairie Water & Light. In addition, two new photovoltaic (PV) solar panels installed in 2007 will provide more than 9,000 kWh per year of green, emissions-free renewable energy. The solar power generated by these panels, which move and tilt in relation to the position of the sun, will reduce the amount of energy needed from the grid to power WPPI headquarters.