DTE kicks off first operational wind farm

Thursday, February 4, 2010 | Source: metromode
The first of DTE Energy's wind farms is operational now that it has turned on seven wind turbines in northern Michigan near Cadillac.

The 2,000-acre wind farm is the fruit of a partnership between the downtown Detroit-based utility and Traverse City-based Heritage Sustainable Energy. The wind turbines can produce about 14 megawatts of renewable energy and measure 403 feet tall. The project created 100 construction jobs and four full-time jobs at the site.

It is the first operational wind farm in Michigan and will be used to meet the state's new renewable portfolio standard. The RPS requires that 10 percent of the utility's power generation come from renewable sources such as wind and solar by 2015. DTE Energy has struck deals with the likes of Heritage Sustainable Energy to meet that deadline.

DTE Energy has acquired easements on 75,000 acres of land in Huron County in Michigan's Thumb region for development of large-scale wind farms. The company also has two solar energy pilot projects that could produce about 20 megawatts of power.

"We want to get these things going as soon as possible to meet the RPS," says Scott Simons, a spokesman for DTE Energy.

Source: Scott Simons, a spokesman for DTE Energy
Writer: Jon Zemke
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