Below is a positional paper I wrote on alternative energy in Michigan with a focus on wind energy. Check it out I left my sources attached to the bottom if you want to check out some related links.
Executive Summary
One of the most pervasive and controversial social issues in the United States this decade has been its energy policy, and the United States needs to address this issue by supporting alternative energy production within its borders. There are multiple arguments that support the U.S. in seeking energy independence, one of which is its increasing consumption of oil. Even though there are multiple viable solutions to oil consumption the American solution to energy independence needs to be its policy supporting the expansion and production of wind energy. Several states have seen the potential that this alternative energy industry can bring to their state and are attempting to capitalize on its benefits.
States leading the way currently range from Massachusetts, Delaware, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, all the way to Michigan. These states want to compete for the job growth that this alternative energy industry can bring to their state. The state that has the most potential to benefit from this opportunity and has the promise in producing a substantial amount of wind energy is Michigan. Michigan has several factors that appeal as incentives to this industry, including its high volume of wind generated over the Great Lakes, its technically skilled work force, industrial manufacturing history, and existing alternative energy policies. The problem, however, is that there is not enough knowledge or support with the states population to really press for offshore wind farming, which is seen as the states most important attribute.
What is the; Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act 295 of 2008?
The State of Michigan legislature has been working on laws that relate to the national trend of alternative energy sources by the passing of the Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act 295 of 2008.
Social issues such as cap and trade, foreign oil dependence, auto emission regulations and the recent oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico are stimulating further action in alternative energy policy to be taken.
In Act 295 of 2008,
Michigan legislation has set up a basic outline for alternative energy regulations.
Current regulations pertain to energy service companies, energy standards, energy efficiency and conservation, wind energy, net metering, and other pertinent provisions relevant to energy policy.
Act 295 of 2008 is still new and has a lot of room for innovative policies to be implemented over the next few years.
Some of the amendments that should be made relate to Michigan’s policies regulating wind energy; part 4 of Act 295 of 2008.
These policy changes will be necessary for Michigan to stay competitive and lead the way in the American energy reform.
What Does Part 4 of the Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act 295 of 2008 address?
The importance of this act is the implementation of a zoning board that is regulating and researching the initiative to expand Michigan’s wind energy capacity. The board is small and diverse so that it can represent multiple view points related to the energy reform needs in Michigan. Members backgrounds range from utility companies, electric supply companies, state offices, cities, villages, townships, the general public, and environmental organizations. The members of this committee are vital to the decision process because it is their responsibility to expedite the incorporation of more wind energy production in the state. The act also provides details of the boards responsibilities, such as meeting with local governments conducting reports and designating the states primary resource zones.
Other sections in Part 4 of Act 295 pertain specifically to the regulations for the development of the infrastructure for the alternative energy production. These regulations define the process and procedures for application, certifications, reports and construction guidelines relevant to wind energy production. One of these sections, for example, section 460.1161 Eminent domain not conferred relates to the states power of eminent domain, and restricts the ability of the state to expropriate private property for the public use of alternative energy production and expansion. This section of Act 295 is very significant due to the importance of the state’s ability to maximize its alternative energy potential by selecting the most efficient sites for the building of transmission lines connecting wind farms to utilities.
What Arguments support the expansion of Wind Energy in Michigan?
Michigan needs the Jobs!
One of the most important arguments that support expanding wind energy in Michigan is the job creation. Michigan is one of the states hit hardest by the economic downturn in the U.S and has largely seen this in the area of job loss. Due to the consolidation of the manufacturing base that Michigan has been known for it has found itself with a large amount of skilled laborers unemployed. In tooling and constructing wind energy facilities, Michigan is able to provide the largest pool of job applicants already prepared for the type of work that will be brought to the state.
Technological advancements and Industrial Terrain!
Technology like with all things is a process of continuous improvement, and the improvements being made to wind turbines has been in overall increasing in size, literally! In order for the wind turbines to generate more power the size of the blades has increased, the size of the generators has increased even the height has been increasing. These increases in size lead to a large roadblock in transporting them by highway or by railway, which leads to the solution of transporting the turbine parts by boat. Therefore the Great Lakes provide for an excellent alternative for energy manufacturing, their lakes and water ways can allow a new and improved method of transportation.
Michigan the best suited state for offshore wind farming!
Due to a growing concern of health related factors of living near wind turbines, wind energy at the utility scale has been limited. The solution that has been sought out by alternative energy researchers is offshore wind harvesting. The benefits behind offshore wind farming are that the wind speeds are more consistent, and this is because of less wind obstruction. The benefits that Michigan has for proposed offshore wind farming is that it has fresh water lakes that will not erode at the metal structures, it doesn’t have tropical storms and it doesn’t have changes in tide. Other benefits behind offshore wind farming are that it has next to zero noise effects on the public.
How Should Michigan Incorporate These Arguments Into the Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act 295 of 2008?
The Michigan Legislature can incorporate these arguments that are in support of increasing the states wind energy potential in several ways. The first suggestion is that the state should make an amendment to the Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act 295 of 2008 that adds the responsibility to the zoning board of not only designating wind energy resource zones, but also designating ports and manufacturing sites across the state that can be used to support offshore wind farming. The benefit behind making this amendment is that it would show that Michigan is taking the necessary steps for proposing economic development in support of its clean energy transition. Another amendment that should be added would be a deadline for designating what sites are off limits for offshore wind turbine development. This would further promote the commitment to offshore wind farming by providing more guidelines towards where development proposals can be built on.
Why Should You Support the Expansion of Wind Energy in Michigan?
Proposed amendments are only one step in contributing to guidelines for wind energy expansion in Michigan. The other steps relate to the benefits that the state will receive from the promotion of this industry. Michigan residents have an obligation of patriotism by being an American citizen, and they can support that obligation by helping to decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil, and contribute to the overall objective of energy independence. Another obligation Michigan residents have is to the unemployed population in the state, and that obligation can be filled by the job creation that wind energy can bring to Michigan from their support. Overall by utilizing one of Michigan’s abundant resources such as wind generated off of the Great Lakes, Michigan can help improve the lives of more than one Million Americans by fulfilling its potential as an alternative energy producing state and powering American homes.
General Sources Consulted
Michael Klepinger, Mikinetics, LLC. “Planning for Offshore Wind Developments
