A local group is consolidating farm property for a commercial wind energy project while a competing corporation is preparing to set up a tower to begin its own wind measurements. Great Lakes Wind LLC has more than 4,000 acres of land leased for a project that local investors hope to launch, said company chairman Larry Gould. The property is not all contiguous, Gould said, so efforts are continuing to fill in the footprint of a possible wind farm.

While Michigan Wind 1 went into commercial operation about three months ago, the park's development, which was headed by Noble Environmental Power, LLC, took about five years. During that time, there were a large number of vocal opponents against the project. Much of the controversy circled around Huron County's wind overlay zoning provision in the county's zoning ordinance that governs wind parks.

The windswept Great Lakes could play host to an industry some believe could help revive Michigan's comatose economy and fulfill state and national mandates for cleaner, renewable energy. ...Nothing's imminent, but state and federal environmental regulators are preparing for the possibility that utility developers may want to harness wind power from Lake Michigan and the other big lakes.

Lake Township adopted a one-year moratorium on wind energy development in March 2008, so the planning commission would have time to study issues dealing with siting, noise effects, health concerns, possible property value decreases and other problems the board fears could arise if not properly addressed in a township ordinance the planning commission has been creating. Colletta said much progress has been made on the creation of a township wind ordinance.

The newly formed consulting company hopes to convert the blighted northside tank-farm property into a "green" energy production center, using a combination of government grants and private investment. After a detailed presentation, the partners were peppered with questions from the audience of about 30 people. The most serious immediate concerns are environmental.

"They are very noisy," said Jan Sageman, who lives in the village of Ubly near some of the turbines. While she didn't mind seeing her community jump into the world of renewable energy, her opinion has changed because on certain cold nights with a light wind, she can hear them loud and clear. "You would have swore a train or a jet was coming through the house," she said.

In her State of the State speech, Gov. Jennifer Granholm outlined a restructuring of Michigan's energy infrastructure that aims to meet this industrial state's future energy needs with wind power. The plan is radical but hardly new. The governor's policy closely parallels the failed experiment of Denmark -- a similar peninsular water state that has invested billions of dollars in wind generation during the last 25 years. ...it is crucial that the state understand the lessons of Denmark and the very real limitations of wind power.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm today ordered creation of an advisory panel to begin looking at siting offshore windmills on the Great Lakes. The executive order sets up the 13-member Great Lakes Wind Council, which will provide citizens a public forum to identify where the towering windmills can be placed.

A wind farm that would generate electricity from Monroe County's lakeshore breezes is being planned for a tract of farmland east of I-75 near Toledo Beach Marina in LaSalle Township. GM Engineers & Associates of Detroit intends to lease the property to erect three or four wind turbines that would generate electricity to be sold to a major utility, said LaSalle Township Supervisor Larry Rutledge.

Homeowners in the city now have the ability to generate their own electricity by harnessing energy generated by the wind. However, some city officials say it may take time for people to take advantage of the new ordinance, unanimously adopted tonight by the City Council. "...It creates two classes of wind turbine projects -- one geared toward residential use, the other more toward large-scale commercial projects.

Fruitland Township officials understand that wind energy is quickly becoming popular for personal and commercial use, so it makes sense that the township along Lake Michigan wants to have its regulations in place as soon as possible.

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.