Geronimo’s Green Thumb

Consumers Energy to build new wind farm

Consumers Energy, of Jackson, Mich., struck a land deal today with Geronimo Energy that will expand their network of renewable energy.

Huron County, in Michigan’s Thumb area, will be home to Consumers’ new 100-megawatt wind farm. Go ahead and take a second to look at your gloves- ahem- maps to see how the company’s locations have multiplied in the past few years.

They already own and operate two other wind farms: Lake Winds Energy Park in Mason County and Cross Winds Energy Park, also in the Thumb. The recent emphasis has been on renewable energy and transistioning from the coal plants they used to operate.

Under the agreement, Consumers Energy will buy electricity from Geronimo’s Apple Blossom Wind Farm, located in Huron County. Construction will start next year. Consumers Energy also has an option to buy Geronimo’s wind farm in Minnesota.

The wind power facility is expected to push Consumers past its 10 percent renewable energy production requirement under Michigan’s 2008 energy law, which expires at the end of this year.

“We are committed to providing electricity that is affordable, reliable and sustainable, especially as seven of our coal plants are retired by April 15 next year,” said Tim Sparks, the company’s VP for energy supply operations.

Consumers Energy is also developing a community solar program, Solar Gardens, that could start generating electricity as early as next year from potential solar locations at Grand Valley State University in Allendale.