Wisconsin is also currently processing public comments with regard to three offshore wind proposals. 2 to 10 wind turbines could begin construction within the next few years.
Michigan is starting late, however, and it appears that Ohio will be the first state to install offshore wind turbines in the Cleveland area. Michigan's central position in the Great Lakes region, strong manufacturing infrastructure, skilled labor resource, rail and water transportation hubs, and high technology expertise could make the state highly competitive in an industry that may rival the auto industry in size in coming years. That number represents an unlikely upper end (advocates say up to a third of the nation's electricity), but the report makes the point that the Lakes represent a wind resource of the first order. A thousand megawatts would be comparable to a very large coal or nuclear plant, so the figure represents the equivalent of hundreds of large traditional power plants. The report indicates that 321,000 megawatts of energy might be available off Michigan's shores.
$20 million in payments to 75 landowners.The company says the project would represent a $250 million investment in the area.Ī long term assessment of economic benefits, according to NextEra, the project's developer, include: Now a Florida based company has announced it is ready to build a new wind park in Bay and Tuscola counties, which will include up to 66 turbines. Groundwork for planned wind development in the area. This is beginning to be built out, especially in Michigan's thumb area along Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay, with several new developments planned.Ĭonsumer's Energy has constructed a meteorological tower in rural Elmwood Township, in Tuscola County, to lay the While California has had a great deal more wind development, Michigan actually has a greater wind resource, with the state ranking 14th among states for land based wind potential. Potential for wind manufacturing jobs in the nation. The Department of Energy, in a recent study, named Michigan as one of several states with the highest
With the opening in 2008 of the first large scale new wind installations in the state, and a new minimum requirement for renewable energy development, Michigan may be poised for a revolution Michigan has been behind the curve in developing a wind industry, but could become a strong player in this area in coming years. In addition, there has been negative publicity about resistance to plans for offshore wind in the Cape Cod area. Boone Pickens installations in the Texas Panhandle. Wind energy has gained a tremendous amount of attention around the world, with most reportingįocused on the American Great Plains, such endeavors as the T.