Dan Sage PSC Assistant Administrator GLWC Offshore Wind Workgroup Advancing Regional Collaboration Webinar September 24, 2009
Wind on the Water Report (WOW) issued December 2008 Harnessing Wisconsin’s Energy Resources: An Initial Investigation into Great Lakes Wind Development px?docid= Commission adopted January 2009
Address lack of wind data Pursue R&D regarding foundations Need statutory changes Need federal agency coordination Transmission planning should recognize possibility of Great Lakes wind
None planned currently Some interest from developers Some initial screening ◦ We-Energies RFP on wind speeds
State of Michigan – exploring ways to coordinate efforts ◦ Ex. Mapping of Lake Michigan features that may affect siting Michigan map shows the wind resource at 50 meters. Map courtesy of the Department of Energy's Wind Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
State agencies involved: Public Service Commission Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Commissioners of Public Lands Joint review of necessary statutory changes
PSC is active in planning reviews at state, multi-state, regional and federal levels Wind concerns being studied include off-shore WOW did examine impacts – would need work in most areas of state to support off-shore wind
Focus groups as part of WOW report ◦ May be too early for such efforts Expectation that would be done by Developers Part of CPCN/EIS processes are scoping efforts and public hearings
Addressed through hearing processes
Need for statutory clarity Development of leasing process
Information sharing Facilitating technical research and development Clarity regarding federal permitting processes that apply to the relevant jurisdictions Pursuing funding for collaboration on efforts that cannot be accomplished without further funding
Dan Sage, PSC Assistant Administrator