What do you think of using UW Milwaukee as

[gizmo1979]

the base for a manhattan project for Green Energy?Much in the same way that Madison is the base for stem cell research.Go all out create the infrastructure the whole nine yards.I think the people are ready for the cost of finding alternative energies.Or is this just a dumb idea?

[ewagner]

1. I don't know...

does UW-Milwaukee have the staff and infrastructure to handle a project that big?

[gizmo1979]

3. I'm not sure.

I know they were looking into starting something like UWM's stem cell research,but with software and were looking to Ireland for idea's.

[BlueJac]

2. It is the best thing.....

these kind of projects should have been started in the 70's but no time is better than now! We need to quit killing the planet,

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Why UW Milwaukee?

Wouldn't some other schools be better choices, like Madison, or even MSOE (if we must have it in WI), or, much as I hate the FIBs, Champaign-Urbana, or even better Kettering University?

If I were to think of "schools that would be good for a Manhattan Project-like project on green energy", I don't know that UW Milwaukee would ever have come to my mind (unless we limited the search to schools in Wisconsin).

Kettering would be an amazing choice.

[gizmo1979]

5. I was looking at just WI

It is a fairly large school,it can get public monies,it's located in a large city where unemployment is high,so from the point of view of helping Wis I thought it was the logical choice.If I was looking for the best school no it wouldn't register. I was thinking outside the box.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. I would certainly support the idea to have it in Wisconsin!

Great honor would be brought to the state, and a lot of money.

I appreciate your selfish reasoning - it WOULD be great to have something like that in Wisconsin.

Thanks for clarifying!

[gizmo1979]

9. You have to think globally

and act locally,right?

[HereSince1628]

6. Frankly I think a school with more engineering history would be better

But just as in the Manhattan project, the centers of development were spread around.

[gizmo1979]

10. That would be good

If someone just gets the ball rolling I think it would gather steam.People are sick of being slaves to fossil fuels.

[marbuc]

8. A project of that scale will require several Centers of Excellence

Provided it has the resources UWM is as good a place as any.

[gizmo1979]

14. How would one even start

to suggest a project this large.I was thinking of hydrogen,electric combination.So you would need the hydrogen production and filling stations along with electrical logistical support.This would take enormous influx of cash and technical expertise.If done correctly it would be a boon for the area,a seattle east.

[drfresh]

11. Do it

I'd be happy for anything like this anywhere in Wisconsin.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

12. A consortium...

That would include MSOE, UW-Milwaukee, U of I, and others.

Projects this large are typically spread out among several research institutions with one acting as the coordinator.

It's an idea that's about thirty years overdue. Remember when Ronald Reagan mocked the conservation programs of the Carter Administration? Eliminated the tax deduction for homeowners who install solar panels? What a putz!

My father-in-law installed solar panels in 1978 and they're still pumping away. Of course, the more advanced version available today would probably take his off "off the grid" entirely.

[gizmo1979]

13. who would be a good person to

put a bug in their ear about this?I think it would take alot of private company cooperation also.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

15. The chancellor of UW-Milwaukee

He's been in the paper several times in recent months, declaring that the university needs to become more of a research center.

I would suspect that the CEO of Johnson Controls would also be interested.

[gizmo1979]

16. Thankyou I'll try that.

[marbuc]

18. Russ Feingold

or maybe Herb Kohl, though I don't know much about him. If Russ wants an additional feather in his cap for the presidential run, this would be a good project for him to champion.

[gizmo1979]

19. I thought Russ

might have a full plate,but I'll give him a ring.Kohl is useless.

[htuttle]

17. UW-Madison Forest Products Research Lab...

...has already done some work on biofuels.

Also, UW Madison Ag Dept seems to be hiring a bio-fuel/bio-energy asst. professor position right now;
http://www.ohr.wisc.edu/pvl/pv_050707.html

[gizmo1979]

20. Well maybe they thought of

it way before me.I'm sure the idea is out there,just no one thinks it's politically or financially feasible.I'm really way out there on this.

[htuttle]

21. Look outside the cities, into farm country

They're all over energy issues in the Ag department. It's a 'natural' place for bio-energy technology to get a foothold (and improve).

Checkout the UW affiliated Midwest Rural Energy Council (MREC):
http://www.mrec.org

Here's an example agenda of one of the conferences they held last March for dairy farmers:

Agenda

Wednesday, March 2:

9:30 Registration, Coffee, Milk and Doughnuts

10:00 Modernizing your Dairy

o An overview of what the Dairy farm of the 21st century looks like; Cutting edge electrical and Information technologies and the Dairy farm as electrical energy generator
o Douglas J. Reinemann, Professor of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Milking Research and Instruction Laboratory

10:30 Building an Energy Efficient Dairy Farm

o Review of the latest energy efficient technologies
o Scott Sanford , Senior Outreach Specialist, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

11:15 Considering an Anaerobic Digester?

o Update on Digester designs that work, manure handling systems for digesters and electric generation technology.
o Mark Moser, RCM Digesters

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Your Electrical System

o How to do it right the first time and when is it time to rewire.
o Mark Cook , State Certified Electrical Inspector

1:45 Everything you every wanted to know about putting wind power on your farm.

o David Blecker, 7th Generation Energy

2:30 Break

3:00 Breakout sessions for individual discussions and more detailed information

* The Modern Milking Parlor: Using information systems to improve Labor efficiency, Energy Efficient Milking, Milk cooling, and Water heating, Variable Frequency drive applications,
* Anaerobic digesters
* Grid Interconnect Issues
* Electric Fencers and cow Trainer Installation and Safety
* Efficient and Effective Ventilation
* Let there be efficient lighting
* Power Quality Protection
* Small Scale wind generators and Large scale wind farms
* Working with an electrical contractor

4:30 Adjourn