We support that," said Erik Benko. Bill Peacock Listening to the public comments at that meeting was almost identical to listening to comments in North Branch Township and in Burlington Township and in Almer Township and everywhere else Ive been in the state of Michigan.. India Germany Write, call, email; This is really appreciated that you have presented this data over here, I love all the information shared. Topics covered: load mgmt, dynamic pricing, energy efficiency, and much more. To date, there are 70,808 turbines covering 44 states and territories, which includes Guam and Puerto Rico. | However, she said she doesnt know if turbines result in a minimal or large drop in price. Question:Why so many wind turbines? Let Utility Dive's free newsletter keep you informed, straight from your inbox. Oklahoma Wind farm east of Muskegon met with lawsuits, recall While Knight will not have a turbine on his land, he will be able to see turbines that his neighbors have signed up for an eyesore for him. West Virginia The company says the project In Central Illinois, farm land that had been tiled and drained, beginning over 100 years ago has been wrecked by the installation of a wind farce, farm is a misnomer. location.href = "https://www.wind-watch.org/news/?cat="+dropdown.options[dropdown.selectedIndex].value; Michigan Environmental Council Policy Director James Clift is a member of the Great Lakes Offshore Wind Council, which is tasked with proposing good places for offshore wind development, consistent statewide leasing rules, and provisions for public input. And in nearly every case, wind developments are being challenged by local residents. They have stated publicly that they will need support from local communities and other business partners (or purchase power agreements) before this project would move forward. Lesotho DOUGLASS, Mich. It was a contentious Tuesday night in Montcalm County as property owners gathered in protest and in support regarding the possibility of a wind Missouri As to the structures themselves, the state can protect itself from other risks by requiring the developer to purchase bonds to ensure structures are maintained and properly removed after their useful life. Opinions controversies and raised debates, be it political, social, or economic. Kathleen Dorman, Sanilac County administrator, agreed that the biggest impact the turbines would have is the increase of general fund dollars that would then get distributed out between various avenues such as the libraries, the drug task force, parks and schools. Texas The author grants permission Tom Tanton Sri Lanka Michigan Black Enterprises, located near the wind farm, causing substantial economic harm to plan participants. The district has used the extra funds to pay down its bond each year as well as lower the millage rate, having an impact on both the schools budget and local taxpayers. Tillman said the county could see a total of $25 million over that time span. Besides the Mason County wind farm, Consumers Energy is planning development of the Cross Winds Energy Park in Tuscola and Huron counties in Michigan's Thumb region. Bridgehampton, Marion and Washington townships will be home to the actual turbines while Custer Township will make room for supporting equipment. Kritzman said he will be paid a one-time fee of $15 per acre of land he owns. Please check your e-mail for a link to activate your account. var dropdown = document.getElementById("cat"); But the company isnt the only party that gets a financial reward forraising wind turbines. Another stipulation required AEP to install ice mitigation systems on each turbine. Oceana Counties, Michigan, Scandia Wind Offshore LLC, 2 Mar 10. Nonetheless, coming up with a Europe Jamaica Farm in the Great Lakes? In its lawsuit filed in Muskegon County Circuit Court, AEP states that the township board included 32 capricious and arbitrary conditions on the permit that needed to be addressed before final site approval could be granted. Water depth will be tricky in many areas due to current constraints on turbine placement in water over 50 meters. Russia Antigua and Barbuda Maine However, no turbines will likely be placed on Engel's property due to the location next to two lakes. The Crescent Wind Project will help Consumers Energy achieve state-mandated renewable energy requirements as well as the company's own renewable energy goals, said utility spokesman Terry DeDoes. partially addressed: the new wind farm will be visible from fewer places According to state law, local zoning ordinances must protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents, but communities cant create exclusionary zoning ordinances that effectively ban an otherwise legal activity. The land is income-producing property. Tillman said tax negotiations are still underway on the Michigan Wind 2 project. If the wind project is built, Pollard said heplans on moving. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality also still needs to provide approval for certain construction activities, Tillman said. In addition to concerns about financial gain, residents have expressed concern with the safety and wildlife impact of the turbines, among other issues. Connecticut Austria At the end of 2013, wind provided Michigan with between 2,001 and 3,000 direct and indirect jobs, $2.3 billion in total capital investment, and $4,048,635 in annual land lease payments. Michigan Wind Farm (Michigan Wind II Farm) will be equipped with Vestas Wind Systems V100-1.8 MW turbines. The original plan called for a 1,000 MW wind farm, Israel However, this risk is likely lower than the danger of coal prices escalating sharply in the next decade and causing the same economic disruption as $4 a gallon gasoline did. As a result, more Washington Contact Nicole Hayden at 810-989-6279 or [email protected]. Americans back incentives for electric cars, are divided over The past few decades have seen a surge of wind energy development in Some receive checks for hosting turbines on their land; the rest dread the intrusion to their senses. Kritzman, 81, of Marion Townshiphas lived on his land for 55 years and doesnt mind seeing the three turbines that are already about four miles from his home every day. Big Potential Meets Big Opposition," industry as well as the real estate value of the houses there. But the biggest benefit that Sanilac County will see is the estimated tax revenue over the lifetime of the project, which is expected to be about 30 years. Norwegian developers are proposing the states first offshore wind farm in Lake Michigan near Pentwater. dropdown.onchange = onCatChange; Americas Wind Energy | DTE Energy Koshebas petitions claim the trio ignored the legal advice and counsel of the Casnovia Township attorney and voted to unlawfully approve the special land use permit before AEP had met all the specified and designated conditions of the townships zoning ordinance. Indiana Their work was reviewed by Richard Wilson, an attorney who represented Consumers Energy, a major player in the expansion of wind farm developments in Michigan. The recommendations in that version would allow for turbines and their towers to be located closer to property lines, where they might have a greater effect on neighbors. Louisiana Remember, wind turbines only create energy if there is wind. Add to this the current crisis surrounding the coronavirus . Now a Florida based company has announced it is ready to build a new wind park in Bay and Tuscola counties, which will include up to 66 turbines. That project was scrapped in 2015 after running into a lack of community support. The council issued its first report on September 1, 2009. Russ Mason, Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife chief, said the turbines have little impact on ground animals such as deer, but a major impact on birds and bats. Chile All rights reserved. © Fedja Kadribasic. Tetil was shocked when he received the notice of the request because, he said, he believed that the township was too close to the Tuscola Area Airport for any wind turbines to be constructed. Scandia Wind has a proposal for a 1000 MW wind farm offshore from the Ludington Pump Storage Facility (recently downsized). Its a major investment in our township, said Mike Haggerty, Bridgehampton Township supervisor. Using alternative energy sources has always created Oct 08. Whats more, smokestacks go on to cause millions of dollars of unseen damages, greenhouse gasses that warm the planet, premature heart problems, respiratory ailments, and mercury poisoning of our inland lakes. The reimbursement that the company receives is based on the amount of electricity generated. WebMeridian Wind is located in mid-Michigan's Midland and Saginaw counties. Hawaii display: block !important; Nearby Huron County limits noise levels from turbines to an average of 50 decibels from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 decibels the rest of the day. Alaska Denmark WebWind Resources. British Columbia As part of its noncommercial effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe fair use as provided for in section 107 of U.S. That has allowed the school district to decrease its millage rate from 0.82 mills to 0.1 mill in the past year. The share of Americans who are very or somewhat likely to purchase an electric car or truck is about the same as in April 2021. Many community members dont feel thats the right place either. Answer: We covered that topic intentlyhere,hereandhere. area, which includes cities like Chicago and Detroit. The Michigan State University Extension Service pulled from its website a model zoning ordinance for wind energy developments after industry executives and lobbyists complained that its safety standards would impede wind farm development. wind energy. margin: 0 -8px !important; Tillman said the jobs will still be high paying, skilled jobs though. Romania communities, which were severely affected by the economic recession. It just takes a few to believe the money is easy and the reason honorable. On April 20, Schindler sent an email to his MSU colleagues; he said he was surprised that the document was being questioned by wind industry interests. AEP wants to build 31 wind turbines across portions of Casnovia [3] "Great Argentina Landowners get quarterly per-acre payments if the power company has a wind turbine on your land, or cables running underneath it. The removal would be paid for by Exelon. power width: 100% !important; AEP took control of the project after it bought Sempra Energys wind turbine assets in 2019. DTE Energy, which already purchases electricity from two NextEra wind farms in the county, plans to add 4,000 megawatts in renewable capacity over the next few decades. rights, including commercial rights, are reserved to the author. Nevada 2023 www.freep.com. [3]. Lisa Linowes Donate On April 23, township Clerk Jennie Powell, Treasurer Gayle Brock and Trustee Dan Winell voted in favor of the permit, while township Supervisor Kellie Ashbaugh and Trustee Jason Jorgensen voted against it. Answer: Yes. Since it is difficult to claim any energy source as ideal, conservative |. Finland China Alberta And while township officials review and debate, residents try to seek answers to their concerns and explanations to the financial gain of the project. They also claim that township officials knew about the filers circumstances and did not act in their best interest when they approved AEPs special use permit. But while some advocates suggest that nuclear power a source that emits no carbon should have a more prominent role in the nations energy makeup, the public [2] S. Warner, "The Wind turbines provide clean energy primarily through utility-scale projects in rural communities. Lets finish this strong., Sadly it will likely take YEARS for many to recover from this divide., We need to continue to engage in our community. Cuba They are also told the other neighbors have signed on, you might as well sign too. The federal Production Tax Credit that companies can collect is an inflation-adjusted rate currently set at $0.023 per kilowatt hour and lasts for 10 years. Mississippi Although Scandia has not submitted any formal proposal for the wind farm, its publicity has brought the issue to the forefront of public discussion. Lakes Eyed for Offshore Wind Farms. The first set of risks involves the impact on birds, wildlife, aquatic ecosystems and bats. Great post to share!! New Hampshire Aruba wildlife and the migratory patterns of birds that fly over Lake Michigan recovery. Id prefer watching wind turbines spin. In addition to concerns about financial gain, residents have expressed concern with the safety and wildlife impact of the turbines, among other issues. In 2016, Gov. What I see as driving the additional development now is the extension for the Federal Production Tax Credit for wind and also the fact that wind prices are quite low right now, Baldwin said. Industrial wind power, a government created and enabled industry, is not only about the uneconomic. The project, spread over the two townships, would be the third wind farm developed by NextEra in the county. one of them to pay off, thus drawing the attention of the public from Companies had until 2015 to reach that benchmark and all 84 electric providers in Michigan either met or exceeded that, said Julie Baldwin, Michigan Public Service Commission manager of renewable energy section. Latvia Pollard argues that the decision-making process in Wheatland Township has been tainted and that thesituation is "big money talkin'. Czech Republic Costa Rica every year. Because the wind farm will now Those residents who sign lease deals with Exelon, allowing the company to build a wind turbine on their property, get a yearly reimbursement. Of that pot of money, Deckerville Community Schools received about $57,000 in 2015. [ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=93800 ], Wind farm east of Muskegon met with lawsuits, recall attempts. wind turbines A solution is not to build turbines in popular migratory paths. A legal battle over a proposed wind farm of 63 turbines is brewing in a small community in the Thumb area of Michigan. Such stories are many, the most recent concerning a recently cancelled project in central Michigan. But that's not enough to assuage residents concerned that wind turbines will destroy their rural quality of life. At the end of 2014, Michigan ranked 14th in the U.S. with 14 installations representing 1,525 MW of installed wind capacity. very specific areas, and to them it seems counterintuitive that there Their lawsuits are not always successful, and in 2017 a U.S. District Court judge ruled that a moratorium on further wind development can be permissible in some situations. Huron County in Michigan's thumb area imposed a moratorium on wind farms in 2015. Italy | I listened to a virtual meeting in a Virginia County last night. Ten days later, on June 27, Powell, Brock and Winnell all filed appeals in circuit court to have the petitions thrown out. Follow her on Twitter @nicoleandpig. conventional power plant. In May, voters in Huron County defeated permissive windmill zoning proposals by a vote of nearly two to one. If the plan is successful, the turbines could be implemented in 2024. Baldwin said a similar project, Apple Blossom wind farm that is slated to be built in Huron County, was approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission to sell their energy for $45 per megawatt hour. Since then, the price of gas has increased substantially, from an average of $2.95 per gallon in April 2021 to $4.55 in May 2022 the month the new survey was conducted. Roger Knight, 66, of Bridgehampton Townshipis one of those individuals not yet convinced. Nova Scotia The plan, for up to 200 turbines within two miles of The leases provide a guaranteed revenue stream for property owners and local farmers, offsetting fluctuations in crop prices or yields, Tillman said in a statement. "If they had just done it fair and just put people on the board that didn't have the conflict of interest and voted it through, okay, that's different," Wheatland Township resident Chris Pollard said. power Members of the Juniata Township The company alleges that several of those stipulations would totally prohibit AEP from building the project, amounting to $200 million in lost revenue for AEP. but after complaints from the locals, the project was downsized to 500 Madagascar One lawsuit was filed by residents opposed to the project, and the other by the projects developer, American Electric Power. Weekly Climate and Energy News Roundup #411 | Watts Up With That? Its not some communities, nor is it many or most communities. Youre playing Russia roulette with a wind turbine, and nobody wants to do that," said Tim Thornhill, a local farmer. Blogs Those plants result in significant public health costs and damage to our natural resources. Question: What about the conflict of interest and lawsuit?