State of Green Business in Wisconsin Cleantech Exchange Frankfurt, Germany | 25 March 2010 John...

State of Green Businessin WisconsinCleantech ExchangeFrankfurt, Germany | 25 March 2010John Imes, Executive Director

State of green business in Wisconsin

Do well by doing good

► About Wisconsin Environmental Initiative (WEI)

► Business as apowerful force for environmental good

► Wisconsin opportunity


Key Regional Initiatives

► Wisconsin is poised to be a global leader in the emerging green economy that includes renewables and biofuels, energy efficient manufacturing, high-speed rail and green urbanism

► A business climate that attracts clean jobs and investment


New North

► Establish a wind energy manufacturing cluster► Technical School wind installation and renewable

coursework► 250 companies in Wind Directory► Efforts to redefine paper making heritage with bio-refineries


Milwaukee Clean Water Hub

► Effort to create a hub for clean water technology► Beer Capital of the World – new direction► Home to 120 water-related companies► Great Lakes Water Institute► Country’s first school of freshwater science► UN Global Compact City for water


Capital Region

► Focus on cutting-edge technologies, greater security and high paying jobs of the future “bioeconomy”:

► Goal to become national leader in groundbreaking energy research

► 10% of the emerging bio industry by 2030

► Wisconsin has the goods…

► R&D capabilities of the UW System, strong manufacturing base, superior work ethic, abundant resources in agriculture, forest products, fast growing export markets, not to mention abundant clean water, clean air, reliable energy supply, good roads and infrastructure – all position Wisconsin for success


Example: Charter Street Coal Plant to bio-mass

► $251 million overhaul with the elimination of the coal use at the facility► Biomass and natural gas boilers► Currently burns 108,000 tons of coal each year providing UW steam

and heating► New biomass boiler will be able to burn up to 250,000 tons a year of

biomass from wood chips to switchgrass pellets


Wisconsin’s Green Tier

► New direction in environmental policy► Modeled in part, after Environmental Pacts of Bavaria

► A better way for industry and small business to make environmental improvements and reduce costs, while receiving incentives such as fast-track permitting, one-stop approvals and lower fees


Green Tier

► Green Tier invites organizations and businesses to become a “Force for environmental good”

► Green Tier does not replace “command and control”

► Benefits for superior environmental performance

► Strategic business advantage, market distinction, reduce carrying costs and financing on deals

► Not interested? – We have a system for you….


Examples of results

► Stericycle ► 1.5 million pounds of plastic diverted through use of reusable containers

► Auto shutoffs installed on all vehicles to prevent idling for more than 5 minutes

► ABB ► Replaced 324 HID light fixtures in the shop area with fluorescent lighting for a

2.4 kW energy savings

► Clear Waters Initiative/Veridian Homes► The City of Madison, City of Sun Prairie, Dane County DNR and Veridian

homes formed a charter in 2006 to address collaboratively address

stormwater issues. Based on inspections of 20 randomly selected Veridian

sites compared to 20 randomly selected other sites, inspectors found that 80%

of the Veridian sites were in acceptable compliance while only 22% of the non-

Veridian sites were in acceptable status.


Examples of results

► 3M Menomonie ► 9.365 million pounds diverted from landfills = $2.248 million dollars

for bottom line

► Edgewood College ► decreased natural gas use 41%

► Federal Foam ► Environmental improvements = $201, 379 annual savings

► Serigraph ► 4,517,240 gallons of water reclaimed through Bio Filter


Leaders vs Laggards

► Wisconsin business dynamic► Dueling studies and ad campaigns► Another tired debate over jobs vs. environment

► Clean Energy Jobs Act► Enormous business opportunity – Wisconsin Goals:► 25% of electricity & fuels from renewable sources by 2025► 2% annual energy use reduction► Create 15,000 jobs


State & Federal Leadership

► USA leadership opportunity► Recovery Act $, High-speed

rail, PTC, job training, R&D► State Energy & Environment

Initiatives, Weatherization, $38

Million in Block Grants, Rebates and Tax Credits

for Consumers & Business, over

300 Energy Independent

Communities


Green Business

► Part of Wisconsin’s heritage

► Native Americans – the original stewards

► Luminaries likeAldo Leopold, John Muir, Gaylord Nelson

► Legacy of business leadership

► What the next generation of environmental leadership looks like…

► Green & Growing

State of Green Business in Wisconsin Cleantech Exchange Frankfurt, Germany | 25 March 2010 John...

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