Winding Michigan up with wind

In the next few years Michigan could start to look like Holland – the country across the ocean – with all the windmills that could crop up. And, yes, though windmills are aesthetically pleasing, they could power Michigan into the top 20 wind powered states and create a ton of energy. Well, maybe not a ton, but a whole lot of megawatts.Excerpt:Michigan, with only five wind farms, ranks 22nd in wind power generation, trailing far behind Minnesota, Iowa and California. Three of Michigan’s wind farms opened last year. Less than 1 percent of Michigan’s total electricity is generated from wind power. But the potential is far greater, industry analysts say. One industry report says Michigan could rank among the top 20 states in wind energy production, churning out 7,460 megawatts — enough to power 1.9 million to 2.2 million homes a year. During the next five years, between 1,000 and 1,700 new wind turbines could crop up to meet the state’s requirements, said Stanley Pruss, director of Michigan’s Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth. “That’s the floor, not the ceiling,” said Pruss, noting its development will dovetail with breakthroughs in battery technology and new uses for the energy grid. Read the entire article here.Read another article about Michigan’s wind power creating jobs here.