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~-American energy use is high and continues to rise.
<br /> The U.S., with about 4.7 percent of the world's population,
<br /> accounts for 25 percent of the world's total energy
<br /> consumption. ·
<br /> Bet-ween 1991 and 2000, world energy consumption
<br /> increased by 13.8 percent while UtS. consumption grew by
<br /> 17.2 percent.
<br /> The U.S. has been a net importer of energy since the 1950s,
<br /> and imports have risen dramatically in that time. Nearly ali
<br /> U.S. energy imports are oil. Threats of war in the Mideast
<br /> gready put these imports at risk.
<br /> Largely because of technical improvements in blade design,
<br /> materials, and computerized controls, wind turbines have
<br /> begun to be a competitive option for power (often less than 6
<br /> cents a kilowatt hour).
<br /> Electric energy deregulation is enhancing competition in
<br /> energy producdonJthis creates an opening for small electric
<br /> generation facilities.
<br /> Some states' provide financial and. tax incentives for wind
<br /> energy. ·
<br /> Climate change has focused attention on air pollution;
<br /> renewable energy sources shine compared to coal' or natural
<br /> gas-fired power plants.
<br />
<br />Soun:e: Ba~ed an ce.~a~ch by Joe Sehuim Managing Editor, reth~loF and Culture. and data ;asernbled
<br />by the U,S. F. nerD' Information Administration. Full ~ource ci~ado~ for each poln¢ are f~und in the
<br />Occober 200?. iuue of Planning & Zoning Newt, palle~ 6-t !., Planning &: Zmnin§ Ccntee.-ln¢,. 715 N.
<br />Cedar Street, Lanling. MI 48906.
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<br />avoid costs of long connecting wires). Bay W'mdpower, which has
<br />developed several wind turbine facilities in Michigan, also has had
<br />to reinforce the e[ecraical grid at r. he connecting substations. This
<br />can be a large additional cost to the producer.
<br /> In Denmark, one of the wodd leaders in wind energy
<br />production and in producing wind turbines, many wind-
<br />generating facilities have been located o~hore. This minimizes the
<br />surface roughness, or obstacles in the terrain that deflect and lnkibit
<br />wind patterns. A major off-shore wind energy project is currendy
<br />pending in Cape Cod. Thar project has generated enormous
<br />controversy"because of ira large scale (potentially dozens of wind
<br />turbines), visual impact, and possible avian impact.
<br /> According to the National Wind. Coordinating Committee,
<br />an organization with representation from both public and
<br />private stakeholder groups, wind generation facilities tend to be
<br />located in rural or remote areas, unlike most energy facilities,
<br />and are "land-intrusive rather than land-intensive." Thus, they
<br />may extend over a very large area and have a broad area of
<br />influence~ but physically occupy only three to five percent of
<br />
<br />Erin ~'ilpatrick is a planner with the consultingfirm of Will~ams dy
<br />Works, [nc., in Grand Rapids, &£ichigan: ~ark Wyckoff, ?a~cv, is
<br />?resident of ~he Planning dy Zoning Center, [nc., in Lansing~
<br />~!/liehigan, and editor of the ~l/[ichigan-specific magazine Planning
<br />& Zoning News. The information aadgraphics in this article are
<br />derived j~om several articles in cwo special issues of Planning &
<br />Zoning News published and copyOred in October and November
<br />2002. Permission is granted by the Planning &Zoning Center,
<br />[nc., of Lansi~zg, Michigan, to reproduce chis macerfal in Zoning
<br />News. ~:or fur~her information, go ro www. pzcenrer, com.
<br />
<br />this acreage for'the turbine cowers, associated structures, and'
<br />access roads. The rest of the acreage may be left largely
<br />undisturbed and available for other compatible purposes. For
<br />this rea~on, wind turbines are.often located on farmland, where
<br />landowners may continue to raise crops or graze stock on
<br />pasrureland. This can be a huge financial advantage for farmers
<br />and ensures the long-term protection ~f farmland.. .
<br />Wind Turbine Impacts '
<br />As stated on a Danish informational website on wind power,
<br />"W'md turbines are always highly visible elements in the landscape.
<br />Otherwise they are not locatedproperly from a meteorological
<br />point of view." The structures are large and somewhat gawky in' . .
<br />appearance on wast plains of open land. While this break in
<br />aesthetic continuity bothers some, others enjoy the sleek grandeur
<br />of the modern windmills. Steve Sdmelt, a~c2', a community planner
<br />in Mackinaw City, Michigan, says visitors are impressed with the
<br />way the wind turbines look and many go to the village offices to
<br />inquire about the facilities.
<br /> There is some noise associated with the wind turbines. But ' ' '
<br />Schnell testifies, "You can't hear the turbines, upwind, from more
<br />than' 500 feet away. Downwind you can hear them, bur ii'the wind
<br />is blowing, ic just sounds a lit-de stronger." The American Wind
<br />Energy AssociatiOn, offers the following insights:
<br />
<br /> "Noiie,' when one is talking about wind energy' projeLts, basically
<br /> means "any unwanted'sound." Whether a noise.is objectionable will
<br /> vaz3t, depending on its type (tonal, broadband, low-frequency,
<br /> impulsive, ere.) and ~he circumstances and sensitivity Of the
<br /> individual who hears it (often referred to as the "receptor").
<br />
<br /> As with beauty/often said to be "in the eye of the beholder," the
<br /> degree ro which a noise is bothersome or annoying is largely in the
<br /> ear of the hearer. V4har may be a soothing and relaxing rhythmic'
<br /> swishing sound to one person may be quite troublesome to another.
<br />
<br /> Because of this, there is no completely satisfactory' and impartial
<br /> way ro measure how upietting a noise may be r0 a given person.
<br /> Still. ir is possible to objective!y measure bow loud a noise is [USing
<br /> a decibel meter].
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<br /> Animal protection groups have expressed concern over avian
<br />collisions with the windmill blades. They claim the Bald Eagle
<br />Protection Act of 1940 and the iVligratory Bird Treaty Act of I918
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<br />are not being adequately enforced on. the wind energy industry, at
<br />the present time. Biologist Robert Hatmsler, of the California
<br />Energy Commission, says "wind turbine projects have the porendal
<br />to result in bird collision problems if they are built dose tO areas
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