A proposed 70-page report released earlier this month by the Michigan Wind Energy Resources Zone Board has identified an area of Michigan’s Thumb as one of four zones in the state with the highest wind energy potential.
According to the report, the area of the Thumb best suited to the harvest of wind energy includes all of Huron County and portions of Bay, Saginaw, Tuscola, and Sanilac Counties.
The Thumb area’s land mass is estimated to support somewhere between 1,578 to 2,824 commercial-scale wind turbines, with an annual energy potential of between nearly 7 million and more than 12 million megawatt hours. That’s estimated to be enough energy to power up to 20 percent of Michigan’s homes.
The recent report came as no surprise to Tuscola County landowner and farmer Norman Cosens. He and fellow landowners Scott Bernia and Tim Mowry got together about a year ago to discuss the potential that “wind farming” could have on their bottom lines.
“We knew our land was windy, and then a couple of developers began knocking on our doors,” Cosens said. “It seemed to us that we needed to get organized so we could take advantage of the opportunity.”
Over the course of this past year, the group grew to about 25 landowners who represent over 5,000 acres of property in Tuscola County.
“It took a little time to get the group together and to define common goals," Cosens said. "But we’re there now and the timing couldn’t be better.”
The law firm of Howard and Howard Attorneys in Royal Oak represents the landowner group. Rodger Kershner is the firm’s lead attorney in its energy and utilities practice, and attorney Kershner was also a member of the board which released the wind report earlier this month.
According to Kershner, “the next step for these landowners is to approach wind developers who may be interested in developing the property.” Kershner noted that his firm recently sent an invitation to reputable wind developers to determine the level of interest in the project.
“Even at this preliminary stage, we’ve received a good deal of interest from a number of developers,” Kershner said. “The approach that the landowner group has taken really optimizes opportunities -- it saves developers some legwork, which is attractive to them, but an association of landowners also means that the group can speak with one voice and maximize the participants’ bargaining power.”
Kershner was reluctant to discuss income potential “because that depends on a lot of different factors, like whether a particular piece of property is being used for a turbine or an outbuilding.” He did add, however, that “wind farming is generally much more profitable than other types of crops, and typically doesn’t pose much of an obstacle to other farming operations.”
Wind developers who want to receive more information about the Tuscola County opportunity can contact attorney Kershner through www.howardandhoward.com. Indications of interest from developers are due by July 15. A full copy of the draft report recently released by the Wind Energy Resource Zone Board can be obtained at www.michigan.gov/windboard. The draft report is now open for comments from officials in the four areas identified as having the best wind energy potential. Comments are also being taken from the public generally. A final report is expected by the end of this year.
More information about Howard & Howard’s Energy and Utilities practice is available at www.howardandhoward.com/practice/area.asp?id=50.
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