A capacity crowed is expected for today’s “Holland to the Netherlands” video chat, scheduled to last from 10 a.m. to noon in Room 102 of Grand Valley State University’s Meijer Campus in Holland, Mich.

The video chat will discuss wind energy programs, which have been dismissed as a viable energy source in the U.S. Currently, there are no domestic offshore wind energy plants in the U.S.

The chat, which is open to the public, will discuss a wide range of topics concerning the impact of creating wind energy as a primary source of energy and will include members of the North Holland Development Company, a regional economic development agency in the Netherlands. Members of the domestic community will include sectors of the government from West Michigan and tourism officials from the area. Hotel representatives from the community, the chamber of commerce and the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau of Holland will also be in attendance.

Research by the Michigan Public Service Commission has shown that the costs of onshore wind energy are much cheaper at $102 per megawatt hour compared with the cost of coal-fired power plant, which would cost $133/MWh.

However, offshore wind energy is much more expensive than either of those options.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Agency, it would cost at least $200/MWh to maintain an offshore wind energy plant.

“The high cost is due to the additional foundations to support the turbines as well as increased operation and maintenance costs,” said Erik Nordman, professor in the natural resource management program at GVSU. “While companies are trying to bring the cost down through research and development, offshore wind energy may not be appropriate everywhere.”

There are also concerns with tourism in the community, as the mills would potentially be visible against the horizon. Nordman said the program’s goal is to open a dialogue with people who live and work in a community that hosts an offshore wind farm.

Dutch Consulate to West Michigan Paul Heule said beyond the cultural ties, many more similarities lay between the two communities.

“There are ethical similarities, similarities in business practices and the education base is good,” Heule said.

Nordman said since GVSU has been involved with sustainability as well as extensive work on alternative and renewable energies through the Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center in Muskegon, the university has been pushed to the forefront of the discussion.

He added that other programs, like the Padnos College of Engineering and the natural resources management program, have put the university in an even better position to be a leader in this discussion.

“The people of West Michigan’s skills and the skills of the people in the Netherlands compliment each other,” Heule said, “That is why we are a good fit.”

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