The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
The winds of change
By Edward Freundl, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 27, 2008
The next phase of building a wind turbine test tower south of Chelsea got off the ground March 18, but the high-tech tower itself did not.
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For the second time in a month, the cold and rainy weather caused the construction of the tower in a field at the Chrysler Proving Grounds to be put off for safety reasons.
Yet officials connected with the project — from Chrysler LLC, the University of Michigan, North Coast Wind & Power, Washtenaw County, Sylvan Township, Lima Township and the city of Chelsea — were not to be put off.
As they gathered in a heated tent near the test plot they spoke of their plans for the wind tower to help change the future.
"This is part of our whole company's focus in the future to be more environmentally conscious," said Deb Morrissett, vice president for regulatory affairs for Chrysler LLC.
It is the first tangible symbol of an 18-month feasibility study to determine if a turbine mounted on an 80-meter (264-foot) meteorological tower can generate a sufficient amount of electricity to be of any economic benefit.
The county has been looking into the idea for several years in partnership with U-M, and in July the County Board of Commissioners approved spending $86,000 on the study.
The majority of commissioners voted for the resolution because they felt that it was worth the expenditure to begin to address the county's energy and environmental issues.
Taking the lead on it were County Board Chairman Jeff Irwin and Commissioner Mark Ouimet, in whose district the Proving Grounds is located.
"It's a project that came together out of different partnerships: the county, business — and by that I mean Chrysler — and U of M," Ouimet said.
"I'm pleased we were able to do this in my district; I felt strongly about the economic development opportunity that this represents."
Just as residents' concerns began to grow regarding the tower's safety, appearance and possible negative effect on property values, Chrysler stepped in to offer its facility as a vast outdoor laboratory for the testing process.
Chrysler officials offered the site for the tower about six months ago so that the county could continue the project.
"It's a great way to help Washtenaw County, U of M and the state collect data," said David Lyons, manager of Energy Planning and Climate Policy for Chrysler LLC's Environmental Affairs division.
"We're really serious about reducing fossil fuel use in the United States, and particularly in Michigan."
†Proving Grounds Director Jeff Zyburt said the tower is located in a remote area of the facility that will be planted with soybeans and switchgrass.
"It's a 17-acre spot that I won't have to waste gas, energy and manpower mowing anymore," Zyburt said.
"I've got 3,850 acres here; I can put up several of these and I don't have to worry about neighbors."
Zyburt said his employees came to him with the idea.
"Why wouldn't I want to support it?" he said. "We're zoned for it here, and the county has been great to work with.
"It's not costing us anything, and I've got to pay taxes on this land anyway."
Ouimet said it was more than fortunate that Chrysler stepped in when it did.
"The challenge was finding a location where we could test this, so it was great when Chrysler came into the picture," he said.
"They clearly understood the value of it economically and is taking the lead on this with the county."
Lyons said he was glad Chrysler could help remove some of the bureaucratic burden from the project.
"It's only been about six months, but it's moved fairly quickly," he said.
"We offered the ability to cut some red tape and get permits quickly— to sort of 'grease the skids,' so to speak."
Frank Marsick, a professor of meteorology and air pollution research with the University of Michigan's Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, said he had the tower would be up by now, in time for students in his wind energy class to assist in the research, but that will wait until next year.
"It's nice for us to get a chance to benefit the local community, and it's neat bringing in people from other areas of expertise," Marsick said.
"We've looked at this (wind turbines) on campus, and this will give us another site to look at."
With all the talk about the economic benefit to wind towers, however, the project was not without its critics.
"The wind towers themselves do not have an economic impact, they are like billboards in that regard," said Lima Township Supervisor Ken Unterbrink.
"When they talk about a tax impact to a community, there's really very little."
†
The push for renewable energy
The soybeans and switchgrass planted in the tower area will be processed for biofuel research, adding to the tower's value in renewable energy research.
"A lot of research needs to be done," Lyons said. "Growing corn for ethanol is not a good idea. We have to go to non-food crops, which is why switchgrass is better for fuel."
"A lot of small things make the change in society," he added.
Morrissett said another area Chrysler is also looking into is redeveloping contaminated industrial sites.
"We're working with Michigan State University to find out what crops can grow in Superfund cleanup sites," she said. "You wouldn't grow food there, but you could grow fuel crops."
It's all about thinking differently and looking at all ideas, she added.
"We want to promote the next generation of biofuels for energy security and carbon reduction," Morrissett said.
"It's all part of a federal push to start looking at such investments so we can get past imported oil.
"We have to take the vehicle out of the equation," she said, a statement that would have been considered blasphemy for an automobile executive five years ago, but it shows just how much of a sea change the industry has undergone in that time.
There is an element of self-preservation in the automaker's commitment to these initiatives.
"We tasked ourselves under the new federal energy bill passed in December to be much more efficient, and we need the fuels to do the same," Lyons said.
"We need a 40 percent reduction out of whatever technology develops — whether it's battery, biodiesel or ethanol, the result has to be a substantial reduction."
Zyburt said the proving grounds was an ideal spot for the test tower, and he was proud to be involved in the cutting-edge research.
"It's kind of a win-win; it gets into people's heads," he said.
"General Electric went from zero dollars (in wind turbines) five years ago to $5.5 billion, and now you can't get one until 2009."
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