Shirley Wind
| Company type | Facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Wind energy |
| Predecessor | Emerging Energies LLC |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Emerging Energies LLC |
| Headquarters | Glenmore , United States |
Area served | Wisconsin |
| Products | Electricity generation (wind power) |
| Owner | Duke Energy |
Shirley Wind is a wind energy facility situated in the Shirley region of Glenmore, within Brown County, Wisconsin. Established in 2011, the site comprises eight Nordex turbines, each with a capacity of 2.5 MW and standing roughly 500 feet tall. Initially developed by Emerging Energies LLC, ownership later transferred to Duke Energy.
At the time of its inauguration, the turbines at Shirley Wind were the tallest in Wisconsin and ranked among the highest in North America.
In 2014, after a 2013 investigation, the Brown County Board of Health classified the Shirley Wind Farm as a "human health hazard." Nevertheless, in 2015, Brown County Health Director Chua Xiong indicated that there was not enough scientific proof to confirm a connection between the turbines and health complaints reported by local residents.
History
The Shirley Wind project was initiated by Emerging Energies LLC, a company specializing in wind power based in Wisconsin. The development process began in 2004, with permits granted by the town of Glenmore in 2007. By 2009, Emerging Energies had sold a 90% interest to Central Hudson Energy Group. Construction kicked off in April 2009, and commercial operations commenced in December 2010, with electricity supplied to Wisconsin Public Service Corporation. In 2011, ownership changed hands to Duke Energy.
Electricity Production
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total Annual Output | Capacity Factor (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,583 | 1,337 | 2,920 | 10.0 | |
| 2011 | 4,059 | 6,386 | 4,705 | 6,086 | 6,287 | 4,082 | 2,741 | 2,167 | 3,722 | 5,131 | 6,573 | 6,289 | 58,228 | 33.2 | |
| 2012 | 7,956 | 4,996 | 7,113 | 5,913 | 5,448 | 4,766 | 2,710 | 3,130 | 4,257 | 6,210 | 5,628 | 5,602 | 63,729 | 36.4 | |
| 2013 | 7,648 | 5,768 | 5,165 | 7,285 | 5,312 | 2,906 | 2,616 | 2,503 | 3,863 | 4,922 | 7,470 | 5,310 | 60,769 | 34.7 | |
| 2014 | 8,538 | 6,449 | 6,588 | 7,281 | 4,768 | 4,071 | 3,633 | 2,223 | 3,655 | 6,082 | 6,870 | 4,859 | 65,018 | 37.1 | |
| 2015 | 5 ,757 | 5 ,244 | 6 ,056 | 6 ,108 | 6 ,181 | 2 ,969 | 3 ,110 | 3 ,843 | 3 ,840 | 6 ,503 | 8 ,037 | 7 ,117 | 64 ,766 | 37 .0 | |
| 2016 | 5 ,688 | 6 ,335 | 5 ,045 | 5 ,991 | 4 ,910 | 3 ,668 | 3 ,307 | 2 ,297 | 4 ,421 | 4 ,875 | 5 ,849 | 7 ,966 | 60 ,350 | 34 .4 | |
| 2017 | 5 ,931 | 6 ,297 | 6 ,609 | 6 ,443 | 5 ,467 | 4 ,625 | 2 ,330 | 2 ,069 | 2 ,645 | 5 ,967 | 6 ,578 | 6 ,518 | 61 ,479 | 35 .1 | |
| 2018 | 7 ,247 | 5 ,268 | 5 ,940 | 4 ,741 | 4 ,032 | 2 ,783 | 2 ,328 | 2 ,516 | 2 ,827 | 5 ,102 | 4 ,852 | 5 ,319 | 52 ,955 | 30 .2 | |
| 2019 | >* |
0 .0 | |||||||||||||
| 2020 |
0 .0 |
* Data unavailable
Health Concerns
Soon after the wind farm commenced operations, more than 75 residents in the area lodged complaints with the Brown County Board of Health, attributing various health problems to low frequency noise generated by the turbines.
In January 2012, the Board sought urgent assistance from the state to aid families experiencing these issues. A study conducted in 2013 identified low frequency noise within three households but verified turbine noise outside only one; it did not establish a definitive link between the turbines and the health complaints reported.
By October 2014, the Brown County Board of Health officially classified the Shirley Wind farm as a "human health hazard," marking the first instance in the country where such a designation was made based on residents' grievances. Nonetheless, in December 2015, Health Director Chua Xiong determined that there was inadequate proof connecting the turbines to any illnesses.
This finding came under scrutiny following an Open Records request that disclosed Xiong himself had suffered migraines near the turbine site—symptoms commonly described by local residents. Notably, Xiong resigned shortly before this information was made public.