Thursday, May 28, 2009

GLC Great Lakes Wind Collaborative Project

May 27: The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) announced that it will receive $99,740 to fund the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative’s (GLWC) development of Best Practices to Accelerate Wind Power in the Great Lakes Region and Beyond. The Commission was one of 53 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) wind energy grant recipients announced by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu at the recent WINDPOWER 2009 Conference in Chicago [See WIMS 5/7/09], with Commission staff in attendance. The Commission’s award is one of 11 projects funded in the Great Lakes region. Funded projects totaled $8.5 million nationwide.

Through this project the GLWC, a multi-sector coalition of wind energy stakeholders facilitated by the Great Lakes Commission, will examine the policies and practices that are working best within and beyond the region, which allow wind development yet are protective of the environment and sensitive to community concerns. The GLWC will partner with other regional groups including the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus, the Midwestern Governors Association and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative to ensure that information developed reaches those best positioned to use that information in developing policy at the state and local level. Additionally, the best practices and policy options developed will be served up publicly on the internet to inform individuals who are interested in wind development in the region.

Access a lengthy release from GLC (click here). Access the GLCWC website for more information (click here). Access a release from DOE with a listing of all grants and links to further information (click here).