Using Michigan’s Best Resource: The Great Lakes
One of Michigan’s alternative energy challenges is whether and how to use its best and most abundant natural resource – our water. The strongest Michigan wind resources are on the Great Lakes. Offshore wind turbines can be bigger than those erected on land. The cranes developed for offshore oil and gas platforms are larger than anything on land, and can lift the bigger wind turbines. Constraints on the diameter of towers imposed by road limits do not apply. Taller offshore wind towers can catch the stronger winds to drive the larger turbines. New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Maine are heavily promoting offshore wind projects. Michigan has yet to move aggressively in pushing its obvious offshore advantages. There is a committee looking at the issues. Is it time for us to play our best hand in promoting wind-energy development and the manufacturing base to support it?
