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A new report titled Michigan's Offshore Wind Potential from the Land Policy Institute at Michigan State University says that Michigan has the potential to become a big player in offshore wind energy:
The preliminary analysis finds that Michigan's portion of the Great Lakes has the capacity to produce 321,936 Megawatts of electricity from wind energy, a portion of which could be developed once depth, technology, view and environmental concerns are considered. Michigan's onshore wind potential was previously estimated at approximately 16,500 megawatts. The information provided by the new LPI report shows much more substantial opportunities for offshore wind energy.
"This result has the potential to elevate Michigan's wind energy profile nationally and internationally because the resource available is significant," said Dr Soji Adelaja, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor and director of the Land Policy Institute. "Michigan is one of few states with the opportunity to generate wind power from its offshore areas."
By way of comparison, a brand-new coal plant (such as the one proposed for Midland) would produce somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 megawatts and a nuclear plant being considered for Detroit area would produce 1500 megawatts.
Speaking of coal plants, Jim Dulzo of the Michigan Land Use Institute notes in Wind Power Is Officialy Cheaper that according to none other than the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the price of new coal-fired power is now higher than the price of wind power due to the increasing costs to extract and transport coal plus the unknown cost of coming CO2 regulations. Here's a link to the FERC's presentation (PDF) and here's part of what Jim says about the implications:
FERC makes the same argument-and similar cost projections-that Tom Sanzillo, an investment banking and utility regulation veteran, made for electricity generated by Wolverine Power Cooperative’s proposed “Clean Energy Venture.” Mr. Sanzillo concluded that building two 300 MW coal- and petroleum coke-burning power plants next to Rogers City was a very risky idea that would more than double local electric rates.
When will Michigan's political leaders get this? Governor Granholm refuses to talk about the eight new coal plants proposed for Michigan-other than claiming there’s nothing she can do. Lansing lawmakers water down or hamstring the renewable energy and energy efficiency proposals the governor touts, proposals that would create lots of jobs and save us some money.
And the same crowd, Ms. Granholm included, endorses protecting DTE Energy and Consumers Energy from customer competition, guaranteeing that innovative green-energy companies head for Ohio, Minnesota, or other Midwest states that already have smart energy policies.
There's a bunch more to read there, and it left me wondering - as the October wind howls outside - exactly what would be driving Michigan to invest in plants that will be with us for 50+ years and need to be fed by imported coal and uranium when we've got this wind thing going on.
What do you think?
4 Comments
I work with a group called the Customer Choice Coalition, which led the unsuccessful fight to use competitive powers to bring more renewable energy to Michigan. Unfortunately, lawmakers passed SB 213 (and Gov. Granholm seems ready to sign it) which will mean LESS renewable power, because it hands all of Michigan's electric system to our two major utilities, who would rather build new coal and nuke plants. The bill prevents entrpeneurs from building new windmills and providing power to the electric system. Instead, the utilities will have the ability to control 100 percent of all new wind power. And they convinced lawmakers they shouldn't have to bring new renewable power on line until 2013. They will make it expensive, and try to convince people to instead give them billions for bad old coal and nukes. Bad public policy. Write the governor. Tell her to veto SB 213 -- which the American Wind Energy Association has said is the worse RPS legislation in the nation. Visit http://www.stopthemonopoly.com for more facts and less rhetoric.
Study: Wind turbines could up state energy 10-fold
Continue reading: mlive.com
Capital Gains Radio: Grabbing the Great Lakes Wind
Listen: Lansing Area Capital Gains
Granholm in Muskegon to help launch wind-turbine business
Continue reading: The Muskegon Chronicle
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