A closer look at how the TCLP turbine has performed
Across the world and here in northern Michigan, renewable energy is getting a lot of attention.
Recently Traverse City Light and Power agreed to buy energy from a wind farm in McBain. A viewer wrote us asking how the wind turbine TCLP already has, right outside of Traverse City, has performed over the years.
We take a closer look in tonight's Fact Finder Report.
Wind turbines of all kinds are getting a lot of attention these days, but 13 years ago it was a little different story.
Traverse City Light and Power Executive Director Ed Rice says, "it was decided at the time to put up the first utility grade wind turbine in the United States and it was put into service in 1996."
At a cost of $650,000, he estimates it has brought in $1,030,000 over its lifetime. And when the wind is really blowing it can power up to 110 homes.
Rice says, "It's fully lived up to our expectations. It was expected to put out 600 kilowatts of electricity and that's what it's been doing on a regular basis."
He says planning studies showed the location two miles outside of Traverse City to be a good spot because of both its elevation and its proximity to TCLP, but that was then.
Rice says, "Today we would probably not pick that site. But at the time it was viewed as an experiment to see if it was feasible for Traverse City and it worked out well. Today we would look at sites that are a little higher in elevation so you can get more wind energy out of the units."
Like McBain for instance. TCLP signed a 20 year contract to use power from 5 turbines at Heritage Stoney Corners Wind Farm at the end of next year.
Rice says, "Each unit will put out twice as much energy as what the unit on M-72 does. So we're basically getting 10 times as much energy as we're getting from that one unit on M-72."
That's 10 megawatts of energy.
It's part of the effort by TCLP and all electric utilities in Michigan to meet a new state mandate of 10% renewable energy by 2015.
Right now, even with the M-72 turbine, more than 99% of TCLP's energy is from coal generation.
But Rice says TCLP has a longer term goal. "Ultimately we'd like to go from 99% dependant on coal down to 60-70% by 2020."
Those of you who drive past the turbine regularly will have noticed that it has not been turning much lately. Two months ago a generator bearing broke. Crews are in the process of repairing it and say it should be back up and spinning in 90-120 days.
There's been so much attention on renewable energy; I want to know what you think.
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