Details emerge about Consumers 40-70-tower wind park for Mason County
Credit: Brian Mulherin, Daily News Staff Writer, Ludington Daily News, www.ludingtondailynews.com 28 January 2010
Consumers Energy has named its proposed Mason County wind park, stated its capacity and issued requests for proposals to wind manufacturers.
The Mason County wind park will be called the Lake Winds Energy Park and will have 100 megawatts of capacity. Consumers Energy spokesman Jeff Holyfield said the number is the “nameplate capacity” which signifies how much power the park could generate at any one moment in time.
Holyfield declined to state the size of the proposed wind turbines, but Mason County Zoning Administrator Mary Reilly said the utility stated in a PowerPoint last spring that it is seeking 1.5-2.5 megawatt towers — meaning about 40-70 towers spread over about 16,000 acres of land in Riverton, Summit, Victory, Sherman, Free Soil and Grant Townships.
Holyfield said he couldn’t confirm that, only that the wind turbines selected would fit Mason County’s restrictions for height due to an airport and other constraints.
For reference, the Stoney Corners Wind Farm near McBain features 2.5-megawatt towers that are roughly 200 feet tall with 150-foot blades.
As part of the development of the Lake Winds Energy Park, Consumers Energy has issued a request for proposal to five pre-selected manufacturers of wind turbine generators.
Consumers’ press release stated that the park is scheduled to begin commercial operation in 2012. Holyfield said the construction schedule has not yet been nailed down.
“It’s a slow process, but we’re making steady progress,” Holyfield said.
A wind-turbine zoning amendment has passed the Mason County Zoning Board and is now before the planning and drain committee of the Mason County Board of Commissioners. Committee members are scheduled to discuss the ordinances at their 1:30 p.m. Feb. 4 meeting at the Mason County Zoning Office in Scottville.
The utility also named its Thumb-area wind farm the CrossWinds Wind Park.
“We’re pleased to reach these significant milestones for our wind generation plans. Wind holds great promise for Michigan as a renewable energy source. Wind is expected to be the primary means by which Consumers Energy will meet Michigan’s 10 percent renewable energy standard,” said Linda Hilbert, Consumers Energy’s manager of renewable energy.
Consumers Energy is the largest supplier of renewable energy in Michigan. More than 4 percent of the power that Consumers Energy supplies to customers comes from renewable sources based in the state.
Wind generation is a major part of Consumers Energy’s Balanced Energy Initiative. Under that plan, by the end of 2017, Consumers Energy expects to own or purchase an additional 900 megawatts of Michigan-based renewable energy. The development of the renewable energy resources will enhance air quality by reducing emissions from traditional power plants.
The Balanced Energy Initiative calls for a portfolio of diverse energy resources to meet the power needs of the utility’s 1.8 million electric customers over the next 20 years. A recent analysis of the plan details how two-thirds of the projected new energy resources needed to serve customers through 2018 will be provided by renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and demand-side management (reducing customer usage during peak periods).
The company plans to invest more than $6 billion in the utility over the next five years including significant investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, environmental and customer service enhancements, and new power generation.
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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