Madison’s Charter Street heating plant to burn biomass

A new biomass boiler will be installed at the Charter Street heating plant as part of Governor Jim Doyle’s commitment to stop burning coal at state-owned heating plants on Madison’s Isthmus.

“We must move away from our dependence on coal,” Governor Doyle says. “This new project will help build the biomass market in Wisconsin, keep the money we spend on energy in the local economy and create green jobs in the area.”

The new biomass boiler will be capable of burning up to 100 percent biomass, everything from wood chips to switchgrass pellets, and will eventually be able to burn about 250,000 tons of biomass per year.

With the switch to biomass, there will be 108,800 fewer tons of coal burned in the area each year and lower particulate emissions. Reducing particulate emissions by moving away from coal at the Charter Street heating plant is a key step in working to improve air quality in Dane County and moving the County back into attainment.

The project will be included in the capital budget which is part of the biennial budget process. Additionally, the project may be eligible for funds under the stimulus package which currently focuses funding on clean, efficient, American energy.

The new boiler is expected to be online before the end of 2012 and will provide steam for heating and cooling the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

Blue Mounds company named NARI 2009 regional CotY™ winner

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) named JG Development Inc. in Blue Mounds as this year’s winner in the Entire House Under $250,000 category of 2009 Regional Contractor of the Year (CotY) annual awards competition. JG Development is a design-materials-build company specializing in Natural Element Homes, remodeling and light commercial construction services.

Contractors from seven regions around the country vie for CotY Awards on an annual basis, and all regional winners will now be eligible for National CotY Awards on March 28 in Atlanta, Ga.

MOVERS

>> Jeff Newman has been promoted to chief financial officer and secretary at Madison Gas and Electric.

>> Knupp & Watson, a strategic communications agency, has announced the addition of Mike Bass to its staff as associate creative director.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Plain: The Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin awarded Kraemer Brothers its Safety Training and Evaluation Process Platinum Award in January, the highest level of safety recognition available in the local ABC chapter. Kraemer Brothers is currently constructing a new hotel across the street from Camp Randall Stadium, the new USFS Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, the Faraday Center Zen Zone for Promega Corporation in Fitchburg and several projects in the surrounding area, including Reedsburg, Baraboo, Dodgeville, Mazomanie and Spring Green.

Sauk County: The Sauk County Develop-ment Corporation has selected the Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort in the village of Lake Delton as the 2008 Large Businesses of the Year. Other winners included Four Elements Herbals, located in the town of Freedom, as the 2008 Small Business of the Year, and St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, located in Baraboo, Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells, as the 2008 Non-Profit Business of the Year.

Avoca: The village of Avoca is set to receive a $272,500 grant from the Community Development Block Grant–Public Facilities (CDBG-PF) program of the Department of Commerce to fund its water system improvement project. The total project cost is $680,500. CDBG-PF grants play an important role in helping communities finance a wide range of projects designed to enhance the economic vitality of the community through the provision of community infrastructure, the expansion of tax base, job creation and increased private investment in downtowns.