Wind Energy Growth 2019

Michigan Competitive in Wind Production, But Future Growth Limited

Over the past twenty years, the Great Lakes region has been steadily increasing the number of new wind projects and wind energy output. Now that pace looks to have slowed with more local communities placing acting tighter zoning control over industrial wind development.  However, growth continues as the cost of new projects declines. 

Michigan was an early developer of wind projects, but it achieved only a rank of fifth place among the Great Lake states in 2015.


Ranking of Great Lake States in Terms of Installed Capacity

Wind Turbine and Moon
The horizon is limited growth for wind in Michigan

Rank

Installed Ranking 2000Installed Ranking 2005Installed Ranking 2010Installed Ranking 2015

Installed Ranking 2018

1st

MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesotaIllinois

2nd

WisconsinNew YorkIllinoisIllinoisMinnesota

3rd

New YorkPennsylvaniaIndianaIndianaIndiana

4th

PennsylvaniaIllinoisNew YorkNew York

New York

5th

MichiganWisconsinPennsylvaniaMichigan

Michigan

6th

 OhioWisconsinPennsylvania

Pennsylvania

7th

MichiganMichiganWisconsin

Wisconsin

8th  OhioOhio

Ohio


United States Installed Wind Energy Capacity 3rd Quarter 2018

Wind Energy Potential

Ohio, which has lagged the region with wind projects is now among the top states in the country for new development with 108 MW being developed in 2018.

New Industrial Wind Projects in the Great Lake States 2018

State

Potential Output

Illinois

132 MW

Ohio

108 MW

New York

78 MW

Michigan

44 MW

Minnesota

1 MW


Wind Energy Projects Completed in 2018

Wind Energy Potential

However, in terms of the growth potential, Michigan falls to dead last in wind energy potential. Wind power capacity potential reflects the amount of wind power that is technologically possible to have installed in a given region. We would not expect this potential to be fully utilized, but it is indicative of the physical limits of the assumed technology. Wind power capacity potential is estimated assuming that all available land areas after legal and technical exclusions are applied with wind turbines at a density of 3 megawatts per square kilometer. 

Industrial (80m) Wind Energy Potential for the Great Lake States

State

Potential OutputRank

Illinois

191,000 MW1st

Minnesota

183,000 MW2nd

Ohio

119,000 MW

3rd

Indiana118,000 MW

4th

Wisconsin114,000 MW

5th

Pennsylvania109,000 MW

6th

New York

92,000 MW7th
Michigan81,000 MW

8th


United States Industrial Wind Energy Potential Capacity

Wind Energy Potential

Sources


Michigan's Thumb ThumbWind

Michael Hardy

Michael Hardy is the owner of Thumbwind Publications LLC. Michael was born in Michigan and grew up near Caseville. In 2009 he started this fun-loving site covering Michigan's Upper Thumb. Since then, he has authored a vast range of content and established a loyal base of 60,000 visitors per month.

View all posts by Michael Hardy →

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