April 23, 2010
LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said Michigan is the best place in the world for the wind-manufacturing industry to locate and create jobs.
"As part of our economic diversification efforts, we want to establish a wind-manufacturing industry in Michigan that includes the entire supply chain," Granholm said. "Michigan is the best place in the world for it. Why? Because we solve problems in Michigan."
As an example, Granholm cited Astraeus Wind Energy, a partnership between two Michigan companies - Dowding Industries and MAG Industrial Automation Systems.
"Astraeus will begin using newly designed advanced tooling machinery to produce wind turbine hubs in four and a half hours," Granholm said. "That's six times faster than anywhere else in the world - a major breakthrough."
"Overall, Michigan has a growing wind supply chain of more than 100 companies doing hundreds of millions of dollars in business annually," Granholm continued. "We also have hundreds more companies that are hungry to get into this industry."
The governor also said that the state is looking at offshore wind energy production in Michigan.
"Since January last year, our Great Lakes Wind Council has worked to identify favorable areas for the development of offshore wind in Michigan's Great Lakes," Granholm said. "The most favorable areas must be at least six miles offshore and avoid shipping lanes and sensitive fish and wildlife habitats. The council's recommendations are now before the state Legislature."
"From manufacturing to energy production, wind power holds great promise for Michigan," Granholm said. "Wind energy is part of our ongoing efforts to diversify Michigan's economy, create jobs and make our state the leader in new energy."
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available for download on the governor's Web site at www.michigan.gov/gov together with a clip of the quote above. The radio address also is available as a podcast on the Web site as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
Radio Address - Wind Energy
Full: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov246Full_318814_7.mp3
Edited: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov246Edit_318817_7.mp3
Quote: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov246Quote_318820_7.mp3
Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
This week, we announced that $20 million will be available to small Michigan manufacturers who are looking to diversify and create jobs in the new energy economy.
Michigan companies will compete for $15 million in grants and $5 million in loans in this second round of the Clean Energy Advanced Manufacturing initiative, which is funded by the federal Recovery Act. We've already seen job-creating results from the first round when five Michigan companies were awarded a total of $15 million in December.
Some of the companies applying for the new funding may be looking to diversify into wind manufacturing. As part of our economic diversification efforts, we want to establish a wind- manufacturing industry in Michigan that includes the entire supply chain. Michigan is the best place in the world for it. Why? Because we solve problems in Michigan. Let me give you a few examples.
Astraeus Wind Energy - a partnership between two Michigan companies, Dowding Industries and MAG Industrial Automation Systems - they're going to begin using newly designed advanced tooling machinery to produce wind turbine hubs in four and a half hours. Now that's six times faster than anywhere else in the world - a major breakthrough.
Another example: Merrill Tool and Machine is a leader in wind manufacturing. Merrill has developed an innovative direct-drive technology that improves gearbox reliability, which is one of the big problems that wind turbine manufacturers have been wrestling with for years.
Overall, Michigan has a growing wind supply chain of more than 100 companies doing hundreds of millions of dollars in business annually. We also have hundreds more companies that are hungry to get into this industry.
The enormous promise of offshore wind will create demand all over the world for the largest, most powerful wind turbines manufactured anywhere. And we'll make those wind turbines and their components here in Michigan, and we'll be able to ship them throughout the United States and the world thanks to our strategic location on the Great Lakes.
As we stand ready to supply the world with Michigan-made wind turbines and components, we're also looking at offshore wind energy production in our own state. Since January last year, our Great Lakes Wind Council has worked to identify favorable areas for the development of offshore wind in Michigan's Great Lakes. The most favorable areas must be at least six miles offshore and avoid shipping lanes and sensitive fish and wildlife habitats. The council's recommendations are now before the state Legislature.
From manufacturing to energy production, wind power holds great promise for Michigan. Wind energy is part of our ongoing efforts to diversify Michigan's economy, create jobs and make our state the leader in new energy.
Thank you for listening.
# # #
