Wind Energy Development Along the Great Lakes: Capacity, Offshore Projects, and Environmental Assessment

The Great Lakes region hosts one of North America’s most significant and growing wind energy sectors, driven by strong and consistent wind resources over the lakes and surrounding terrain, provincial and state renewable energy mandates, and increasing demand for carbon-free electricity. As Ontario and the Great Lakes states pursue ambitious decarbonization targets, wind energy development along the Great Lakes corridor continues to expand, bringing both economic opportunity and environmental considerations.

Current Wind Energy Capacity

Ontario leads Canadian provinces in installed wind energy capacity, with approximately 5,400 megawatts (MW) of operational onshore wind capacity as of early 2026, according to the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA). A significant portion of this capacity is concentrated in the Great Lakes region, where wind speeds averaging 7 to 9 metres per second at hub height provide favourable generation conditions.

The counties bordering Lake Huron and Lake Erie account for the highest density of wind installations in Ontario. Chatham-Kent, Lambton County, and Huron County collectively host over 1,800 MW of wind capacity across dozens of project sites. The Niagara Region and Prince Edward County along Lake Ontario also support significant wind development.

On the American side, Michigan has 3,200 MW of installed wind capacity, with the state’s largest projects located in the Thumb region adjacent to Lake Huron. Ohio and New York have approximately 1,000 MW and 2,100 MW respectively, with projects distributed along their Great Lakes shorelines and inland areas.

Offshore Wind Development

Offshore wind energy in the Great Lakes remains in the early planning and assessment phase, though interest is growing. The Great Lakes have an estimated offshore wind potential of over 160 gigawatts (GW) according to a 2023 resource assessment by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), though only a fraction of this technical potential would be developed due to environmental, navigational, and visual impact constraints.

In December 2024, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved a feasibility study for a 200 MW offshore wind pilot project in Lake Michigan, the first such approval in the Great Lakes. The study, being conducted by a consortium including the University of Michigan and two private wind development companies, will assess wind resources, lakebed conditions, ice loading forces, and environmental impacts at potential sites off the coast of Mason and Oceana counties.

Ontario’s current regulatory framework effectively prohibits offshore wind development in the Great Lakes. The Ontario government imposed a moratorium on offshore wind projects in 2011, citing insufficient research on environmental and human health impacts. The moratorium remains in effect as of 2026, though the Ontario Clean Energy Association has called for the province to commission an independent assessment of offshore wind feasibility in light of updated research and technology.

Environmental Considerations

Wind energy development in the Great Lakes region must navigate genuine environmental trade-offs. Bird and bat mortality at wind facilities is the most widely studied impact. A long-term monitoring program at Ontario wind facilities, overseen by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, found average mortality rates of approximately 6.4 birds and 10.2 bats per turbine per year across 45 monitored sites.

These mortality rates are significantly lower than bird deaths caused by building collisions, domestic cats, and vehicle strikes, according to a comprehensive analysis published in Avian Conservation and Ecology. However, impacts on specific species of conservation concern, particularly migratory raptors and endangered bat species such as the little brown myotis, require careful site-specific assessment.

Offshore wind development raises additional ecological questions related to impacts on fish habitat, benthic communities, and migratory bird corridors over the lakes. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission has recommended that any offshore wind development include comprehensive baseline ecological surveys and long-term monitoring commitments.

Economic Impact

The wind energy sector provides measurable economic benefits to Great Lakes communities. Ontario’s wind industry supports approximately 4,500 direct jobs in manufacturing, construction, and operations, according to CanWEA data. Municipalities hosting wind projects receive annual payments through property tax revenue and community benefit agreements that typically total 5,000 to 10,000 dollars per installed megawatt per year.

Supply chain development has been a particular success in the Great Lakes region. Siemens Gamesa operates a blade manufacturing facility in Tillsonburg, Ontario, that produces blades for projects across northeastern North America. CS Wind, a Korean tower manufacturer, opened a production facility in Windsor in 2022 that employs approximately 300 workers.

Grid Integration and Energy Storage

As wind energy’s share of electricity generation grows, grid integration becomes increasingly important. The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), which manages Ontario’s electricity grid, reports that wind provided approximately 10 percent of Ontario’s electricity generation in 2025. Managing the variable output of wind facilities requires a combination of grid flexibility measures including dispatchable natural gas generation, imports and exports through interconnections with neighbouring jurisdictions, and emerging energy storage technologies.

Several battery energy storage projects are under development in the Great Lakes region to complement wind generation. Oneida Energy Storage, a 250 MW / 1,000 MWh battery project being developed by the Six Nations of the Grand River, Aecon, and NRStor near Hagersville, Ontario, is expected to become one of the largest battery storage facilities in Canada when it enters service in 2026.