Regarding Crego, I heard about the grants and the plans, but I don't remember ever hearing anything about an opening date. I'm wondering how long it's already been open.
It is disappointing to hear that they plan exclusively industrial redevelopment on the sites, but I shouldn't of expected better. As for the solar farm, it seems like a very dumb idea to seriously go after solar energy in Michigan and it would be a huge waste to use up a large tract of land in the middle of the city for one. At least something real is finally happening with the sites.
While on the subject of GM, the logistics plant over at LGR looks to have all it's steel up, and it looks larger than I anticipated. They have also started the foundation for what I assume is the stamping plant right along the east side of the northbound MLK bridge.
It still appears, though, that there is quite a bit of land left on the site, particularly in the northwest corner. The steel is very interesting, though. It's quite a bit different in construction than what you see of other developments in the city; it's as if they have a special construction style.
You know, I try not to criticize it, because something is generally better than nothing - but I seriously do not understand why LBWL wants to expand their solar facilities. The output of the Cedar Street array is so miniscule I can only conclude we have it for publicity purposes only, so we can say we "do solar". Per LBWL's own reports, the array produces about 65 MWh of electricity per year, almost certainly not even enough to power the Stadium District right next door. For comparison, LBWL's entire renewables portfolio (most of it purchased from Granger) produces 85,000 MWh.
While the Cedar Street Solar Array is definitely more of a demonstration project than anything else (BWL has been pretty upfront about that), it does produce enough power to power 50 average single-family homes without taking up any valuable land. I don't think the BWL has ever sold solar as its bread-and-butter as far as renewables go. Locally, the most significant source of energy is landfill gases, and really their biggest overall, I believe, is buying wind energy. But, I think the demonstration projects are worthwhile for other reasons. The Cedar Street Solar Array, for instance, was a great reuse of space that could be utitilized for little else (it sits atop water tanks).
BTW, on solar energy in general, while Michigan's renewable energy go-to will be almost entirely wind - I believe something like 90+% is wind - the idea of solar panels for significant portions is less a limitation of our environment or technology than it is of will. Germany, fo instance, is pretty famous for its photovalic industry and the power its gets from it, despite it not exactly being known a sunny, mid-lattitude nation. I'd rather we stick with our strong suits instead of trying to make solar work, but I do think solar can be a part of things even in Michigan, particularly given how much underutilized land we're likely to have for the forseeable future. I'm just saying that I don't think solar is ridiculous as some people think. In fact, I'd like to see more private businesses use underutilized roof space and the like to cut down on their own power usage.
Right, the fact that it is on otherwise-idle land is a redeeming feature. But the average American home uses about 11 MWh per year - so the array can only power about 6, not 50. From what I've read, 50 was the original expectation, and about 500 MWh was the expected output - I would love to know why we're sitting (and have been, year after year) at about 1/10 of that. Did somebody mess up the initial calculation, or is there some sort of equipment problem that has plagued the array from the beginning? I don't know why output is so much below what was expected.
Last month, the Lansing Board of Water & Light announced its own effort to dramatically expand its solar power. It is accepting bids to buy electricity from a Lansing-area company, or multiple companies, that agree to install solar panels producing a combined 5 megawatts of power – enough to service roughly 720 homes.
BWL is accepting bids through Aug. 11, and it hopes to bring that solar power online by the summer of 2016.
That expansion of solar power – combined with a doubling of the utility’s solar panel array at its Dye Water Conditioning Plant to begin this month – will increase solar’s contribution to its renewable energy portfolio 10 times over by 2016. Solar will represent 14 percent of the utility’s renewable energy, up from 1.4 percent now.
Sounds like the Cedar Street Array is getting a major upgrade, and I imagine it must be an upgrade of the technology and not necessarily an expansion of the site, though, it may be both.
I found the just-released "Tri-County Hazard Mitigation Plan" interesting not for the hazard part, but for its future population projections (which are, presumably, just taken from somewhere else). East Lansing (within Ingham county) 2005 population 45,576, 2010 was 45,535, projected 2045 is 46,820. Lansing (within Ingham county) 2005 was 110,180, 2010 was 107,461, projected 2045 is 121,133. What about the 'burbs? Meridian Twp 2005 was 38,556, 2010 was 38,493, projected 2045 is 40,476. Not much change expected at all. Other interesting stats at the link.
I think the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission has what I believe to be more realistic population projections. Lansing is very, very close to turning its first population increase - however modest - in years. It should also be noted that the Census Bureau totally missed the growth of Metro Lansing between 2000-2010. I believe their last estimate of the decade in 2009 predicted the tri-county at something like 450,000 when the 2010 Census actually found the area having grown to 464,000, and miss of nearly 15,000 people. Their main mess-up was completely underestimating how fast Clinton County had grown, actually having been the fastest growing county in the entire state over the decade. They'd also totally missed the population growth of East Lansing and overestimated the loss in Lansing and Lansing Township. I actually wouldn't be surprised to find the small loses they've predicted for Lansing since 2010 - smallest losses since the city started losing, in fact - were actually small population gains.
Anyway, if the area grows at least as fast as it did last decade - and I think it'll likely be faster, because what's been holding back the area's population gain has been the loss from Lansing which is turning around - we're looking at a population of 480,000 by the end of the decade.
Paramount Coffee on Larch has finally revealed to the public its expansion plans. They will be opening a distribution facility near the airport on August 1st, but the most interesting part is that they'll be expanding their factory downtown across from Oldsmobile Park by 20,000 square feet on the former site of the Abrams Aerial Survey Building in the next two years.
I'm glad to see Paramount doing so well, and I even don't mind that that spot will be their expansion.
It is nice to see local companies doing well. Especially when they're downtown.
(I did just learn today that New York Burrito is closing / has closed. Sadness. I think last time I was in there, actually, they were complaining that there were too many sandwich shops downtown now. There you go.)
Comments
It is disappointing to hear that they plan exclusively industrial redevelopment on the sites, but I shouldn't of expected better. As for the solar farm, it seems like a very dumb idea to seriously go after solar energy in Michigan and it would be a huge waste to use up a large tract of land in the middle of the city for one. At least something real is finally happening with the sites.
While on the subject of GM, the logistics plant over at LGR looks to have all it's steel up, and it looks larger than I anticipated. They have also started the foundation for what I assume is the stamping plant right along the east side of the northbound MLK bridge.
BTW, on solar energy in general, while Michigan's renewable energy go-to will be almost entirely wind - I believe something like 90+% is wind - the idea of solar panels for significant portions is less a limitation of our environment or technology than it is of will. Germany, fo instance, is pretty famous for its photovalic industry and the power its gets from it, despite it not exactly being known a sunny, mid-lattitude nation. I'd rather we stick with our strong suits instead of trying to make solar work, but I do think solar can be a part of things even in Michigan, particularly given how much underutilized land we're likely to have for the forseeable future. I'm just saying that I don't think solar is ridiculous as some people think. In fact, I'd like to see more private businesses use underutilized roof space and the like to cut down on their own power usage.
Sounds like the Cedar Street Array is getting a major upgrade, and I imagine it must be an upgrade of the technology and not necessarily an expansion of the site, though, it may be both.
Anyway, if the area grows at least as fast as it did last decade - and I think it'll likely be faster, because what's been holding back the area's population gain has been the loss from Lansing which is turning around - we're looking at a population of 480,000 by the end of the decade.
I'm glad to see Paramount doing so well, and I even don't mind that that spot will be their expansion.
(I did just learn today that New York Burrito is closing / has closed. Sadness. I think last time I was in there, actually, they were complaining that there were too many sandwich shops downtown now. There you go.)