Michels Wind Energy is in the process of constructing 86 wind turbines in the towns of Lomira and LeRoy in Dodge County plus the towns of Byron and Oakfield in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin as part of the Forward Wind Energy Centre Project. Developers of the project are Invenergy LLC, a Chicago-based company with numerous renewable energy projects to its credit.

The first 66 wind turbines have already been installed and are producing electricity, while installation of the final 20 turbines will be completed by April 2008. When finished the project will deliver 129MW of clean electricity. When all 86 wind turbines are in operation they will produce enough electricity to power around 43,500 homes.

Invenergy has an option to increase the size of the Forward Wind Energy Centre Project to 133 turbines, but it would have to meet certain criteria before permission to carry on is granted.

The cost of the project has been $250 million with the developer also paying out monthly fees to landowners. On the other side of the ledger, the electricity that will be generated has been bought by Wisconsin Power & Light Co. of Madison, Madison Gas & Electric Co. of Madison, Wisconsin Public Power Inc. of Sun Prairie and Wisconsin Public Service Corp. of Green Bay who between them have purchased the entire 129 megawatts of electricity.

This is a project that has been beset with opposition and contingencies at every step and, consequently has experienced a cost blowout as well as time delays. Legal challenges have come from the US Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration who had Homeland Security issues, while a wildlife advocacy group, Horicon Marsh Systems Advocates were concerned with migratory bird and bat populations.

Now, one of the articles I found while researching this project made me really chuckle with some of the quotes they used in their story. The source is the FDL Reporter and they have obviously had to scour the countryside for the village idiot to get his opinion on the construction of wind turbines in the region.

Here’s what the cerebral megastar, Tony Smith had to say, “This is what some people think is going to be the energy-maker of the future. When are these futuristic brainiacs going to realize that fossil fuels and coal-burning plants are here to stay?” Hmm, yes, the thoughts of a deep thinking man right there.

This wind power project was one bitter battle with president of the Horicon Marsh Systems Advocates, Joe Breaden predicting that it would lead to thousands of bird kills.

To read about more wind power developments, visit the Wind Power page.

If anyone connected with the Forward Wind Energy Centre project is aware of any updates to the details on this page please contact me so I can make the appropriate changes.