Whether your business is providing wind energy or supplying providers, Michigan has a lot of advantages.

At the start of 2008, U.S. wind energy capacity reached 16,970 megawatts (MW) after a record installation of 5,365 MW in 2007. Growth estimates by the American Wind Energy Association indicate that the U.S. could continue to add as much as 5,000 MW per year. Utility-scale wind power projects now under construction or under negotiation will add at least 5,000 megawatts of wind capacity in the U.S. by 2011. As public demand for clean energy grows, and as the cost of producing energy from the wind continues to decline, it is likely that wind energy will provide a growing portion of the nation's energy supply.

The wind energy industry includes not just power generation, but also the manufacturing of parts for wind turbines and structures and their assembly. Because of the large size of some of these components, geographic proximity to the final site location is a major advantage. Michigan provides a geographic concentration of competitive and cooperative companies and industries that are interconnected by the markets they serve and the products they produce, as well as the suppliers, trade associations and educational institutions.

Wind Activities in Michigan

• Michigan is actively pursuing the adoption of a Renewable Portfolio Standard which would mandate that 10% of Michigan's electricity needs come from renewable sources by 2015 and 25% by 2025. A 10% by 2015 RPS would generate a demand for approximately 1,250 new wind turbines over the next seven years.
  
• Backed by the 21st Century Jobs Fund, NextEnergy is leading and coordinating a state Wind Manufacturing Working Group.  These activities include educational updates and work shops on the wind supply chain, production requirements and specifications and opportunities to directly interact and meet with leading wind OEMs. The Michigan Wind Working Group consists of state departments, utilities, companies and other interested parties that meet monthly to exchange information, discuss collaboration and projects, increase consumer awareness and identify barriers and opportunities.
  
• The Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing of Alternative & Renewable Energy Technologies (CAMARET) is a five-university effort focusing on centralizing manufacturing research expertise related to wind product design and materials, manufacturing processes, systems and supply chain.

When you're ready to get your company connected to our new economy programs, or if you have questions, contact an MEDC Wind Energy Specialist.

• Where wind potential and potential energy customers come together.
  • Wind Energy Brochure
  • Wind Power PDF Map
  • Wind Resource of the Great Lakes - 90m
  • Wind Resource of the Great Lakes - 150m
• An existing infrastructure to support the wind energy industry.
  • Component Manufacturing: Michigan's Future in the Renewable Energy Industry  - REPP
  • Wind Turbine Development: Location of Manufacturing Activity  - REPP
  • Comparing Statewide Economic Impacts of New Generation from Wind, Coal and Natural Gas in Arizona, Colorado and Michigan  - NREL
• Michigan is at the center of North American Industrial Research & Development (Michigan Automotive R&D Directory containing additional information and sources, in PDF format).
  • Michigan leads the nation in industrial R&D spending per dollar of gross state product and trails only CA in total expenditure at $15.2B. (Vehicle R&D spending, for instance, is $10.7B with CA second at just over $2B.)
  • The University of Michigan ranks second in the nation for R&D spending according the National Science Foundation.
  • Michigan ranks seventh in the nation in patents awarded.
  • Michigan is the number four state for producing engineering graduates.
• Additional Resources
  • NextEnergy - Wind Energy Manufacturing Working Group
  • 21^st Century Energy Plan  - Michigan Public Service Commission