City-Owned Utility Continues to Seek New Generation

by Bruce Goodman 

The Holland Board of Public Works has entered an option agreement for 3000 acres of land in five Allegan County townships that could generate up to 130 MW of wind energy. The installation of wind-measuring equipment has commenced, with construction possibly beginning as early as 2013 if the area has sufficient wind resources. The municipal utility already has three sources of renewable energy; a 1 MW share in a Grayling biomass plant and two 6 MW shares in landfill gas generation. Meanwhile, after waiting three and a half years for an air permit for its proposed new 70 MW circulating fluidized bed boiler coal-fired power plant, the BPW has voted to take legal action to compel a decision by the MDNRE.