Latest Events, Publications & Website Changes Top
What new at the MREC? MREC Calendar of Events


Be sure to check this page often to keep abreast of the latest events, publications and changes to the MREC website. The What's New section contains direct links to the latest website changes and the Calendar of Events has information and links to the latest events, conferences, seminars and courses.


Whats New at the MREC Website? Top

Most recent additions or changes to the MREC website

Added 1-15-08

EPA AGStar Proceedings Available Online

Find out up-to-date information regarding anaerobic digesters.  All presentations are available for download here

2007 AgSTAR National Conference
November 27-28, 2007
Sacramento Convention Center
Sacramento, California


Added 10-29-07

 New and Improved Stray Voltage Investigators Course Offerings!

We are in the process of redesigning the series of stray voltage investigators’ courses with the following objectives:

  • 1. Reduce time out of office, travel time and time in the classroom
  • 2. Improve knowledge retention
  • 3. Review basic materials at home before attending the course

Our strategy is to combine web-based instructional modules with our classroom sessions. When you enroll for a course you will be sent instructions on accessing the web-based instructional material. You will need to successfully complete these instructional modules before attending the class room session. Each instructional module will have a short quiz to test your knowledge. After the classroom session you will take a ‘final exam’ on-line as well.

The dates for the classroom sessions are:

  • 8 April 2008: Introduction to Stray Voltage
  • 9-10 April 2008: Stray Voltage Testing
  • 14-15 May 2008: Advanced Stray Voltage Analysis

Click here for registration info

 



 

Mark Your Calendars for the Premier Agricultural Energy Conference of 2008!

NEW--DOWNLOAD THE UPDATED BROCHURE  
You can download the
2008 Conference Brochure here for details and registration

46th Annual Rural Energy Conference
February 27-29, 2008
At the LaCrosse, WI Radisson Conference Center

Come join your peers and colleagues for the 46th Annual Rural Energy Conference.  Be a part of the longest-running event addressing the most up-to-date and relevant topics to help you succeed in advancing your rural energy agenda.  The MREC and its member energy providers and land grant universities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota have been at the heart of agricultural energy issues for the past 50 years. 

This year we will return to La Crosse, WI to discuss recent trends in electric distribution technology, distributed generation and interconnection, stray voltage issues, energy efficiency in agriculture and meeting the needs of the expanding bio-energy market. 

The MREC 2008 conference will include two days filled with informative workshops from rural energy professionals.  These workshops will be sure to make this the most worthwhile event you’ll attend in 2008.  Our keynote speakers will be announced in the near future. 

Keep yourself updated by checking our website.  Download the most recent 2008 Conference Brochure here.

 


 

2007 Annual MREC Educational Conference

Location: Holiday Inn St. Paul East

Conference Brochure

The 45th annual MREC conference will have two tracks; One devoted to Farm wiring, electric code and stray voltage, and the other focusing on energy efficiency, distributed generation and assessment of renewable energy options.  Our keynote speaker will give us an overview of the changes occurring in rural communities in the upper Midwest: demographically, economically and socially.  We will also hear about a major study of integrating wind into the grid and get and overview of the ethanol boom from the perspective of corn growers, cooperatives and utilities serving these electric and gas loads.  For more information and to register for the conference download this brochure.

Refer Brochure for more information

This year's pre-conference Workshop will provide you with an update on the latest measurement tools and techniques for stray voltage investigation.  We will give you an in-depth understanding of how to program and use the PMI, SVM-10 Stray Voltage Monitor. Our second session will give you an overview of 'non-standard' stray voltage measurements that you might run across in the field.  Chuck Forster will give us an overview of DC voltage measurements and Doug Reinemann will give an overview of the influence of DC voltage on animal sensitivity.  Chuck will also discuss issues relating to proper and improper measurement and interpretation of high frequency transient events. The last session will be a panel discussion with of the speakers and other MREC members to answer your specific questions on both rural and urban stray voltage.

Investing in Agriculture: A one-day Educational Program and Ag Venture Fair to be held on December 14, 2006 in Wisconsin Dells.

This year's conference will focus
on "Bio-Fuels, Bio-Energy, Bio-Products."  The program is intended for farmers and anyone else with an interest in these emerging areas as a potential investment opportunity.

Major Sponsors include the University of Wisconsin-Extension, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and Badger AgVest LLC. 

To register for the conference at the Early Bird rate by Dec 4, go to:

Investing in Agriculture

For an update on the companies presenting at the Ag Venture Fair, visit www.badgeragvest.com as the conference draws closer.

The brochure is also available at:

Investing in Agriculture: Brochure

Investing in Agriculture: Press Release Document

For more information, contact:

Greg Lawless, glawless@wisc.edu
Co-Director, Agricultural Innovation Center
UW-Extension Senior Outreach Specialist
216 Ag Hall, 1450 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706
phone: (608)265-2903   fax: (608)262-6055
AIC Home Page:  http://aic.uwex.edu  

 

News Release

MADISON, WI Electricians, electrical inspectors and others working on farm electrical needs may want to attend upcoming classes offered by Wisconsin Technical Colleges. These classes are part of the Wisconsin Farmstead Rewiring Program that is cosponsored by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Technical College System and electric utilities. For more information click here.

 

Pipeline - grade methane gas from manure

On Monday, officials announced the successful completion of a methane-from-manure pilot project at Whitesides Dairy near Rupert, Idaho. The Whitesides prototype is the first anaerobic digester in America to produce pipeline-grade methane gas, according to The Times-News. (from Dairy Herd Magazine) For more details, follow this link. Turning Poop into Profits.

 

Energy Institute: University of Wisconsin.

 

September 1, 2006: New Announcement

  • New IET Position Statement on the Possible Health Effects of Mobile Phones and Electricity Distribution 08.06.2006: The Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET), successor to the former 'Institution of Electrical Engineers' (IEE), has published its position statement on the possible biological and health effects of low level electromagnetic fields and radiation principally attributable to power lines, mobile phones and associated base stations. The paper, authored by the IET's Biological Effects Policy Advisory Group, states that there have been no new fundamental scientific insights in the last two years and renews its conclusion that there are no known adverse effects on human health from these fields. The position statement is available on the home page of the IET, as well as a new fact file on the topic.


August 4, 2006: New Project Update

  • Kentucky Launches Rural Energy Consortium: For a description of a state energy office project dealing with energy efficiency and renewable energy that the State Energy Program (SEP) click here. .


February 24, 2006: New Events

  • October 24-26, 2006. Advanced Stray Voltage Investigation . Location: Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, see brochure .
  • June 6-8, 2006. Stray Voltage Investigation . Location: Arlington, Wisconsin. For more information, see brochure .
  • June 5 , 2006. National Agricultural Electric Code Seminar. Location: Arlington, Wisconsin. For more information, see brochure .


December 14, 2005: New Events

July 12, 2005: New Event

  • September 12-15th, 2005. 5th Annual BioCycle Conference on Renewable Energy from Organics Recycling. Location: Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, see conference brochure.


July 11, 2005: New Information Sheets

These short, one page informational sheets give a brief overview of a specific subject.  These informational sheets can be downloaded for you to get up to speed quickly on some frequently asked questions.  The MREC encourages you to distribute these documents in electronic or printed format to anyone with a question.

June 23, 2005: New Information Sheets

April 27, 2005: New Information Sheets

These short, one page informational sheets give a brief overview of a specific subject.  These informational sheets can be downloaded for you to get up to speed quickly on some frequently asked questions.  The MREC encourages you to distribute these documents in electronic or printed format to anyone with a question.

March 1, 2005: 2005 Stray Voltage Conference Brochure (updated version).



February 4, 2005: Mobile Phone Usage and EMF.

  • Dial-a-scare: The mobile phone panic is fuelled by politics, not science. This split between a scientific and more personal face is at the heart of the mobile phones saga. The original Stewart Report back in 2000 was essentially two reports in one. The first was an exemplary scientific review of knowledge in this particular field, which concluded that there was no significant evidence of harm. But the other aspect of the report was about self-consciously acknowledging public anxieties. The world's leading experts in the field have themselves warned against the application of non-science-based precaution, making clear that some proof is required of a hazard. Even the consumer safety-obsessed European Commission, for its own reasons, has felt obliged to explain in an important communiqué that one cannot simply invoke precaution without some kind of identifiable hazard, as opposed to mere uncertainty.  There will be no scientific 'magic bullet' that can resolve this controversy- the saga will continue for as long as those involved want it to. The call for 'more research' may be understandable on the part of some scientists who want to pursue any uncertainty for reasons of intellectual curiosity and/or further research funds.  Were this saga just about mass anxiety or even media alarmism, it is likely that it would have ended long ago. What is fuelling the issue is the race to prove precautionary credentials on the part of particular science-related institutions. Having previously been a voice of reason on the matter, the International EMF Project of the World Health Organization (WHO) has been busily pushing for a more precautionary line on mobiles in the past couple of years - to the dismay of some scientists who see no reason to change advice without compelling new evidence. For the complete article, see: http://www.spikedonline.com/Articles/0000000CA887.htm
  • The four-year REFLEX project funded by the European Union involved 12 groups from seven European countries, which all carried out supposedly identical experiments. Results were then compared to see if any consistent findings emerged. The conclusion? "Electromagnetic radiation of low and high frequencies is able to generate a genotoxic effect on certain but not all types of cells and is also able to change the function of certain genes, activating them and deactivating them," says project leader Franz Adlkofer of the Verum Foundation in Munich, Germany. Michael Repacholi of the World Health Organization in Geneva questions how standardised the experiments were and says the results are far from conclusive. For the complete article, see: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6819
  • The scientists behind the European Union-funded Reflex study said more research was needed to determine the actual effect of the phones on health. But the UK National Radiological Protection Board said people should not be worried by the study's findings.  A spokesman said the study had not shown that biological changes led to disease.  He added that even research looking at the effects of radiowaves on cells and DNA did not consistently find evidence of damage. For the complete article, see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/4113989.stm


January 25, 2005: Wisconsin Farmstead Rewiring Courses.

  • See this update for a listing of all Wisconsin Farmstead Rewiring Courses currently scheduled for 2005.




Calendar of Events Top

University of Minnesota presents a series of workshops on 
"The Profitable Use of Biomass at Ethanol Plants"

February 19th, 2008: Mankato, MN
February 20th, 2008: Norfolk, NE
February 21st, 2008: Des Moines, IA

These meetings focus on evaluating alternatives for using biomass fuels (DDGS or other ethanol co-products and/or corn stover) to generate electricity and process heat at ethanol plants. We believe this approach can positively impact key issues affecting the ethanol industry.

These meetings are for:
• Ethanol Plant Managers and Board Members
• Bankers Financing Ethanol Projects
• Regulators
• Utilities
• Engineering Companies
• Policy makers

Follow this link for more information.


New and Improved Stray Voltage Investigators Course Offerings!

We are in the process of redesigning the series of stray voltage investigators’ courses with the following objectives:

  • 1. Reduce time out of office, travel time and time in the classroom
  • 2. Improve knowledge retention
  • 3. Review basic materials at home before attending the course

Our strategy is to combine web-based instructional modules with our classroom sessions. When you enroll for a course you will be sent instructions on accessing the web-based instructional material. You will need to successfully complete these instructional modules before attending the class room session. Each instructional module will have a short quiz to test your knowledge. After the classroom session you will take a ‘final exam’ on-line as well.

The dates for the classroom sessions are:

  • 8 April 2008: Introduction to Stray Voltage
  • 9-10 April 2008: Stray Voltage Testing
  • 14-15 May 2008: Advanced Stray Voltage Analysis

Click here for registration info

 


 

Mark Your Calendars for the Premier Agricultural Energy Conference of 2008!

NEW- JUST UPDATED!  
You can download the
2008 Conference Brochure here for details and registration

46th Annual Rural Energy Conference
February 27-29, 2008
At the LaCrosse, WI Radisson Conference Center

Come join your peers and colleagues for the 46th Annual Rural Energy Conference.  Be a part of the longest-running event addressing the most up-to-date and relevant topics to help you succeed in advancing your rural energy agenda.  The MREC and its member energy providers and land grant universities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota have been at the heart of agricultural energy issues for the past 50 years. 

This year we will return to La Crosse, WI to discuss recent trends in electric distribution technology, distributed generation and interconnection, stray voltage issues, energy efficiency in agriculture and meeting the needs of the expanding bio-energy market. 

The MREC 2008 conference will include two days filled with informative workshops from rural energy professionals.  These workshops will be sure to make this the most worthwhile event you’ll attend in 2008.  Our keynote speakers will be announced in the near future. 

Keep yourself updated by checking our website.  Download the most recent 2008 Conference Brochure here.


 

2007 Annual MREC Educational Conference, Feb 21-23, 2007

Conference Brochure

The 45th annual MREC conference will have two tracks; One devoted to Farm wiring, electric code and stray voltage, and the other focusing on energy efficiency, distributed generation and assessment of renewable energy options.  Our keynote speaker will give us an overview of the changes occurring in rural communities in the upper Midwest: demographically, economically and socially.  We will also hear about a major study of integrating wind into the grid and get and overview of the ethanol boom from the perspective of corn growers, cooperatives and utilities serving these electric and gas loads.  For more information and to register for the conference download this brochure.

This year's pre-conference Workshop will provide you with an update on the latest measurement tools and techniques for stray voltage investigation.  We will give you an in-depth understanding of how to program and use the PMI, SVM-10 Stray Voltage Monitor. Our second session will give you an overview of 'non-standard' stray voltage measurements that you might run across in the field.  Chuck Forster will give us an overview of DC voltage measurements and Doug Reinemann will give an overview of the influence of DC voltage on animal sensitivity.  Chuck will also discuss issues relating to proper and improper measurement and interpretation of high frequency transient events. The last session will be a panel discussion with of the speakers and other MREC members to answer your specific questions on both rural and urban stray voltage.

Investing in Agriculture: A one-day Educational Program and Ag Venture Fair to be held on December 14, 2006 in Wisconsin Dells.

This year's conference will focus on "Bio-Fuels, Bio-Energy, Bio-Products."  The program is intended for farmers and anyone else with an interest in these emerging areas as a potential investment opportunity.

Major Sponsors include the University of Wisconsin-Extension, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and Badger AgVest LLC. 

To register for the conference at the Early Bird rate by Dec 4, go to:

Investing in Agriculture

For an update on the companies presenting at the Ag Venture Fair, visit www.badgeragvest.com as the conference draws closer.

The brochure is also available at:

Investing in Agriculture: Brochure

Investing in Agriculture: Press Release Document

For more information, contact:

Greg Lawless, glawless@wisc.edu
Co-Director, Agricultural Innovation Center
UW-Extension Senior Outreach Specialist
216 Ag Hall, 1450 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706
phone: (608)265-2903   fax: (608)262-6055
AIC Home Page:  http://aic.uwex.edu  

 

Farmstead Wiring Classes Schedule

MADISON, WI Electricians, electrical inspectors and others working on farm electrical needs may want to attend upcoming classes offered by Wisconsin Technical Colleges. These classes are part of the Wisconsin Farmstead Rewiring Program that is cosponsored by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Technical College System and electric utilities. For more information click here.

2006-07 Farm Rewire Electrician Classes
Dates and Locations

6-Hour Recertification Sessions
2.00 - 9.00 p.m.
January 24, 2007 Madison Area Technical College Watertown Campus 1300 W. Main St (Abbreviated session)
January 25, 2007 CROPP Corporate Headquarters, One Organic Way, Lafarge
January 16, 2007 Willy Wire Hand Room, Riverland Electric Cooperative, N28988 State Road 93 Arcadia
January 18, 2007 Rooms 223 and 225, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Campus 1900 College Drive, Rice Lake

3-Hours Update Sessions
2.30 - 7.00 p.m.
December 12, 2006 Monroe Alliant Energy Office 1915 State Road 69S, Monroe
December 14, 2006 Rooms 2602 and 2604, Blackhawk Technical College 6004 Prairie Road, Janesville, WI
January 9, 2007 Western Wisconsin Technical College, 1000 College Avenue, Mauston
January 10, 2007 Moraine Park Technical College, Rooms A102 & A103, 235 N. National Avenue, Fond du Lac
January 15, Western Wisconsin Technical College, Sparta Campus, 11177 County Road A, Sparta
January 17, 2007 Chippewa Valley Technical College, 770 Scheidler Road, Chippewa Falls
January 31, 2007 Westwood Conference Center 1800 W Bridge St Wausauu
February 1. 2007 Stadium View, 1963 Holmgren Way, Green Bay

December 12-13, 2006. MIDWEST AG ENERGY NETWORK SUMMIT, St. Paul, MN. This conference seeks to "build a network across states and across organizations for moving the Midwest towards clean energy independence with locally owned ag energy production." website.

December 3-6, 2006. 11th NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY MARKETING CONFERENCE, San Francisco, CA. This event calls itself “the preeminent conference for communicating directly with leading renewable energy and green power industry stakeholders.” website.

November 1-2, 2006. 9TH ANNUAL FARMER COOPERATIVES CONFERENCE, Minneapolis, MN. Attendees will focus on the topics of “the future growth and impact of renewable energy; involvement of regional and local cooperatives in sourcing grain for ethanol and bio-diesel production; opportunities in marketing these fuels and by-products; and business structures to finance renewable energy ventures.” website.

November 2-5, 2006. AGRICULTURAL FUTURE OF AMERICA CONFERENCE, Kansas City, MO. The Agricultural Future of America is dedicated to the development of America’s future agricultural leaders. At this conference, “sessions are presented by nationally recognized leaders in agriculture, business, government and education. Delegates have the opportunity to expand their personal and professional skills through discussions and training.” website.

November 15-17, 2006.GREENBUILD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND EXPO, Denver, CO. This event, presented by the U.S. Green Building Council, features “three days of extensive educational programming, workshops, a vast exhibition floor, and ample networking events”, making it “the place you can go to learn what's now and what's next in green building.” website.

November 27-29, 2006. FUTURE FUELS 2006,website..

October 26-27, 2006. Summit on Emerging Technologies in Energy Efficiency, The Long Beach Hyatt Long Beach, California." Come be part of the diverse audience of policymakers, program planners and implementers, researchers, technology developers, financiers, manufacturers, and end users who will share and discuss the latest innovations in energy-efficient technologies and practices. We will look at policy considerations, commercialization strategies, and financing opportunities as we explore how to maximize the short-term impact and long-term benefits of some of today's most promising energy-saving technologies."  website.

October 24-25, 2006. EXPANDING THE RURAL ECONOMY THROUGH ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, Ames, IA. Ames, IA. This conference is sponsored by the Chicago Federal Bank and the Iowa Department of economic Development. "Participants will gain valuable insights from experts who will address the issues and opportunities involved with expanding the rural economy by capitalizing on Iowa's alternative energy potential, sustainable agricultural practices and entrepreneurial talent." website.

October 24-26 , 2006. Advanced Stray Voltage Investigation . Location: Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, see brochure.

October 22-25, 2006. Annual Conference and Trade Show, Location: Winnipeg, Manltoba. The Canadian Wind Energy Association 2006 Annual Conference and Tradeshow will be held in Winnipeg. Several pre-conference events are available free of charge to delegates subject to availability. The Manitoba Composite Innovation Tour is one of the pre-conference events that is running on Sunday, October 22, 2006. Take a look at the following weblinks for information on this exciting conference and the pre-conference events and learn about the rapidly growing Wind Energy Industry and how Manitoba is part of this growth. Composite Innovation Tour,  Pre-conference Event Regustration.

October 17-18,2006. "Seeding Our Future: Expanding Clean Energy Development in the Next Farm Bill" in Des Moines, IA. website.

October 16-19, 2006. SOLAR POWER CONFERENCE AND EXPO, San Jose, CA. At “the largest business-to-business solar event held in the United States,” more than 130 exhibitors and 100 speakers will each bring ‘something new’ to share with attendees,” showing them “what’s new under the sun in the areas of solar technology, energy policy, and market opportunity.” website.

October 19-20, 2006. , Danville, VA. “Farmers and industry professionals will learn the best ways to market their product at the 2006 Virginia Agriculture Summit,” which includes several sessions devoted to bioenergy. websitee 

October 10-12, 2006. ADVANCING RENEWABLE ENERGY: AN AMERICAN RURAL
RENAISSAINCE,
St. Louis, MO. The goal of this USDA and DOE hosted conference is "to help create partnerships and strategies necessary to accelerate commercialization of renewable energy industries and distribution systems." website.

June 6-8. 2006. Stray Voltage Investigation.  Location: Arlington, Wisconsin. For more information see brochure.

June 5 , 2006. Introduction to Stray Voltage Training Course. Location: Arlington, Wisconsin. For more information, see brochure.

March 8 , 2006. Energy Management in Your Dairy Plant . Location: Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, see brochure.

February 16-17th, 2006. 44th Annual Rural Energy Conference. Location: LaCrosse, Wisconsin. See conference page.

February 15th, 2006. National Agricultural Electric Code Seminar. See conference page .

October 25-27th, 2005. For more information, see conference brochure.

September 12-15th, 2005. 5th Annual BioCycle Conference on Renewable Energy from Organics Recycling. Location: Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, see conference brochure.

StrayVoltage Investigator Training Courses. For more information, see conference brochure.

April 25-27th, 2005. National Food and Energy Council Annual Conference. Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin. For more information, visit the NFEC websitee.

March 2-4th, 2005. 43rd Annual Rural Energy Conference. Location: Holiday Inn; St. Paul East, MN.  For more information, see brochure