MichiganRadio

Assessing Michigan's Wind Power Potential LANSING, MI (MPRN) -

A state panel is examining the feasibility of locating electricity-generating windmills off Michigan's Great Lakes shoreline.

The Michigan Wind Energy Council is part of Governor Granholm's plan to reduce the state's reliance on fossil fuels, and develop an alternative energy industry.

Rich Vanderveen is a commission member who runs a wind power company in northern Michigan. He says building an alternative energy industry will help Michigan's economy, and its environment.

"We're going to do energy security and reduce our dependence on foreign and fossil fuel," says Vanderveen, "We're going to keep the money in this country. We're going to reduce the cost to public health because we're going to have cleaner air and cleaner water."

The commission will determine where wind patterns are the strongest, and the cost and feasibility of building windmills in those spots. Vanderveen says there's been no decision on whether the windmills should be visible from the Great Lakes shoreline. © Copyright 2012, MPRN