Offshore Wind Wire

By Peter Brennan

The North Chicago suburb of Evanston, IL, gave its initial approval earlier this week to a proposal to place 40 wind turbines on Lake Michigan.

The plan, which was unanimously approved by the Evanston City Council, will ask developers to submit ideas about building 40 turbines 6 to 9 miles off the Evanston coast in Lake Michigan. According to experts, 40 of the 300 foot turbines could generate enough energy to power 40,000 homes.

The permitting process for wind farms in Illinois state waters is currently non-existent, and if the plan proceeds past the initial stage potential developers may have their hands full in determining which governing body to seek a permit from.

One local politician has already gone on record as supporting the idea of wind farms in Lake Michigan. According to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley seemed supportive when told about the Evanston vote.

“I think you have to look at it,” said Daley, according to the Tribune. “If you want to talk about the environment or about the clean environment – alternative energy – everyone has to look at that.”

In addition to Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and New York have also taken steps towards being the first to install a freshwater wind farm in the Great Lakes.