Contact: Rep. Ted Zigmunt
1-888-534-0002
MADISON – State Representative Ted Zigmunt (D- Francis Creek) told the Public Service Commission today that when reviewing wind farm siting situations like the Ledge Wind Farm project, alternative renewable energy technologies recently approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Jim Doyle should be considered.
“Wind should be part of our nation’s solution to dependence on fossil fuels. However, we should also look at alternative technologies when local communities are negatively impacted by proposed wind farms,” said Rep. Zigmunt.
Wisconsin Act 406, authored by Rep. Zigmunt, identifies several new technologies including geothermal, solar hot water, and solar light pipes as qualifying to meet the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Representative Zigmunt testified at the public hearing in Madison that any of these technologies, locally manufactured solar light pipe technology in particular, are a possible solution to meet our energy needs when wind farms like the Ledge Wind project in southern Brown County present problems. Light pipe technology harvests daylight and uses it to light the interior of a commercial or industrial facility without using electricity for up to 10 hours a day. This renewable resource performs best during peak-use hours when energy is most in demand and most expensive. Considering that lighting amounts to about 35 percent of Wisconsin’s commercial and industrial electrical load, the impact can be significant.
“The light pipe technology that is now included in our state’s RPS is a far less costly energy solution in the Ledge Wind Farm case than building a major new wind farm. And this technology is absolutely benign in regard to impact on local communities,” said Representative Zigmunt.
Rep. Zigmunt’s 2nd Assembly District includes the towns of Glenmore and Wrightstown, which would both be affected by the proposed Ledge Wind Farm project industrial scale wind generators in addition to the adjacent towns of Holland and Morrison in the 3rd Assembly District.
For more information or a copy of Rep. Zigmunt’s testimony, contact this office at 1-888-534-0002.
