The research buoy utilized a laser wind sensor to capture wind speed and direction at varying heights, while other components of the buoy collected data on more than 100 factors. The buoy was designed and manufactured by AXYS technologies, and featured a Vindicator laser wind instrument by Catch the Wind.

Arn Boezaart, director of GVSU’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center, would not divulge specifics, but did say that the initial results indicate that the wind quality seemed to improve the farther out in the lake the buoy went and higher up the laser measured, according to the Muskegon Chronicle. “Out on the lake, we found more wind and it was more robust,” Boezaart told the Chronicle, “The farther out in the lake and the higher up you go, the more wind we found and winds of better quality.”

Dr. Lorry Wagner, President of the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo), was intrigued by the study and impressed with the capabilities and sturdiness of the buoy. “Everyone in the Great Lakes wind community is very impressed by GVSU’s accomplishment and excited to learn more about the data collected by the buoy” said Dr. Wagner, “Hopefully we can get it (the buoy) to Lake Erie next.”

Maryland state legislators are expected to reconsider Gov. Martin O’Malley’s ambitious plan to require utilities to buy offshore wind electricity.

“We’re tired of seeing us lose jobs to China,” said panel member Jim Strong, of the United Steelworkers of Maryland. “We’re supporting this legislation because we think it will put people back to work.”

County Commission Attacks Offshore Wind

Months after the issue was apparently settled, the Oceana (Mich.) County Planning Commission released a report this week denouncing a defunct offshore wind proposal for Lake Michigan, the Muskegon Chronicle reported.

Planning Commission Chairwoman Anne Soles released a press release declaring Scandia Wind’s proposal — abandoned last year — had “major flaws” and was “not feasible.”

Soles is reportedly concerned that Scandia might appeal directly to state regulators.

“We need to put a punctuation point on this issue … not in Lake Michigan,” Soles told the Chronicle.

That finding was part of a report from the West Michigan Wind Assessment project — a study funded by the Michigan Sea Grant program. The report also concluded that a wind farm six miles offshore would be visible from land about 64 percent of the time — and that any project would need to be built within that distance because the depth of the lake increases rapidly.

“We found there are different expectations and uses of the shoreline, from power plants to recreation to relaxation,” said Erik Nordman, principal investigator of the project and GVSU assistant professor of biology. “This information can help open up a discussion to understand the different values of the Great Lakes and whether offshore wind energy is appropriate.”

The Chronicle reported that Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is not expected to address offshore wind issues until later this year, at the earliest.

Offshore Wind Vessel Made Available For US Projects

Massachusetts-based Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding has announced that it will produce Incat Crowther’s Catamaran Wind Farm Service Vessel for use in developing US offshore wind projects, MarineLog reported yesterday.

“With about a dozen wind farms being planned along the East Coast and Great Lakes of the United States, we are now in a position to meet the service vessel needs of the construction crews and the technicians who will be working on these projects,” said Gladding-Hearn President Peter Duclos.

Michael McElroy, who is representing Toray Plastics and Polytop Corp. in their appeal of the Block Island power purchase agreement, said that the cost of the project should include the cost of the undersea cable from Block Island to the mainland. The demonstration project is estimated to cost $205 million and the undersea cable would cost another $50 million, according to the Journal report.

“We’d like to be first in the water, but you can’t do it at any cost,” McElroy said.

The Journal reported that a decision is expected in a few weeks.

Michigan Offshore Wind Debate Put On Hold

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration will turn its attention to developing offshore wind regulations in the Fall, the Muskegon Chronicle reported today.

Patricia Birkholz — the director of Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes — said that Snyder is open to offshore wind development in the state.  As a state senator last year, Birkholz introduced legislation to develop offshore wind regulations. The bill was not voted on.

In an editorial published today, the Saginaw News criticized recently proposed legislation to ban offshore wind development in the Michigan portion of the Great Lakes.

The Muskegon Chronicle previously published an editorial opposing the bill.

“Republican Reps. Jon Bumstead, of Newaygo and Ray Frantz of Onekama say [offshore wind turbines will] spoil the view from shore, and are not economically feasible … those are an odd couple of arguments from some legislators from the supposedly pro-business GOP,” the Saginaw News editorial read. “The claims shouldn’t hold any water over here near the shores of Saginaw Bay, where offshore wind turbines have been proposed. Let the people in each region of the state decide whether they’ll allow wind turbines offshore … if they feel they are well enough off in parts of Western Michigan to scoff at a billion-dollar industry when it lands in their laps, well good for them.”

Experts Seek Balance In Great Lakes Wind Development

Attendees at an offshore wind conference in Rochester yesterday were told that offshore wind devleopment must strike a balance between producing clean energy and the impact on the local wildlife, the Rochester City Newspaper reported.

Frank Szollosi, a policy analyst from the a National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes field office, said that offshore wind development is an important solution to displace greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the climate change that will impact the Great Lakes and their wildlife.

Szollosi endorsed regional siting standards to avoid development in sensitive areas.

The agency is choosing between five proposals and was previously scheduled to choose a winner by the end of March.

“We are in the final stages. I can’t pinpoint an exact date. But we are on schedule still looking at second quarter,” NYPA spokeswoman Sharon Laudisi said. She said construction will not begin for a few more years.

“Aggressively, you could look at 2015,” she said.

Muskegon Chronicle Slams Proposed Offshore Wind Ban

In a Tuesday editorial, the Muskegon Chronicle sharply criticized a bill proposed by two Republican state legislators that would prohibit offshore wind development or state funding of offshore wind research.

“Lawmakers should not bury their heads in the sand on offshore wind. If Michigan is not at the table, it doesn’t mean that wind turbines won’t be developed in the Great Lakes. Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and Canada all are looking at ways to harness the wind because this area — especially the lake — is a terrific source of constant wind … Michigan won’t have a chance to guide the development of this industry or to benefit from the jobs it might create,” the editorial read. “Of course, this bill will assure one thing: The wind turbines won’t be in our backyard, for the few of us that own lakefront property.”

Construction on the project could begin next year, according to the report.

“The development of offshore wind projects off New Jersey’s coast is a priority for the Christie Administration,” said Bob Martin, commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which issued the permits. “The governor is committed to making the state a leader in this new industry, with its environmental and economic benefits. This is a great first step forward in making this a reality for New Jersey.”

The company is now waiting for a wildlife-related permit from the Army Corps of Engineers and a state permit to bring the transmission cable to shore.

Local officials welcomed the project.

“The turbines Fishermen’s Energy will install will be visible from the boardwalk,” said Bruce Ward, Atlantic City’s solicitor. “We’re looking to welcome our visitors to another attraction, if you will.”

Michigan Offshore Wind Ban Bill Sent To Committee

The organizations will research wind patterns on Lake Michigan and will eventually develop advanced wind mapping for the lake, according to the report.

“It’s not only significant for MAREC because it takes advantage of our location and our mission, but it brings on board some significant expertise, and it brings on board an international relationship,” said MAREC Director Arn Boezaart.

Deepwater Wind Deploys Monitoring Buoy Near Block Island

Last month, Deepwater Wind deployed a Sea ZephIR spar buoy west of Block Island to collect data for an eventual offshore wind farm, the Block Island Times reported.

The buoy will collect data on wind speed, direction, sheer, wave height and frequency and bird and bat activity according to the report.

It will eventually be reused for an offshore wind site 20 miles off the coast of New Jersey, which is being jointly developed by Garden State Offshore Energy — a partnership between Deepwater Wind and Public Service Electric and Gas.

“I believe that offshore wind and the fishing industry can survive very well together, if we are working closely, communicating closely, and siting our offshore wind smartly,” said Rick Sullivan, Massachusetts’ secretary of energy and environmental affairs. Sullivan also cautioned fishermen who believe the offshore wind industry will never move out of the planning stage.

“I certainly do not think it’s a fantasy. I think it is an absolute reality,” he said.

Former Ford Factory Eyed For Offshore Wind Construction

Developers want to convert a former Ford plant in southeastern Virginia into an offshore wind manufacturing factory, the Virginian-Pilot reported yesterday.

“We are very interested with working with alternative energy, light manufacturing companies,” said Scott Condra, a senior vice president at Jacoby Development, which owns the site. “We still like the opportunity that is presented with offshore wind development in the Hampton Roads area.”

Michigan Offshore Wind Ban Proposed

Michigan state Rep. Ray Franz has introduced legislation to ban offshore wind development in the state, the Ludington Daily News reported Saturday.

“It’s not environmentally sound to have machines like these on our lakes. They are our greatest asset, and industrialization on them is a hazard to nature and the economy,” he said.

The proposal is stuck in the House Economic Matters Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, according to the report.

O’Malley has pushed the proposal — to required utilities to buy electricity from offshore wind projects — as an environmental and economic boon.  Several legislators have said that they want to study the issue for another  year.

“A study is always a step in the right direction, but you’ve got to look at the cost of waiting,” said O’Malley spokesman Shaun Adamec. “Were in a race with other states to capitalize on this opportunity. If we delay another year, well lose this race and watch those jobs go by the wayside.”

Federal Regulators Approve Great Lakes Buoy

The Department of Energy approved an offshore wind-assessment buoy project that Grand Valley State University’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center will deploy on Lake Michigan, the Muskegon Chronicle reported last weekend.

The project received federal approval last Wednesday and MAREC put a down payment the $3.7 million project last Thursday, according to the report. The three-year project is designed to give a better understanding of offshore wind possibilities on Lake Michigan.

“The WindSentinel (buoy) will provide extended season, real-time in-the-water data using the most advanced wind-testing equipment,” said MAREC Director Arn Boezaart.

AXYS Technologies Inc. will provide the buoy for the MAREC project, North American Windpower reported.

Evanston Wind Farm Committee Hears About State Offshore Wind Legislation

Officials in Evanston, Illinois, convened the first meeting of their Wind Farm Committee last week to discuss a potential offshore wind farm near the city, the Evanston Review reported.

State Rep. Robyn Gabel told the committee about proposed legislation that would create a separate Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy Council under the Department of Natural Resources.  The council would report to the legislature and the governor by the end of the year, according to the report.

Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl also announced that the city is cooperating with the city of Waukegan to “remove barriers” to offshore wind on Lake Michigan.