LANSING – The Wind Energy Resource Board has named four regions, all in the Lower Peninsula, which will be most likely to provide both the wind and the land for utility-scale wind farms. The board is now seeking comment from those communities on both its findings and on the potential effect of new transmission capacity in those communities.
The goal of the board’s report is to allow early planning of transmission needs to serve any coming wind farms rather than waiting until the facilities are developed to build the infrastructure needed to connect them to the grid.
“Transmission system upgrades for both conventional power plants and wind energy systems have typically been constructed to serve an individual project on a case-by-case basis,” the report said. “Given the time and cost involved in planning, siting, and constructing transmission lines, however, this incremental planning approach may be problematic in areas where a significant amount of wind energy development is expected in aggregate over multiple years.”
The board expected that the four regions could generate at least 9.9 million megawatts annually, but with current space for 4,093 turbines could generate up to 17.8 million megawatts. But, while building the turbines could take less than five years, current transmission planning and construction times are based on development of traditional power plants that can take as long as 10 years to construct.
Three of the regions identified as having the best opportunity for wind development are along the west coast of the state: Allegan County, Antrim and Charlevoix counties; and Benzie, Leelanau and Manistee counties. On the east coast, Bay, Huron, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola counties along the Thumb form a single region.
The most power could come from the Thumb region, which has room for 2,824 turbines and could provide up to 12 million megawatts. The smallest was Antrim-Charlevoix, with room for only 195 turbines across the two counties generating up to 841,164 megawatts.
While the board’s plan identifies regions by county, it includes only certain townships within each county, excluding cities and villages, and some townships, as not having enough available land or having other obstructions that would make installing large wind farms impractical.
The board noted that some of the potential wind sites could need zoning changes to be usable. And it acknowledged that some of the sites might not be commercially viable.
“As part of the comment and hearing process on this proposed report, the board will consult with local governments within the identified regions and others on some of these factors, such as impacts on zoning and public acceptance,” the report said.
The board’s final report is expected in early 2010, from which the Public Service Commission is required to designate at least one wind energy zone. The designation will be used as a basis for planning transmission development.
Local governments have until August 4 to submit comments on the report. The board has then scheduled two public hearings:
August 24, 11 a.m., Huron County Expo Center, 170 West Soper Road, Bad Axe
August 31, 11 a.m., Auditorium, Administrative and Conference Building, West Shore Community College, 3000 North Stiles Road, Scottville
The Great Lakes Wind Council, which is looking at off shore wind energy sites, will meet June 10 at 9:30 a.m. at the Hampton Inn and Suites, 2200 Hampton Place, Okemos.
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