Michigan wind farm project gains contracts

RIGA, Mich. — The groundwork has been laid for the first large-scale utility wind farm in southern Michigan to be developed in Riga and Ogden townships.

A proposed wind farm called the Blissfield Wind Energy project recently obtained a contract with Consumers Energy to sell power generated from wind turbines that would be built on leased farmland in the eastern townships of Lenawee County townships and north of western Lucas County.

After months of hearings and rumors, residents last week got their first look at the plans and scope of the wind farm during a joint meeting of the Riga Township board and the township planning commission.

John Deere Wind Energy and Great Lakes Wind, LLC, the developers of the wind farm, asked to appear at the meeting in the Riga Municipal Building to discuss the project and to educate the public and officials on wind turbine technology.

The 2 -hour meeting attended by about 150 people followed a series of discussions held over the last two months during which residents and others spoke out against the project.

The developers have to receive zoning approval from Riga Township and are the first to make plans for a wind farm public.

A firm called JW Great Lakes Wind began collecting data last year on wind speed and direction in Riga and Ogden townships for a potential, separate wind- farm development and reportedly has obtained leases from area land owners.

The firm, which had representatives in Riga, plans to install turbines across 3,400 acres in Hardin County, near Kenton, Ohio.

Riga Township doesn’t have zoning to regulate wind-energy turbines. Township officials said they want to amend the zoning code to address the technology, setting a tentative deadline of the fall for having rules on height, setback, and noise in place.

Doug Duimering, business development manager for John Deere, said at the meeting that plans call for building 45, nearly 500-foot turbines on leased land covering both townships.

The turbines would have the capacity to generate 81 megawatts or enough electricity to power 20,000 homes a year.

In comparison, the coal-powered J.R. Whiting Plant in Luna Pier, operated by Consumers Energy, generates 328 megawatts, enough to power 230,000 homes.

Mr. Duimering said the project would provide 150 to 200 jobs during the construction phase and six to eight full-time permanent jobs to maintain the turbines after the project is up and running.

Demand for utilities to reach goals for having renewable energy sources in place is driving the wind farm, Mr. Duimering said.

The south Michigan townships are considered a prime location, he said, because of the wind resources and land availability as well as the proximity to electrical transmission lines and population centers.

“We think it is a good location,” Mr. Duimering said.

Larry Gould, chairman of Great Lakes Wind, a local group of investors that undertook a wind study nearly two years ago, said leases have been signed with landowners covering nearly 7,000 acres for the $160 million project.

He told the audience that the wind farm would provide additional taxes for the township and the school district and preserve farmland.

“You have the most [wind] shear of any place in Lenawee County right here,” Mr. Gould, who is a Seneca Township farmer and former Lenawee County commissioner, said. “You have the opportunity to produce electricity to satisfy all the needs of Lenawee County.”

Mr. Gould and Mr. Duimering fielded questions from residents who raised concerns about what impact the wind turbines would have on wildlife, local aesthetics, safety, noise, and land values.

Resident Brian Risher wanted to know if this was good for the community.

“To call this a wind farm is an abomination, it has nothing to do with farming. These are 500-foot things on the land. … When these things go up they will be up for a long time. Is this what you want to hand off to your kids?” Mr. Risher said, drawing applause from the audience.

John Deere Wind Energy operates 36 wind farms across the country, including two wind farms in Michigan’s Thumb.