Renewable Energy Requirements

Michigan recently established a 10% renewable energy goal as part of their “Michigan’s 21st Century Electric Energy Plan.” I found what it would take in new wind turbines to be incredibly tiny when compared to the land area of a state like MI.

The 10% goal would require building 1,250 new wind turbines, which would take up 313 acres of land for construction and 49,966 acres of land for wind flow. While the 313 acres would be taken out of crop production, the 49,966 acres could still be used for farming, grazing and other related uses.

Michigan’s land area of 37,361,780 acres should be plenty of land to accomplish a 10% goal. And, at 0.13% of total land, one has to wonder why they (and other states) can’t achieve 100% renewable in the long term.