BRIMLEY - According to Bay Mills Community College Director of Research Dr. Michael Doyle, the results are in for the college's wind study, which took place throughout the winter months. Doyle said that based on the data he retrieved, the tribal property on M-221 does not have enough wind to power a large-scale generator.
"Based on the data so far, we don't necessarily have the wind resource to justify a large scale generator," Doyle said. "However, this data is only for the winter months. We still need to look at the whole year."
Doyle said the 50-meter wind tower collected 17,136 samples of data, which was collected every 10 minutes from Nov. 8 through March 6. The data showed that the wind blew at an average of 5.5 meters per second, just below the six meters per second (13 miles per hour) needed to power a utility sized generator. A utility sized generator could provide enough power for the entire community. Doyle said that smaller sized generators tend to only need about four meters per second (9 mph) to run.
Doyle said he was very impressed with the first batch of results from the wind study, noting that he had 100 percent performance, meaning that none of the weather vanes or anemometers failed during the course of the study. Doyle also said the results showed that the 5.5 meters per second was for 50 meters high, adding that the wind got lower further down the tower and closer to the ground. What this means, essentially, is that in order to meet the 6 meters per second needed for a utility sized generator the tower would have to be higher, or the location would have to be moved.
"What this all means is that we need a different location," Doyle said. "That tower doesn't belong out there. It doesn't mean it's the end of the story, it just means that it's not the best place for it. That's why we do studies, to find the best place."
Doyle said the tower would remain up at least until the end of this year and would be moved to its next site next spring. Since the highest winds are coastal, Doyle said he envisions the next site would be closer to the coast. While he has been too busy to begin negotiations with the United States Forest Service about the possibility of placing the tower somewhere on Mission Hill, Doyle said he hopes to begin talks soon and is still confident that it would provide more than enough wind for a utility sized generator.
To learn more about BMCC's ongoing wind study, or for information on Doyle's upcoming projects involving other alternative energy sources, contact Dr. Michael Doyle at 906- 248-3354.
