Winds of Michigan

Michigan is considered the 14th windiest out of the lower 48 contiguous states.  There are 2.4 Megawatts of installed wind power capacity in the our state.  One wind turbine has been operating in Traverse City since 1996, and two new turbines were installed in Mackinaw City in 2001.  Two new wind plants have been announced, 32 turbines will be installed in the thumb area, and 20 or more have been approved to be installed in Oceana county in the west.  See map below for more information.

Some Common Misconceptions About Wind

Click here for a paper that address several common misconceptions.

Higher Ed, State Facilities & Wind Power

Many state, local, and higher education institutions have been proactive in seeking out wind power and green power purchases across the country.

Click here to learn more.

Michigan Wind Map

Looking at the map of available wind resource, you can see that areas around Lake Michigan and Lake Superior have the greatest potential.  Class 4 and 5 sites are the conventional targets for wind projects, but new wind turbines are becoming larger, cheaper, and more reliable, bringing class 3 sites into the range of economic viability.

For MICHIGAN WIND MAPS - CLICK HERE

Here is a good article on wind power from National Renewable Energy Laboratory

US Wind Power

Older US Wind Resource Map

US Wind Project Map