Wind turbines coming to the Union Township scenery

For the past several months, the Union Township has been working on a zoning ordinance that will encompass standards and regulations for building wind turbines. Earlier this year the state of Michigan sent out a model ordinance to municipalities for them to consider working on one of their own.

According to William Woodruff, Union Township zoning administrator, “I have already had two inquiries so far of people who are interested in putting up wind generators.” The Union Township is using the model ordinance to build upon and be proactive about having the ordinance in place.

“I try to anticipate the concerns of the general public and one may be the visual aspect,” says Woodruff.

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) discusses that visual impacts can be decreased with careful planning and good design. A few of the other concerns that may arise in the general public are birds being killed by the turbines and noise issues. A study by Erikson shows that less than 10,000 bird fatalities can be related to wind turbines, when 800,000 are related to high tension lines.














Source: Erickson, et.al, 2002. Summary of Anthropogenic Causes of Bird Mortality

As a result of improved engineering, AWEA says that aerodynamic noise can be reduced by just minimal design changes. For example, by changing the thickness of the blades or changing the direction of the tower can reduce noise.

Wind powered energy systems “do not generate air or water emissions and do not produce hazardous waste,” says AWEA. Wind power is unique in the way that it causes no real harm to the environment.

“A megawatt of wind energy can supply as much electricity as 225 to 300 households,” and the Renewable Energy Policy Project says that “every megawatt of installed wind capacity creates about 4.8 job-years of employment.”

The economic advantages of wind power are endless and have even been being utilized by school districts. At a school in Forest City, Iowa, “a turbine was recently erected as a school project [and] is expected to save $1.6 million in electricity costs over its lifetime.

Woodruff thinks this is a great idea for Union Township municipalities and is intrigued to see what will happen in the future.

The all-encompassing zoning ordinance is set to be finished approximately 60 days after its public hearing on Oct. 15.