Construction is underway on Consumers Energy’s newest wind energy park in Tuscola County. It’s a move to help the company meet a fifteen percent renewable energy requirement by 2021
Sean Hammond is the Deputy Policy Director for the Michigan Environmental Council. He said he suspects many communities across Michigan will welcome renewables in the future.
“The thumb is a great place for wind energy and has been highly developed for that reason but realistically as we look at renewables expanding statewide with both wind and solar there’s not really a ground zero that we see. Everywhere has opportunities for renewables”.
Katie Carey is the Director of Media Relations for Consumers Energy. She said since Consumers Energy already has a relationship with governments in the thumb, it's easier to continue building there than to develop in other regions of the state.
“Currently Consumers Energy has a total of 118 wind turbines and by the end of this year we will have the additional 19 turbines. So we own and operate two wind energy parks. That comprises about 50% of our wind energy and then we purchase the other 50% from independent power producers”.
Carey said Consumers already has approval to build 33 more turbines in Tuscola County in 2019.