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The first commercial wind turbine in Michigan, installed in Traverse City in 1996
Wind power in Michigan is a developing industry. The industrial base from the automotive industry has led to a number of companies producing wind turbine parts in the state.The development of wind farms in the state, however, has lagged behind. As of December 2015, there were 887 wind turbines in the state with a nameplate capacity of 1531 MW.[1] Wind provided 2.4% of the state's electricity in 2013.[2]
Michigan's requirement for 10 percent renewable energy by 2015 has led to increased alternative development in the state since it was passed in 2008. A ballot initiative requiring 25% by 2025 failed in 2012.[3] In 2011, the Environmental Law & Policy Center identified over 100 businesses in Michigan involved in engineering and manufacturing wind turbine components, employing 4,000 people.[4]
Michigan Wind Generation Capacity by Year
|
Megawatts of Installed Generating Capacity[5] |
The first commercial wind turbine installed in the state, a 0.6 MW model, was erected in Traverse City in 1996. It remained the only turbine for several years. Traverse City Light & Power has announced a project to generate 30% of its power from renewable sources by 2020.[6] In 2001 Mackinaw City installed 2 turbines rated at 0.6 MW each. Laker Elementary School in the Thumb region installed three 65KW turbines and a 10KW one, totaling 0.2 MW in 2005.[7] The first wind farm in the state was the Harvest Wind Farm in the Thumb, opened in December 2007, with 32 turbines producing a rated 53 MW.[8]
In 2010, wind power produced 0.3% of Michigan's electrical power.[9] Installed wind capacity more than doubled in 2011, to a total of 377 MW nameplate capacity.
The largest wind farm in Michigan, the 213 MW Gratiot County Wind Project, entered full operation in June 2012.[10]
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Michigan Wind 1, a 46 turbine wind farm near Ubly, with 69 MW capacity
A number of new projects are proposed in Michigan. In the Thumb region, which has most of Michigan's high-quality onshore wind, 140 miles of new 345 kilovolt lines are being built to allow the region to support hundreds of proposed new turbines.[11]
Michigan has potential for offshore wind power in the Great Lakes but development has been delayed by political considerations. A proposed wind farm in Lake Michigan at Ludington was rejected in 2010.[12]
Wind farms
Wind generation
Michigan Wind Generation by Year
|
Wind generation (million kW-hours) |
Michigan Wind Generation in 2015
|
Michigan Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh) |
Year |
Total |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
2013 | 2,800 | 309 | 259 | 256 | 294 | 218 | 142 | 128 | 137 | 176 | 230 | 374 | 279 |
2014 | 3,875 | 421 | 355 | 381 | 387 | 292 | 222 | 211 | 157 | 231 | 355 | 457 | 407 |
2015 | 4,778 | 501 | 406 | 472 | 435 | 409 | 262 | 227 | 246 | 279 | 515 | 533 | 492 |
Source:[24][25][26][27]
Michigan used 104,632 GWh in 2011.[28]
See also
References
- ↑ Michigan Utility Scale wind Farms, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, December 2013
- ↑ State Wind Energy Statistics: Michigan, AWEA, April 10, 2014
- ↑ Ballot Initiative Would More Than Double Michigan’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, CleanTechnica, Silvio Marcacci, January 15, 2012
- ↑ The Solar and Wind Energy Supply Chain in Michigan, Environmental Law & Policy Center, 2011
- ↑ "WINDExchange: U.S. Installed Wind Capacity". U.S. Department of Energy. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- ↑ Traverse City’s Utility Goes Greener, Michigan Land Use Institute, Glen Puit, May 20, 2009
- ↑ A Michigan school district goes green, inspiring young minds., EJ Magazine, Gordon Shetler, Spring 2008
- ↑ Harvest Wind Farm Facts, Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative, 2011
- ↑ Wind Energy Facts: Michigan, AWEA, January 2012
- ↑ Michigan's Largest Wind Farm Enters Commercial Operation, North American Windpower, 06 June 2012
- ↑ New Michigan transmission line to multiply wind capacity, Midwest Energy News, Jeff Kart, January 10, 2012
- ↑ Off-Shore Wind Deal Goes South, Interlochen Public Radio, June 9, 2010
- ↑ U.S. Wind Energy Projects - Michigan, AWEA, 2011
- ↑ Michigan Wind, Exelon Corporation
- ↑ Big Turtle, Heritage Wind
- ↑ DTE Energy buys Brookfield Township wind park, DTE, Jun 2, 2014
- ↑ Consumers Energy Opens 111 MW Michigan Wind Farm
- ↑ Turbines begin operation at DTE Energy's Echo Wind Park
- ↑ Garden Wind Farm, Heritage Sustainable Energy
- ↑ Lake Winds construction complete; Ludington-area wind farm praised for boosting Mason County, mlive.com, Dave Alexander, September 21, 2012
- ↑ Wind turbines in motion: Lake Winds Energy Park up and running in Mason County, mlive.com, November 26, 2012
- ↑ Exelon's Michigan Wind 2 Project Now Operational, PRNewswire-FirstCal, Jan. 5, 2012
- ↑ Stoney Corners Wind Farm, Barton Marlow
- ↑ EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.14.A.". United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ↑ EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.14.B.". United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ↑ EIA (February 2013). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.17.A." (PDF). United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
- ↑ "Electricity Data browser". U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- ↑ EIA (February 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table 5.4.B." (PDF). United States Department of Energy. p. 118. Retrieved 2012-11-23.
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