Why does Michigan need Green (Wind) Power?

1. Michigan's Lower Peninsula electrical load topped 20,000 MW in 2000.
   
   
2. Michigan's power needs are growing at a 2-4% compounded annual rate (400-800 MW per year.)
   
   
3. No new Consumer Energy or Detroit Edison plants built since 1986.
   
   
4. MPSC (Michigan Public Service Commission) testified in C.Y. 2000-Michigan's reserve margin is less than 5%. That's 200% below the 15% reserve margin considered safe.
   
   
5. Michigan's economy and jobs depend upon competitively priced energy.

What does energy have to do with sustainability?

Electricity generation is currently the largest industrial polluter in the country, producing about 2/3 of the annual US emissions of sulfur dioxide, about 1/4 of the nitrogen oxides, and about 1/3 of the carbon dioxide and toxic metal emissions (mercury, lead, and nuclear waste).

Fossil and nuclear power all contribute to one or more of these problems.

Even if nonrenewable fossil and nuclear energy was free, it would still cause pollution.

Full sustainability simply cannot be achieved using fossil and/or nuclear power.

Michigan relies heavily on fossil fuels.

• 70% Coal Fired Power
  
  
• Subsidized; nonrenewable
  
  
• Emissions problems
  
  
• Rising costs
  
  
• 28% Nuclear Power
  
  
• Long term pollution and storage problems
  
  
• Too expensive
  
  
• More than $1,000,000,000 in decommissioning costs