Milan community being considered for Sustainable Energy Utility in going green

The Appleton Press
June 22, 2009
By Judy Olson

Email this page

It's only in the exploration stages, but the Sustainable Energy Utility Project showed promise for the Milan area at a meeting held last Monday in the old Milan School cafeteria.

Cheryl Landgren, Board member of the Greater Milan Initiative, explained the possible application of the Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) to communities like Milan following the meeting of about 15 people.

The SEU is an innovative model that provides a comprehensive package of sustainable energy services. It includes high efficiency technologies and appliances, expansion of weatherization services, and implementation of customer-sited renewable energy such as rooftop photovoltaic systems and geothermal technologies.

SEU is a project of the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy that paves the way for the transition to the new green economy by working across class and race lines. "The project brings green technology to residents and small businesses," she said. "The current scale is too large."

Landgren explained the need for energy sustainability projects to start small even though the effects are global in nature. "When you join small projects together with lots of other small projects, you start to make a difference." With that basic theory in mind, Cecilia Martinez, director of the Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in Minneapolis, met with GMI representatives and other interested Milan residents to discuss the possibility of a SEU pilot project.

Martinez is passionate about environmental justice and brings low-income communities into the green mission. "She can bring down the conversation to our level," said Landgren.

At the current time, Martinez is working on a SEU pilot project in West St. Paul. She is also looking for a rural town that would be willing to work with her on a similar project on a smaller scale.

According to Landgren, the GMI would take a leadership role in the local SEU project. The project would allow energy users, whether it is households or businesses, to build a relationship with a single organization to help them use less energy and generate their own energy cleanly.

The SEU project would provide a unique opportunity for public and private sectors to work together to offer information, expertise and incentives under a State grant.

One portion of the project includes the basis of a "revolving loan fund." Landgren used the example of the purchase of energy appliances. The additional cost for "green" purchases may discourage or prohibit a family from actually buying a particular appliance.

The family could get a consultation, participate in environmental education workshops and get a loan to purchase the appliance. The SEU will track how much they are saving in energy costs, let the family keep most of those energy savings and use a portion to pay back the loan.

"Our energy attitude has to change," said Landgren. "Lois Quam shared her initiative on energy earlier this spring; we need to keep moving forward in a community effort."

The public is invited an encouraged to attend the next community forum scheduled for July 15th at 11:00 to continue the discussion and further research the possibility of Milan's involvement in a SEU.

"This is everyone's issue," Landgren added.

NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for research and educational purposes.

Subscribe via rss

Global Food Challenge
IATP explains the policies that have caused the food crisis and the solutions we need.

Green Chemistry
The Green Chemistry revolution is making safer products and protecting human health and the environment.

Local Foods
IATP analyzes the key policy and marketplace issues driving local food systems.

NAFTA
NAFTA leaves a huge footprint on the U.S. and the world. As Washington gears up for the debate, IATP analyzes what's at stake.

Water
From ethanol to privatization, water is a hot issue in trade and agriculture worldwide. Trade Observatory has document and headline collections dedicated to water issues.

Think Forward
by IATP staff

Profiles of over 90 agribusiness companies, including their products, management, corporate geneaology and profit margins.