Michigan Energy Resource Mix By: Ryan Lawrence October 11, 2009

Solar Power Advantages Solar power is an abundant, renewable resource. Passive solar is inexpensive to install, and cost- effective. If a large amount of solar panels are installed in sunny locations, they can produce almost or more than 800,000 kW per year. This is enough to power close to 80 homes for a whole year. This power could be sold to local utility companies to produce profit. Disadvantages It is sometimes very expensive to install, as with active solar and photovoltaic cells. It also may not produce energy on short winter days or cloudy days. There might not always be a consistent supply of energy, which could turn out to be a bad thing. We should invest in solar power because it is an abundant, clean and eco-friendly energy resource. 10/11/092

Hydropower Advantages Since Michigan has so much water, hydropower could be used a lot. Hydropower is also good because it produces no pollutants. One large dam can produce over a billion kW per year, enough for over 100,000 homes for one whole year. We could incorporate hydropower in many suburban areas for nearby homes and stores. It would be a huge step in energy technology for the whole state. Disadvantages Hydropower doesn’t have a lot of disadvantages, but the ones it does have are significant. If a dam is placed in a major river, it will likely kill much of the marine life there during and after construction. It also could ruin the migration paths of fish like salmon and many others, it will likely wipe them out of the area. Dams sometimes can also be very expensive. Michigan should invest in hydropower because we have a vast majority of water and rivers to install these facilities to produce clean energy, and we can do it now. 10/11/093

Wind Advantages Northern Michigan is a very windy place with a wind class of 4. This wind could be harnessed and used to produce energy for cities like Traverse City, Petoskey, and Mackinaw City. This wind power could also be sold to nearby utility companies. Wind turbines are easy to install and maintain. Wind energy could be good for Michigan. Disadvantages Wind turbines can kill many birds if they are placed in their migrational path. Also, there may not always be a wind or breeze, which means the wind turbines may not always produce energy and the operator could lose money. Michigan should invest in wind energy because Michigan has high winds sometimes and could really produce some energy. 10/11/094

Biomass Advantages Large amounts of biomass material could produce large amounts of biomass energy. Most things that are normally trash can be converted into biomass energy. For example, wood, garbage, agricultural waste, and animal waste can all be converted into biomass energy. An estimated almost 17 billion kW of electricity in Michigan could be produced using biomass. That is a LOT. Disadvantages Biomass resources can sometimes be hard to find. If there is not an abundance of any biomass materials in a land area, that area has no hope for biomass energy plants. But it is very rare for an area to not have any biomass materials. Michigan should invest in biomass because it is a good, renewable resource. 10/11/095

Nuclear Advantages Nuclear energy does not produce any pollutants, but is not a renewable resource. That makes it an eco- friendly resource. Nuclear energy plants can be built in most places. That is good because most other energy resource plants need to be put in a specific location. Nuclear energy is a good resource. Disadvantages All nuclear energy plants produce toxic waste. These chemicals are highly unstable, hazardous and radioactive. If there would happen to be a radiation leak, the nearby population would be devastated. Radiation can sometime kill a person. We should invest in nuclear energy because it is a good, efficient energy resource. 10/11/096

Overall Resource Mix Resource Percentage of the total Michigan energy My resource mix Designed by : Ryan Lawrence Solar15% Hydro35% Wind15% Biomass25% Nuclear10% This is the overall resource mix I have chosen. I chose this mix because Michigan should have a balanced resource mix. I gave hydropower the largest percentage it has a lot of potential in Michigan. I gave nuclear a lower percentage because it is a nonrenewable resource. 10/11/097