Renewable energy today for brighter communities tomorrow

Now is a great time to start thinking about renewable energy for your school or office. Schools and community buildings make an excellent showcase for the benefits of renewable energy. A renewable energy system provides students and residents with an on-site learning experience, including tracking energy and climate data, while contributing to the energy needs of the building. The entire community can gain a better awareness of the value of renewable energy.

Developing a renewable energy project for a school or community building is a long-term process that requires leadership and commitment. The most successful projects have been those where teachers and government leaders have worked together with residents to raise the necessary funding and to integrate the renewable energy system fully into the community.

How Focus Can Help
Focus on Energy provides incentives for Wisconsin schools and government buildings to implement renewable energy systems of varying sizes. We offer financial incentives for solar electric, solar hot water, wind, biogas and biomass systems. And, nonprofit and local government solar and wind projects may be funded up to 35 percent of project costs—that’s 10 percent more than for-profit organizations are eligible for!

Fuels for Schools & Communities
Focus offers the “Fuels for Schools & Communities” program exclusively for Wisconsin schools and communities to help them save hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs by switching from natural gas to heating their buildings with wood or other biomass.

The program offers interested schools and communities pre-feasibility studies and feasibility studies at no cost, and up to $250,000 toward the implementation of a biomass system. The program complements Clean Energy Wisconsin, Governor Doyle's strategy to strengthen Wisconsin's energy future.

Efficiency first
Before investing in any renewable energy system, it is important to make your school or office building as efficient as possible. Reducing energy use by implementing energy efficiency strategies has the most economical impact on energy bills. By reducing energy use, a building may be able to satisfy more of its energy requirements with a smaller (and less expensive) renewable energy system.

To learn more about renewable energy for your school or office, download the Focus on Energy fact sheets, Introducing renewable energy into Wisconsin schools and Solar energy for nonprofits: local governments, schools and community-oriented organizations today! Or visit our Web site for a complete list of downloadable renewable fact sheets and case studies.