The Department of Environmental Quality held a ceremony at its district office in Bay City today to celebrate the completion of the new 120-foot tall wind turbine located on the site.  The turbine houses a 50-kilowatt electrical generator and is expected to produce at least 30 percent of the building's electrical needs.

"This project serves as an example of the technologies that can, and will, power Michigan's future," said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester.  "This wind turbine will not only benefit Michigan's environment, but will also save money by generating a large portion of the electrical needs for our office."

The turbine was constructed by Kent Power, a Michigan company located in Kent County, after a competitive bid process.  The tower complies with the city of Bay City's ordinance concerning wind power tower structures, for height, location, and noise.  The wind turbine blades are 27-feet long each, made out of a lightweight fiberglass material.

The turbine is interlinked with the Bay City electrical grid, and is metered separately so it can be determined exactly how much electrical energy is created each month.  During times when there is little electrical use in the building, such as after business hours, it is expected that the turbine will send electrical power back out into the electrical grid.  All turbine power, day or night, will have a measured reduction in DEQ's electrical utilities costs.

The ceremony today also gave the DEQ the opportunity to receive the official Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification plaque that certifies the building as one of the most environmentally friendly building's in Michigan.  LEED Gold is an internationally recognized green building certification system that recognizes building design efforts towards energy savings, water efficiency, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of our natural resources.  The DEQ's Bay City office is the first LEED Gold level state government building in Michigan.

The wind turbine project was funded with assistance from the Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth.

Editor's note:  DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq .

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"