Wind turbines are now much easier to put up in the city, but officials don't expect them to dot the Holland skyline anytime soon. Before now, the city had no specific ordinances addressing turbines. The new language will allow them to be half as tall as the property up to 60 feet in residential areas. The restriction is designed as a fall zone. "It's all very dependent on the size of the property," planner Mark Vanderploeg said about height restrictions.

Over five years ago, White River Township erupted in controversy when Wind Energy Conversions LLC began to lease land from farmers for a potential wind energy farm. ...But a wind farm could again be in the works, according Amanda Abbott, the director of government and public affairs for BP Alternative Energy.

A newly appointed Wind Energy Resource Zone Board will meet Jan. 5. The board, which includes representatives from DTE Energy and Wolverine Power Cooperative, was created by the Michigan Public Service Commission to examine wind energy potential in the state. Tasks for the 11-member board include putting together a list of state regions with the highest level of wind energy potential and estimated generating capacities for each region.

When the state of Michigan commissioned recommendations to help formulate wind energy policies, acoustic expert Rick James saw two problems with the commission. The commission lacked both the expertise of an acoustic engineer and a medical doctor. Without these two perspectives, a major concern of wind turbines - their potential physical side effects due to the sounds they emitted - were overlooked.

"Given the principles and ethics that I live by, I cannot continue to work at the township with a clear conscience. It is a conflict of interest for board members to vote on issues that they have a financial interest in, it is morally wrong to deliberately embarrass fellow board members at public meetings, and elected officials are not suppose to use the office to further their own personal agendas," Bolten's letter reads. "The voters of Lake Township have spoken, and the majority has shown their support for this type of government. I, however, cannot be a part of it." Much of the community's divisiveness stems from possible wind projects in the area.

Forty-six turbines are being tested at Michigan's second commercial wind park in Huron County, and towers that could bring more windmills are being installed in Tuscola and Mason counties. ...Consumers Energy officials also were to announce the start of construction today on three meteorological towers in Tuscola County and four others in Mason County, bordering Lake Michigan. The utility expects to finish construction of the 180-foot-tall "met towers" by the end of the year, officials said. In addition, Consumers Energy will refurbish two existing towers it has purchased in Mason County.

Wind turbines could soon be allowed to dot Holland's skyline, but there will be limits. ...Federal Aviation Administration regulations won't allow larger commercial wind turbines because of height limits near Tulip City Airport, Ottawa Executive Airport and Park Township Airport. The restriction is based on a formula that says the closer a turbine is to an airport, the lower to the ground it must be.

The winds of change may soon be coursing through Oceana County in the form of alternative energy. Voters in Elbridge Township Tuesday approved a zoning ordinance change that will permit construction of a $120 million commercial wind farm. The referendum on the wind farm passed 323-78.

Paul Lehto, Calumet Township supervisor, said Wednesday the township board of trustees has been considering the possibility of establishing rules allowing the development of wind power in the township for residences and businesses. "We are developing two ordinances," Lehto said. The two ordinances would apply to small wind turbines, which would be used predominantly by residences, Lehto said, and large turbines, which would probably be used for businesses.

Imagine sections of the Great Lakes dotted with rows of gleaming, 12-story turbines, blades whirring in the stiff breeze as they generate electricity for homes and businesses onshore. It's only an idea - for now. But government regulators are bracing for an expected wave of proposals for offshore power generation in a region that never seems to run short of wind. Despite its allure as a plentiful source of clean energy, they say, offshore wind power could affect the aquatic environment and commerce.

The popularity of alternative energy will be tested Tuesday in West Michigan when voters in Oceana County's Elbridge Township decide whether to permit construction of a $120 million commercial wind farm. John Deere Wind Energy and Michigan Wind LLC of Big Rapids want to erect 30 wind turbines ...The township board in August approved a zoning ordinance change that allowed the project to proceed. But township resident Don Wierenga launched a successful petition drive to put a referendum on the issue before all township voters.

Connecticut-based project developer Noble Environmental has sold both phases of its 159MW Noble Thumb wind farm to John Deere and has laid off an unspecified number of staff. The move appears to be part of a company effort to raise cash and reduce costs. New Energy Finance could not reach a current spokesperson for comment. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the sale of the Noble Thumb project on October 14, according to a commission document. The two companies first notified FERC of their intentions on August 27.

Connecticut-based Noble Environmental Power began building a 46-turbine wind park near Ubly in July.The state's second commercial wind park has changed hands, but construction is expected to be complete by the end of the month. The company announced Monday that the park has been sold to John Deere Wind Energy ...News of Noble's troubles has been blowing across the Thumb; the company also is under investigation by the New York attorney general for bribery and other allegations.

U.S. Forest Service employees hope to begin compiling comments on the proposed White Pines Wind Farm today. The farm is proposed for Manistee National Forest land in Grant Township. ...O'Connell said there were about 200 comments received on the issue.

Landowners in southern Fillmore Township could have lease agreements in place within the next two months for a proposed commercial wind energy farm, township officials said Monday. The wind farm would be a few miles south of Tulip City Airport, north of 136th Avenue and east of 60th Street, said Keith Potter, township supervisor. He said there are plenty of large properties in that vicinity for the operation, which could include 35 to 40 wind turbines.

"I'm pleased that the governor was finally able to sign it [renewable portfolio standard] ... it's a critical beginning for our state," Mahawili said ...But the chemical engineer did some quick mathematical calculations. This Great Lakes wind dream is not going to be easy to achieve and it certainly won't be cheap. Under current electricity pricing in the state and the current rules of the Michigan Public Service Commission, a kilowatt produced by wind turbines on Lake Michigan costs about four and a half times more than energy from a modern coal-fired plant, the researcher and inventor said.

Wind turbines may or may not someday be a tourist attraction in Mason County, but they sure drew a crowd Tuesday. About 125 people crammed into one of Ramada Inn of Ludington’s conference rooms for an open-house-style meeting about a proposed 70-megawatt wind farm in the Manistee National Forest. Many of those in attendance were property owners concerned about having a wind farm so close to their homes. Others were area residents concerned or curious about the proposal and some were wind energy backers interested and enthused about the project.

Positive and negative comments, plus some suggested alternatives, were voiced by residents during the open house hosted by the U.S. Forest Service at Ludington's Ramada Inn. The three-hour event drew a large crowd, hovering around 50 people at various times, that sought information and provided feedback on the plan that would feature 20 to 28 420-foot-tall turbines on the forest land. ...Stanley Wilkosz, a Grand Haven resident who owns property near the proposed site of the wind farm, is concerned about the overall project, especially a proposal that could send overhead power lines through his property. "What I find with these big companies is they want everything and the private landowner gets screwed over," Wilkosz said.

White Pines Wind Farm LLC, a subsidiary of BP Alternative Energy, applied for a special use permit from the U.S. Forest Service in hopes of constructing 20 to 28 large wind turbines in the national forest north of Forest Trail in Mason County's Grant Township, just north of Hamlin Lake. ...He estimated the studies for the environmental impact statement would take a year. Then the Huron-Manistee National Forest Service supervisor would decide on the proposal. That decision could be appealed to the regional supervisor in Milwaukee.

Area residents will get their chance next week to learn about and speak on a plan for green energy in one of the state's greenest places. BP Alternative Energy has proposed a 75-acre wind farm for the heart of about 10,000 acres of Manistee National Forest Land in Grant Township. The site is adjacent to the state's only federal wilderness area - the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area.