Wind power in Michigan

Wind power in Michigan is a developing industry. The industrial base from the automotive industry has led to a number of companies producing wind turbine parts in the state. The development of wind farms in the state, however, has lagged behind. In January 2021, there were a total of 1,481 wind turbines in the state with a nameplate capacity of 2,549 MW.Michigan Wind Farm Map, Thumb WindWind power continues to dominate in Michigan, Windpower Engineering and Development, Michelle Froese, February 21, 2019Michigan Utility Scale wind Farms, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, December 2013 The nameplate total exceeded 2,000 MW when Pine River came online in March 2019. Wind provided 4.2% of the state's electricity in 2016.

Michigan's requirement for 10 percent renewable energy by 2015 has led to increased alternative development in the state since this law was passed in 2008. A ballot initiative requiring 25% by 2025 failed in 2012.Ballot Initiative Would More Than Double Michigan’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, CleanTechnica, Silvio Marcacci, January 15, 2012

The development of alternative energy sources has stimulated new businesses and employment. In 2011, the Environmental Law & Policy Center identified more than 100 businesses in Michigan involved in engineering and manufacturing wind turbine components, and employing 4,000 people.The Solar and Wind Energy Supply Chain in Michigan, Environmental Law & Policy Center, 2011

+Michigan wind generation capacity by year Megawatts of Installed Generating CapacityWind Energy in MichiganWINDExchange: U.S. Installed and Potential Wind Power Capacity and Generation

The first commercial wind turbine installed in the state, a 0.6 MW model, was erected in Traverse City in 1996. It remained the only turbine for several years. Traverse City Light & Power has announced a project to generate 30% of its power from renewable sources by 2020.Traverse City's Utility Goes Greener, Michigan Land Use Institute, Glen Puit, May 20, 2009 In 2001, Mackinaw City installed two turbines rated at 0.6 MW each. (The turbines at Mackinaw City were removed in May 2024.Mackinaw City's wind turbines come down, Soo Leader, Jim Lehocky, June 11, 2024) Laker Elementary School in the Thumb region installed three 65KW turbines and a 10KW one, totaling 0.2 MW in 2005.Gordon Shetler, A Michigan school district goes green, inspiring young minds., EJ Magazine, Spring 2008

The first wind farm in the state was the Harvest Wind Farm in the Thumb, opened in December 2007, with 32 turbines producing a rated 53 MW.Harvest Wind Farm Facts, Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative, 2011 Huron County has the highest number of wind turbines in the state.

In 2010, wind power produced 0.3% of Michigan's electrical power.Wind Energy Facts: Michigan, AWEA, January 2012 Installed wind capacity more than doubled in 2011, to a total of 377 MW nameplate capacity.

The largest wind farm in Michigan, the 385 MW Isabella Wind Project developed by Apex Clean Energy and acquired by DTE, entered full operation in 2021. Global News Wire, 20 April 2021

A number of new projects are proposed in Michigan. In the Thumb region, which has most of Michigan's high-quality onshore wind, 140 miles of new 345 kilovolt lines are being built to allow the region to support hundreds of proposed new turbines.Jeff Kart, "New Michigan transmission line to multiply wind capacity", Midwest Energy News, January 10, 2012

Michigan has potential for offshore wind power in the Great Lakes, but development has been delayed by political considerations. A proposed wind farm in Lake Michigan at Ludington was rejected in 2010."Off-Shore Wind Deal Goes South", Interlochen Public Radio, June 9, 2010

Wind farms

Name Size (MW) LocationU.S. Wind Energy Projects – Michigan, AWEA, 2011Apple Blossom Wind Farm 100 Huron CountyBeebe Wind Farm 81.6 Gratiot CountyMichigan Wind, Exelon CorporationBeebe 1B Wind Farm 50.4 Gratiot CountyBig Turtle Wind Farm 50 Huron CountyBig Turtle , Heritage WindBrookfield Wind Farm 75 Huron CountyDTE Energy buys Brookfield Township wind park, DTE, Jun 2, 2014Crescent Wind 166 Hillsdale CountyConsumers Energy adds 60 turbines at Crescent Wind park in Hillsdale CountyCross Winds 111 Tuscola CountyConsumers Energy Opens 111 MW Michigan Wind FarmCross Winds II 44 Tuscola CountySecond Phase Of Cross Winds Energy Park Begins Operating In MichiganCross Winds III 76 Tuscola CountyConsumers: Phase III of energy park now operational and producing energy for customersDeerfield Wind Farm 261 Huron CountyTable 6.3. New Utility Scale Generating Units by Operating Company, Plant, and Month, 2017, Electric Power Monthly, U.S. Energy Information Administration, April 25, 2017Echo Wind Park 120 Huron CountyTurbines begin operation at DTE Energy's Echo Wind ParkFairbanks Wind Farm 72 Delta CountyDTE Energy Commissions Michigan’s Largest Wind Farms, North America Windpower, Matthew Mercure, April 20, 2021Garden Wind Farm 28 Garden Township, Delta CountyGarden Wind Farm, Heritage Sustainable EnergyDTE/Invenergy Gratiot County Wind Project213Gratiot County Gratiot Farms Wind150Gratiot County Harvest Wind Farm I 53 Huron CountyHarvest Wind Farm II 59 Huron CountyHeartland Wind 200 Gratiot County Isabella Wind 385 Isabella CountyLake Winds Energy Park 100.8 Mason CountyLake Winds construction complete; Ludington-area wind farm praised for boosting Mason County, mlive.com, Dave Alexander, September 21, 2012Wind turbines in motion: Lake Winds Energy Park up and running in Mason County, mlive.com, November 26, 2012McKinley 14 Huron CountyMeridian 225 Saginaw and Midland countiesState’s largest wind energy park opens in mid-Michigan, WNEM, James Felton and Emily Brown, April 18, 2023]Michigan Wind 1 69 UblyMichigan Wind 2 90 Minden CityExelon's Michigan Wind 2 Project Now Operational, PRNewswire-FirstCal, Jan. 5, 2012Minden 32 SanilacPine River 161 Gratiot, Isabella countiesPine River Wind begins commercial operation in Michigan, Windpower Engineering and Development, Michelle Froese | March 8, 2019Pinnebog Wind Park 50 Huron CountyDTE Energy’s Pinnebog Wind Park begins commercial operation in Michigan , Wind Power Engineering and Development, Michelle Froese, December 28, 2016Pheasant Run Wind I 75 Huron CountyPegasus 130 TuscolaPolaris Wind Park 168 Gratiot CountyDTE Energy wind park operational; can power 64,000 homes, AP at WXYZ Detroit, April 23, 2020Sigel 64 Huron CountyStoney Corners60McBain, MichiganStoney Corners Wind Farm, Barton MalowTuscola Bay 120 Tuscola, Bay, Saginaw countiesTuscola II 100 Tuscola, Bay counties

Wind generation +Michigan wind generation by year Wind generation (million kW-hours)

+Michigan wind generation in 2015 Michigan wind generation (GWh, million kWh) Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec2008 142 10 6 10 12 13 8 8 5 6 12 16 362009 299 30 31 28 36 29 12 13 19 9 27 22 432010 359 38 24 33 37 27 16 15 19 32 33 39 462011 457 34 52 31 49 35 24 12 18 27 40 73 622012 1,130 107 88 99 88 66 68 38 52 64 121 110 2292013 2,800 309 259 256 294 218 142 128 137 176 230 374 2792014 3,867 420 354 380 386 291 221 210 156 231 355 457 4062015 4,798 501 405 473 435 410 258 228 247 280 529 536 4962016 4,694 524 487 403 330 315 302 273 202 327 392 498 6412017 5,190 453 499 561 547 464 389 201 185 227 512 577 5752018 5,456 763 535 589 468 411 297 243 263 295 536 510 5462019 5,825 602 508 608 667 459 398 273 241 336 521 526 6862020 6,734 608 681 587 512 505 375 273 324 534 641 908 7862021 7,747 564 666 931 674 552 565 438 376 625 615 851 8902022 9,110 881 922 919 845 742 592 509 438 515 838 991 9182023 4,041 683 957 861 915 625

Teal background indicates the largest wind generation month for the year.

Green background indicates the largest wind generation month to date.

Source:Table 1.14.B. Utility Scale Facility Net Generation from Wind, Electric Power Monthly, Energy Information Administration, United States Department of Energy, February 27, 2019

Michigan used 102,489 GWh in 2016.

Wind power in Michigan

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