Wind power in Michigan

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. In January 2021, there were a total of 1,481 wind turbines in the state with a nameplate capacity of 2,549 MW.[1][2][3] The nameplate total exceeded 2,000 MW when Pine River came online in March 2019. Wind provided 4.2% of the state's electricity in 2016.[4]

The first commercial wind turbine in Michigan, installed in Traverse City in 1996, was retired and dismantled in 2022.

Michigan's requirement for 10 percent renewable energy by 2015 has led to increased alternative development in the state since this law was passed in 2008. A ballot initiative requiring 25% by 2025 failed in 2012.[5]

The development of alternative energy sources has stimulated new businesses and employment. In 2011, the Environmental Law & Policy Center identified more than 100 businesses in Michigan involved in engineering and manufacturing wind turbine components, and employing 4,000 people.[6]

Michigan Wind Generation Capacity by Year
Megawatts of Installed Generating Capacity[7][8][9]

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.[10] 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.[11]

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.[12] Huron County has the highest number of wind turbines in the state.

In 2010, wind power produced 0.3% of Michigan's electrical power.[13] Installed wind capacity more than doubled in 2011, to a total of 377 MW nameplate capacity.

The largest wind farm in Michigan, the 385 MW Isabella Wind Project developed by Apex Clean Energy and acquired by DTE, entered full operation in 2021.[14]

Michigan Wind 1, a 46-turbine wind farm near Ubly, Michigan, 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.[15]

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.[16]

Wind farms
Wind turbines in Tuscola County, Michigan in July 2015.
NameSize (MW)Location[17]
Apple Blossom Wind Farm100Huron County[18]
Beebe Wind Farm81.6Gratiot County[19]
Beebe 1B Wind Farm50.4Gratiot County
Big Turtle Wind Farm20Huron County[20]
Brookfield Wind Farm75Huron County[21]
Crescent Wind166Hillsdale County[22]
Cross Winds111Tuscola County[23]
Cross Winds II44Tuscola County[24]
Cross Winds III76Tuscola County[25]
Deerfield Wind Farm149Huron County[18]
Echo Wind Park120Huron County[26]
Fairbanks Wind Farm72Delta County[27]
Garden Wind Farm28Garden Township, Delta County[28]
DTE/Invenergy Gratiot County Wind Project213Gratiot County
Gratiot Farms Wind150Gratiot County
Harvest Wind Farm I53Huron County
Harvest Wind Farm II59Huron County
Isabella Wind385Isabella County
Lake Winds Energy Park100.8Mason County[29][30]
Mackinaw City1.8Mackinaw City
McKinley14Huron County
Meridian225Saginaw and Midland Counties[31]
Michigan Wind 169Ubly
Michigan Wind 290Minden City[32]
Minden32Sanilac
Pine River161Gratiot, Isabella Counties[33]
Pinnebog Wind Park50Huron County[34]
Pheasant Run Wind I75Huron County
Pegasus130Tuscola
Polaris Wind Park168Gratiot County[35]
Sigel64Huron County
Stoney Corners60McBain, Michigan[36]
Tuscola Bay120Tuscola, Bay, Saginaw counties
Tuscola II100Tuscola, Bay counties

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 Sep Oct Nov Dec
20081421061012138856121636
200929930312836291213199272243
2010359382433372716151932333946
2011457345231493524121827407362
20121,1301078899886668385264121110229
20132,800309259256294218142128137176230374279
20143,867420354380386291221210156231355457406
20154,798501405473435410258228247280529536496
20164,694524487403330315302273202327392498641
20175,190453499561547464389201185227512577575
20185,456763535589468411297243263295536510546
20195,825602508608667459398273241336521526686
20206,734608681587512505375273324534641908786
20217,747564666931674552565438376625615851890
20229,110881922919845742592509438515838991918
20234,041683957861915625

  Teal background indicates the largest wind generation month for the year.

  Green background indicates the largest wind generation month to date.

Source:[37][38][39][40][41][8]

Michigan used 102,489 GWh in 2016.[42]

See also

References
  1. Michigan Wind Farm Map, Thumb Wind
  2. Wind power continues to dominate in Michigan, Windpower Engineering and Development, Michelle Froese, February 21, 2019
  3. Michigan Utility Scale wind Farms, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, December 2013
  4. "Michigan Wind Energy" (PDF). U.S. Wind Energy State Facts. American Wind Energy Association. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  5. Ballot Initiative Would More Than Double Michigan’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, CleanTechnica, Silvio Marcacci, January 15, 2012
  6. The Solar and Wind Energy Supply Chain in Michigan, Environmental Law & Policy Center, 2011
  7. "WINDExchange: U.S. Installed Wind Capacity". U.S. Department of Energy. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  8. Wind Energy in Michigan
  9. WINDExchange: U.S. Installed and Potential Wind Power Capacity and Generation
  10. Traverse City’s Utility Goes Greener, Michigan Land Use Institute, Glen Puit, May 20, 2009
  11. Gordon Shetler, A Michigan school district goes green, inspiring young minds., EJ Magazine, Spring 2008
  12. Harvest Wind Farm Facts, Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative, 2011
  13. Wind Energy Facts: Michigan, AWEA, January 2012
  14. Global News Wire, 20 April 2021
  15. Jeff Kart, "New Michigan transmission line to multiply wind capacity", Midwest Energy News, January 10, 2012
  16. "Off-Shore Wind Deal Goes South", Interlochen Public Radio, June 9, 2010
  17. U.S. Wind Energy Projects – Michigan, AWEA, 2011
  18. Table 6.3. New Utility Scale Generating Units by Operating Company, Plant, and Month, 2017, Electric Power Monthly, U.S. Energy Information Administration, April 25, 2017
  19. Michigan Wind, Exelon Corporation
  20. Big Turtle, Heritage Wind
  21. DTE Energy buys Brookfield Township wind park, DTE, Jun 2, 2014
  22. Consumers Energy adds 60 turbines at Crescent Wind park in Hillsdale County
  23. Consumers Energy Opens 111 MW Michigan Wind Farm
  24. Second Phase Of Cross Winds Energy Park Begins Operating In Michigan
  25. Consumers: Phase III of energy park now operational and producing energy for customers
  26. Turbines begin operation at DTE Energy's Echo Wind Park
  27. DTE Energy Commissions Michigan’s Largest Wind Farms, North America Windpower, Matthew Mercure, April 20, 2021
  28. Garden Wind Farm, Heritage Sustainable Energy
  29. Lake Winds construction complete; Ludington-area wind farm praised for boosting Mason County, mlive.com, Dave Alexander, September 21, 2012
  30. Wind turbines in motion: Lake Winds Energy Park up and running in Mason County, mlive.com, November 26, 2012
  31. State’s largest wind energy park opens in mid-Michigan, WNEM, James Felton and Emily Brown, April 18, 2023]
  32. Exelon's Michigan Wind 2 Project Now Operational, PRNewswire-FirstCal, Jan. 5, 2012
  33. Pine River Wind begins commercial operation in Michigan, Windpower Engineering and Development, Michelle Froese | March 8, 2019
  34. DTE Energy’s Pinnebog Wind Park begins commercial operation in Michigan, Wind Power Engineering and Development, Michelle Froese, December 28, 2016
  35. DTE Energy wind park operational; can power 64,000 homes, AP at WXYZ Detroit, April 23, 2020
  36. Stoney Corners Wind Farm, Barton Marlow
  37. EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.14.A." United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  38. EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.14.B." United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  39. EIA (February 2013). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.17.A." (PDF). United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
  40. "Electricity Data browser". U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  41. Table 1.14.B. Utility Scale Facility Net Generation from Wind, Electric Power Monthly, Energy Information Administration, United States Department of Energy, February 27, 2019
  42. EIA (December 2017). "Electric Power Annual". United States Department of Energy. p. Table 2.8. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
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