Article published June 15, 2009
Monroe wind power could face challenges
Panel's list of prime sites excludes region
Large wind turbines in Huron County, Michigan, are part of the state's first commercial-scale wind farm. The Monroe area was not among four locations in Michigan recommended by a panel as the best for harnessing wind energy. But projects in the area include four wind turbines in LaSalle Township and a $19 million factory to produce wind-turbine support towers.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS
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By TOM HENRY
BLADE STAFF WRITER
MONROE - Monroe has high hopes of becoming a big player in the nation's wind-energy boom someday because of a parts manufacturer that has agreed to build a $19 million factory there.
But the greater Monroe area and others along western Lake Erie face an obstacle to hosting a large number of the commercial or utility-scale wind turbines.
A report issued this month by an 11-member board created by the Michigan Public Service Commission identified four regions as Michigan's best for harnessing wind. None was in southeast Michigan.
One is the Thumb region in parts of Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola, Bay, and Saginaw counties. The other three are on the west side of the state: parts of Allegan County, parts of Antrim and Charlevoix counties, and parts of Benzie, Leelanau, and Manistee counties.
"The regions were selected based on the board's findings related to the wind resources, land availability, and energy production potential compared to other areas of the state," David Walters, the panel's chairman, said.
He said the report is preliminary until communities have a chance to comment on it. The comment period ends Aug. 4 and will be followed by two public hearings.The report and more background information are available at michigan.gov/windboard.
Western Lake Erie communities are close to electrical transmission lines and population centers, two factors that appeal to wind developers. Perhaps their greatest drawback is their proximity to two major North American bird flyways, a potential deal killer.
But now the panel, called the Wind Energy Resource Zone Board, has gone on record identifying the regions it considers to have the greatest wind potential.
The panel's report may affect developers' decisions about wind energy in Michigan, because the report was done under the auspices of the state's public service commission, officials said.
State Sen. Randy Richardville (R., Monroe) said the report doesn't stop turbines from being erected in Monroe County or any other part of Michigan, although he agreed that developers may be influenced by it when setting priorities.
"We're still at the beginning of this technology," he said.Projects unaffected
For example, the report doesn't affect a project for Monroe County's LaSalle Township that was announced this year. Four commercial-sized turbines similar to those at the Bowling Green/AMP-Ohio project at the Wood County landfill were proposed.
The LaSalle Township project is being contemplated by Wind Farm Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Detroit-based GM Engineers and Associates. Those affiliated with it could not be reached for comment.
The land under consideration is east of I-75 near Toledo Beach Marina. Portions of it are owned by Toledo businessman Tim Gladieux, LaSalle Township Supervisor Larry Rutledge has said.
Because of its population and access to transmission lines, wind developers can't write off southeastern Michigan, according to Mr. Richardville.
A former economic development director at the Port of Monroe, he was instrumental in landing a start-up company formerly known as Great Lakes Towers LLC for Monroe.
Now called Ventower, the company plans to break ground in August or September on a $19 million factory that would manufacture polelike towers that support the rotating heads of wind turbines.$19M factory planned
The factory is to be built on 38 acres owned by the Port of Monroe and create 152 jobs.
The project was announced by Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm during her State of the State address in early February.
In her address, Ms. Granholm called for a 45 percent reduction in Michigan's use of fossil fuels for electricity by 2020.
Ventower chose Monroe because of the deal it got from the Port of Monroe. It needs access to a Great Lakes port to ship the parts it makes, Ian Charles, the company's financial officer and one of its principal investors, said.
"We're still moving forward and planning it," Mr. Charles said. Production is expected to start about a year after construction begins, he said.
The future of Great Lakes wind power will be in offshore projects, he said.Favorable outlook
Wind is America's fastest-growing form of energy production, although it commands only about 1 percent of the nation's energy market.
Under some of the best-case scenarios, including those outlined by the American Wind Energy Association, it would command only 6 percent of the market by 2020.
So how has it been affected by the economy?
According to a report issued June 4 by Emerging Energy Research, a Boston-area firm, the longer-term prospects for the U.S. wind industry remain strong.
"The U.S. wind industry may post its strongest year ever in 2010, when the incentive-laced economic stimulus begins to show returns and transmission … reaches market," Matthew Kaplan, a senior analyst for the research firm, said.
Contact Tom Henry at:
thenry@theblade.com
or 419-724-6079.
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