US’ Great Lakes considered best for offshore wind projects
Lake Superior, the largest of the US’ five Great Lakes, was identified recently by wind experts as ideal for offshore wind project development.The US’ Great Lakes are being considered as location for wind project development within the next three years, the Journal Sentinel Online reported last week (June 10). The Great Lakes Wind Collaborative meeting recently held in We Energies’ headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was reportedly attended by offshore wind experts who see great potential on Great Lakes wind projects.
Three to five turbines off Cleveland shores in Lake Erie is the first project proposed for the Great Lakes. The Cuyahoga County government is pushing for the project because a wind-powered manufacturing industry can help the state recover from auto-industry cutbacks, Steve Dever of the Ohio Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force told the Journal Sentinel Online.
Meanwhile, Tom Stanton of the Michigan Public Service Commission reportedly said that pilot projects can get started from 2010 to 2013. Stanton also foresees incredible and rapid growth in the sector.
Although construction of wind projects offshore are more expensive than on land, the proposed wind projects on the Great Lakes are seen as more feasible since they will be set up far enough from communities. This will reportedly keep the Great Lakes projects free from the same opposition faced by on-land wind farms, particularly those on the East Coast.
Wind speed is also supposedly faster over large bodies of water, allowing greater energy production. The winds over Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, two of the US’ five great lakes, are seen as ideal for offshore wind project development.
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Jen Balboa
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