Wind Energy
Current Wind Grant Overview
Reworked ‘Wind on Brownfields’ to expanded program under WIRES 2 - Back in 2006 and 2008 Wyandotte Municipal Services received two earmark grants for ‘Wind on Brownfields’. After several years of investigation, it was concluded that utility size wind was not possible in Wyandotte. The grants were thought to be lost until the end of 2012 when a new DOE project manager was assigned to our account and has proceeded to work with WMS to redevelop the scope of the project and allow a much broader use of these funds. The new project scope will include the following wind projects:
The planning and installation of micro-wind turbine demonstration sites. Sites being evaluated include: 3200 Biddle Building, Power Plant, BASF Chemical, American Legion Hall, other city and municipally-owned buildings, and key customer sites, as feasible.
Micro-turbines or Mid-size turbines being explored:
- Windstream vertical access Turbo Mills
- Windpods
- Ann Arbor Wind
Wind History
A 2006 Grant Award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) supplemented with a 2008 Grant Award allowed for a Wind project to begin with the award of the Environmental Consultant contracts to perform the feasibility and an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the installation of Utility-Scale Wind Turbines. Wyandotte completed the wind resources study in 2008-09, and conducted a NEPA Environmental Assessment in 2009. As a result of the public notice for the Environmental Assessment, we received comments from National Fish and Wildlife requesting a 12-month bat study, as an addition to the earlier shorter study. The completed bat results were received in March 2011. The Environmental Assessment was reviewed and comments received in February 2011. DOE noted several items as needing additional investigation, and raised concerns regarding potential shadow flicker and sound from the utility-scale wind turbines, which would be located in an urban setting. Based on this feedback, Wyandotte came to the conclusion that utility-scale wind turbines were not going to be an option and thus began investigating mid-size and micro wind turbine options that could address some of the issues with respect to urban wind deployment.
