We always try to empower our readers to be more energy efficient.
Of course we’d love for everyone to install a solar array on their home, property, or business, but we know some of you are looking to start small. It is often hard to know where to begin and most homeowners start with many questions and only a few answers.
Everyday we hear about pledges to become carbon neutral, net zero, and carbon negative, and the somewhat frantic race to do so.
Thankfully, some large corporate players have released their goals for reducing their carbon emissions, setting an important precedent that encourages other fossil-fuel-heavy entities to do the same.
Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, especially solar, is about easy actions you can take today and encouraging others to do the same. Read more
6/29/21
We already mentioned why it’s so important to support our local farmers and markets. Not only does this positively impact our economy, but it also greatly reduces our environmental pollution.
When we purchase items to be shipped to us, it takes fossil fuels to manufacture those goods and get them to the consumer. There may also be fewer regulations when it comes to pollution depending on the country where the goods were produced. The further you drive for groceries and basic necessities, the more it increases the carbon impact from driving. The more we can walk to shops, frequent our local farmer’s markets, participate in a farm share/CSA, the more we divest from fossil fuels, support our local economy, protect our environment and build a resilient system. Read more
Summer – time to gather, relax and take vacations.. But the summers we remember are changing, and not for the better.
Farmers lament the severe drought in the Northwest. The National Interagency Fire Center warns California wildfires could start in June this year. And the 2021 hurricane season is predicted to be ominous, after 2020’s record breaking 30 storms.
We have the necessary tools to help prevent further damage to our climate, but they require everyone to do the work. No one is going to make the switch for you. Read more
Do you shop at the Farmer’s Market? Or maybe you’re part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm this season. If so, you are a locavore, someone who buys fresh, local food grown and prepared by your favorite farm or small business.
When someone commits to buying local, they usually like knowing where their food comes from, how far it traveled, and how it was produced. It creates a relationship between the customer and the farmer and can even build community. The same is true when you support solar in Wisconsin. Read more
Posted 1/28/21
A solar group buy is a program for reducing solar energy installation costs for businesses and residences sharing a common bond – very similar to cooperatives! These common bonds could include a geographic area, membership in a co-op, a chamber of commerce, a homeowners association (HOA), a church or combination of churches, or a school district. The end result is that each group buy participant realizes significant cost savings when installing solar and/or battery storage. Read more
(This is the first of a 4-month series on climate or carbon offsets and the S2S program)
By Kurt Reinhold, President of Legacy Solar Wisconsin Cooperative, 3/19/20
This month, Bayfield County officially completed its goal of 100% Carbon Free Electricity operations by purchasing the final 50 Megawatt-hours* of solar offsets (solar RECs) from Legacy Solar Cooperative’s Switch-to-Solar REC inventory. The solar electricity that was purchased by Bayfield County was generated in Monona, Wisconsin by rooftop solar in 2018 and 2019.
*The actual number of kWhs of solar purchased is 49,500 (equal to 49.5 MWh).
For many, this announcement may be just as impressive as it is confusing to understand. At some point, everybody will have asked themselves, “what does Carbon Neutral even mean”? Is it the same as “Net Zero” emissions or even the newer term “Climate Neutral”? And, how did Bayfield County calculate their emissions as well as their achievement of neutrality?
By Nick Hein, 2/26/20
A year after Ken and Barb installed their solar array with the help of Legacy Solar Co-op, it’s been performing even better than expected -producing more than 100% of their electric needs. That’s gotten them thinking, since their utility doesn’t pay them as much for the excess, they’d like to use it to offset (or eliminate) their natural gas usage. They wonder if replacing their current furnace, water heater and appliances with the most efficient models available, their rooftop array could produce all the energy they need to use in a year. Then they could completely disconnect the natural gas service.* So it looks like they could become 100% net-zero, and now the question is whether they should. Let’s join Ken and Barb one evening as they discuss it. Read more
Nick Hein, 12/20/19
If you’re a commercial electric customer and you’ve just installed solar PV on your roof, you’re probably expecting to see a lower monthly electric bill. If you don’t, it’s probably due to peak demand charges and there’s something you can do about it. Electricity doesn’t always cost the same. Depending what tariff schedule (rate plan) you’re on, the electric bill may have any or all of these components: Read more
