Great Lakes Wind Collaborative Quarterly Update

GLWC Headlines
New Steering Committee Co-chair on Board
We are pleased to have Joyce McLean, Director of Strategic Issues at Toronto Hydro, as our new co-chair to the Steering Committee. She will serve the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative well with her tenured experience at Toronto Hydro as well as her experience as project manager for North America's first urban wind turbine co-owned with WindShare, at Exhibition Place, Toronto. Joyce has spent 30 years in the environmental field. In addition to previously serving as the chair of the Canadian Wind Energy Association, she has also held positions as senior political policy advisor to two Ontario Environment Ministers, and as the Ontario representative on the International Joint Commission's Great Lakes Water Quality Board. We are delighted to have such a talented individual co-lead the Steering Committee.

GLWC 2nd Annual Meeting in Milwaukee Featured Offshore Wind Energy 
More than 120 Great Lakes policymakers, wind industry professionals and a host of other stakeholders interested in development of wind energy attended the second annual meeting of the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative, which convened June 10-11, 2009 at We Energies headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

A diversity of topics were addressed by speakers during this two-day event. Day one opened with a welcome address by Tim Eder, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Commission and an overview of the meeting's agenda by Terry Yonker, co-chair of the GLWC Steering Committee. The opening keynote was delivered by Dave Jenkins from the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence. Larry Flowers, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, delivered an opening presentation which highlighted the opportunities of wind energy development in the Great Lakes region to help achieve the United States national 20% by 2030 goal. On behalf of Joyce Mclean of Toronto Hydro, Kevin Edwards, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, presented the Canadian Wind Energy Association's Wind Vision 2025 highlighting opportunities and trends in the Canadian wind market. Representatives from each Great Lakes state and province provided updates on wind developments in their respective jurisdictions. A panel of speakers presented case studies from around the region and touched on various issues being addressed and progress taking place in the offshore wind arena. Two presentations highlighted issues dealing with marine transportation of wind components. Dale Osborn, Midwest ISO, discussed the gamut of issues dealing with transmission and integrating wind power into the grid. The last session of the first day addressed current research on avian and wildlife issues.

The end of the first day featured a "virtual field trip" where participants were treated to additional presentations and a video documentary on wildlife, bird and bat studies at Forward Energy Center and Blue Sky Green Field wind farms in Wisconsin.

The second day began with participants separating into five GLWC workgroup breakout groups: 1) Economic Development; 2) Environmental Planning, Siting and Permitting; 3) Offshore Wind; 4) Transmission; and 5) Great Lakes Wind Atlas. Report-outs followed. The sessions focused on key issues each of the workgroups are addressing. The second day featured a second offshore session encompassing the offshore permitting process for both the U.S. and Canada. All presentations from the meeting, as well as a meeting summary, are available online at http://www.glc.org/energy/wind/conf2009.html. 

GLWC Workgroup Updates
Environmnetal Planning, Siting and Permitting  
Members of the Environmental Planning, Siting and Permiting Workgroup (EPSPW) had a productive breakout session at the 2nd Annual Meeting in Milwaukee. Much of the discussion in the breakout focused on barriers to sustainable siting of wind development. Barriers include obtaining multiple zoning permits, the lack of scientific information for the development of state and local regulations, and limited communication among regulatory agencies. To overcome these barriers, participants agreed that the EPSPW can be a clearinghouse for reliable, peer-reviewed data and information that can be distributed to GLWC stakeholders and others interested in sustainable siting of wind. This potential function of EPSPW will be discussed during conference call meetings in the fall.

EPSPW members are gearing up to work with other GLWC partners on a new Best Practices project through a $99,740 grant received by the Great Lakes Commission from the U.S. Department of Energy. The project, titled Best Practices to Accelerate Wind Power in the Great Lakes Region and Beyond, begins in October. The Commission was one of 53 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) wind energy grant recipients announced by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu at the May WINDPOWER 2009 Conference in Chicago, The Commission's award is one of 11 projects funded in the Great Lakes region.

A new workgroup being convened for the project will examine the policies and practices that are working best within and beyond the region which allow wind development yet are protective of the environment and sensitive to community concerns. Some of the Great Lakes states have robust policy structures that have been tried and tested, while others are still in their early stages. By enabling states to learn from each other and build a more consistent regional profile for wind siting policies and practices, this work will help overcome barriers and promote the benefits of wind development in the Great Lakes region.

This project will help nascent markets develop their own policies more quickly through the development and strategic dissemination of an online "toolbox" of best practices that will be served up publicly on the internet to inform individuals who are interested in wind development in the region. Additionally, The GLWC will partner with other regional groups including the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus, the Midwestern Governors Association and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative to ensure that information developed reaches those best positioned to use that information in developing policy at the state and local level.

The new project will build upon inital EPSP work in developing state wind siting profiles which are available on the GLWC wiki at: http://wiki.glin.net/display/GLWCC/Environmental+Planning%2C+Siting+and+Permitting  

Economic Development  
The Economic Development Workgroup (EDW) fulfilled one of its 2009 work plan tasks on June 4 when it hosted a webinar entitled Economic Aspects of Wind Power in the Great Lakes Region. With over 30 participants, the webinar generated interesting discussion related to the development of wind power in the region. Presenations included detailed analysis of several state and provincial renewable energy programs, descriptions of the wind manufacturing and supply chain network, and an overview of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's ability to conduct robust state-specific economic benefit analyses.
 
A full summary of the webinar is available at: http://wiki.glin.net/display/GLWCC/Economic+Development
 
At the GLWC 2nd Annual Meeting, the EDW breakout session participants identified several new topics to consider integrating into the 2010 workplan including overland and maritime transportation, barriers and incentives to expanding the wind market, outreach to coastal communities, and information and education models for state,provincial and local decision makers. The EDW also gained a number of new members at the meeting.

During the next few months EDW members will be working with the Wind Atlas Workgroup to compile economic development data layers as part of the Great Lakes Online Wind Atlas.For more information on these and other EDW activities, see http://wiki.glin.net/display/GLWCC/Economic+Development


Offshore Wind
The Offshore Wind Workgroup (OWW) was at the helm of drafting a letter sent June 19th to Brigadier General John W. Peabody, Commander of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The purpose of the letter was to convey the need for a federal comprehensive environmental review process for the siting and permitting of offshore wind energy facilities in the waters of the Great Lakes. The letter recommends that the Corps, and the U.S. Coast Guard as a cooperating agency, initiate a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) process as soon as possible to design and implement a comprehensive, proactive PEIS program to establish policies and avoidance, minimization, and mitigation best management practices to address the review of wind energy development activities in the Lakes. A similar letter is slated to target the offshore environmental review process in Ontario.
 
In related news, at the June 10-11 GLWC 2nd Annual Meeting, Steve Metivier of the Corps presented the agency’s regulatory program and permitting process for offshore wind projects in the Great Lakes. Captain Lorne Thomas presented the Coast Guard requirements for offshore renewable energy installations.
 
The OWW is also near completion of a document called Siting Principles and Policy Options for Wind Development on the Great Lakes. This document will provide on-the-ground recommendations for siting offshore wind projects on the lakes. Sections in the document include general development considerations; pre-construction planning; lake floor habitats; fish resources and habitat; avian impacts; acoustic environment; fisheries; lake shore habitats; transportation and vessel traffic safety; and visual resources. The document is slated for completion this summer.
 
Additionally, the OWW prepared a letter in response to the Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to support the preparation of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of a Great Lakes offshore wind generating project, made publicly available by the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The GLWC letter highlights the public participation, environmental assessment, and economic development aspects that should be considered in the development of a full RFP for offshore wind projects.
 
For more information on these and other OWW activities, see http://wiki.glin.net/display/GLWCC/Offshore+Wind.

Regional Transmission
The Regional Transmission Workgroup (RTW) was recently established to identify the main challenges at the state, provincial and regional level related reliability, access and efficient delivery of wind energy in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. An inventory of organizational and jurisdictional work on transmission at both the regional and national levels has been completed. The group plans to monitor the activities of these organizations and determine where and how the RTW can fill a void or enhance any of their objectives.

Currently, RTW is conducting a transmission stakeholder survey to identify critical needs and challenges to new transmission capacity for wind integration in the region. A report following the survey will outline and address the Great Lakes region transmission challenges. In addition, the workgroup will identify the transmission siting processes in each state/province in the region as well as the authorities that oversee the processes. These will be compiled in a list and made available publicly.

The RTW is also tracking the latest transmission provisions in U.S. Congressional bills as well as developing an online transmission bibliography. For more information on these and other RTW activities, see http://wiki.glin.net/display/GLWCC/Regional+Transmission.

Wind Atlas
During the GLWC 2nd Annual Meeting in June, the Wind Atlas Workgroup (WAW) unveiled its mock-up clearinghouse website (http://erie.glin.net/wind). The website serves as a discovery tool for all wind development stakeholders looking for geospatial information to help in their wind suitability research. The clearinghouse features wind resource data layers from AWS Truewind which can be overlaid on top of other data themes such as commercial waterways, railroads, lake bathymetry and airports, among others. The clearinghouse house was developed using open source GIS mapping software by the Great Lakes Commission. During late summer month and early fall, the WAW will provide guidance in refining the clearinghouse mock-up.
 

Efforts are underway to build biological data themes into the clearinghouse. Jeff Gosse, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Chair of the WAW, provided assistance in gathering biological data through his summer intern, Erik Olson. Additionally, the Commission is working with NatureServe (http://www.natureserve.org/) to gather state and provincial data on threaten and endanger species.


For more information on WAW activities see http://wiki.glin.net/display/GLWCC/Wind+Atlas.

State and Provincial Updates
Illinois
Wind energy development in Illinois is growing rapidly – from 0 MW in 2002 to 917 as of June 2009.  Wind energy projects in operation in the state total 917 MW (10th largest in the U.S.). Projects totaling 2,191 MW are under conservation; 892 MW have been permitted, but not yet constructed; and projects totaling 6,940 MW are being proposed.
 
There are two manufacturing facilities related to wind energy components that are located in Illinois. Siemens Energy & Automation located in Elgin, Ill. produces wind turbines, and Trinity Structural Towers located in Clinton, Ill. produces towers for wind turbines.
 

New and revised renewable energy programs being considered for FY2010 from the state Renewable Energy Fund and the Stimulus funds include:

  • Small Solar & Wind Rebate Program - a rebate for systems with the capacity of greater than 30 KW.
  • Community Solar & Wind Grant Program - grants for local governments and businesses for larger systems between 40 kw and 2 MW.
  • Green Industry Business Development Grant Program - grants for new and expanding manufacturing facilities that produce sustainable development equipment (renewable energy, energy efficiency, and recycled content products).
Indiana
There has been a wave of development in 2008 and the first half of 2009. By the end of 2009, the state of Indiana hopes to have 1,000 MW on the grid – mostly due to its access to transmission and markets. In terms of workforce development, Ivy Tech Community College now has a wind component manufacturing degree program. The state is in the process of writing a report that would attract wind manufacturers to the state. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation is trying to attract existing companies to produce wind components through incentives and tax credits. The Indiana Wind Working Group now has 300 members and is very active in promoting advantages of wind. The second WINDIANA conference took place July 21-22 and attracted 634 participants. For more information, see http://www.in.gov/oed/2413.

Michigan
Michigan’s Public Act 295 was passed which includes a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) of 10 percent by 2015. The state’s Wind Energy Resource Zone (WERZ) Board has identified the four best regions in the state for siting wind farms. These zones may be designated as expedited permitting zones.
 
True Net Metering put into place four projects 20 MW and under. The state will have modified net metering for larger projects.
 
NEXTENERGY is doing a lot of match-making between Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and component manufacturers. As a result, contracts and jobs are increasing. They have also had successes with start-ups; two companies are making small wind turbines – Mariah and Swift. Global Wind Systems in Novi, Mich. manufactures utility scale turbines. There are 40 companies in MI slated to make wind components.
 
By 2015, the state is projected to have 2,400 MW of wind power generated. Wind maps show 16,000 MW of wind power capacity in MI.

Minnesota
Most of the wind energy produced in Minnesota is located along the Buffalo Ridge in the southwest part of the state. About 10 percent of the state’s energy comes from wind. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is almost finished with a guidance document on wind energy and under internal review. The Minnesota Department of Health recently published a white paper on the public health impacts of wind turbines. Impacts are mainly related to low frequency noise and shadow flicker. The paper is available at http://www.energyfacilities.puc.state.mn.us/wind.html (Scroll to bottom of page under “Recent Documents and Resources”). The Duluth port on the southwest tip of Lake Superior handles many wind turbines and has a staging area for them.

New York
ConEd and the Long Island Power Authority completed an offshore wind connection feasibility assessment showing 700 MW capacity offshore in New York. LIPA issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for offshore projects approximately 13 miles off of the Rockaway Peninsula. For more information, see http://www.lipower.org/efficiency/wind-offshore.html.
 
In April, 2009, the New York Power Authority released a RFEI on the merits of a Great Lakes offshore wind project. Located in state waters of Lake Erie and/or Lake Ontario, the projects are anticipated to be at least 120 MW capacity.  Responses to this RFEI were due in mid-June.

Ohio
Under SB 221, electric utilities will be required to provide 25 percent of their power by 2025 using advanced energy resources. At least half of that - 12.5 percent - would come from renewable energy resources such as wind, solar and biomass, while the other half could come from other advanced energy resources such as clean coal and nuclear.

There are 20 wind power projects within 12 counties in Ohio. If constructed as currently designed, these facilities could produce between 1,734 to 1,886 MW of electricity; this is capable of powering over 400,000 homes.

Ontario
Ontario’s Green Energy Act (GEA) was passed on May 14. Drivers for the GEA were carbon capture, greening the economy, and upgrading transmission infrastructure. Ontario has a proposed Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program to be managed by Ontario Power Authority. There should be a fairly minimal impact on rates from FIT prices - about 1-3 percent. Currently, 700 MW of wind is installed in the province.

Pennsylvania
BQ Energy is exploring the feasibility of a large wind complex in Northwest Lake Erie. In other state news, thirteen industrial wind complexes are operating in the Appalachian Mountain area, totaling 525 MW; 222 MW are in construction, Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Voluntary Cooperative Agreement now has 22 companies participating. See http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=483&q=171755 for more details.

Quebec
Over 300 MW of wind are operational in the province. From the 2005 call for bids for 2,000 MW, 15 projects were accepted. A 2009 call for bids was released for 500 MW of wind mainly for communities and First Nations.

Wisconsin
The state is in the process of reforming wind siting for small wind projects. Wisconsin Senate Bill 185 would give the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (WPSC) orders to establish some standards for local siting, and an advisory committee would be created to help WPSC in their evaluation process. The Governor’s Task Force recommends enhancing the state’s RPS from 10 percent by 2015 to 10 percent by 2013 and 25% by 2025. There would also be mandates for in-state renewable generation. Several projects are underway to review bird/bat studies in light of the siting processes. WPSC has an open docket regarding whether the state should expand its use of feed-in tariffs or advanced renewable tariffs.
 
Upcoming Events
See the GLWC web site for links to these events and more at www.glc.org/energy/wind
 
 

Great Lakes Wind Collaborative l Quarterly Update archive
The Great Lakes Wind Collaborative (GLWC) is a group established to build consensus and identify and address issues affecting the planning, development, and operation of wind power facilities in the Great Lakes region.
For more information, contact: John Hummer, Commission support staff,
Great Lakes Commission, 734-97-9135, jhummer@glc.org.