Greenleaf and its partners instigated collaboration across state lines and agencies to develop a regional tool that integrates available data reflective of stakeholder interests (e.g., shipping, critical habitat, economics) across the region, providing guidelines for siting wind farms and regional decision making.

Project/Challenge
Develop a wind farm siting tool through a diverse collaboration of Great Lakes agencies.
Need
The Great Lakes and its basin have high value winds near population centers, and thus are an attractive investment to wind farm developers.  However, few Great Lakes states have effective offshore guidelines for siting wind farms.  A regional decision making platform is needed to optimize the wind resources for regional benefit – with best available information from all stakeholder perspectives such as shipping lanes, critical habitat, economics, view sheds and other community and citizen groups.
Solution
Greenleaf Advisors and its partners instigated collaboration across state lines and agencies to develop a regional tool that integrates available data reflective of stakeholder interests across the region.   From this regional platform, states will have consistent and shared data for wind siting and permitting information. 
Results
The initiative has been adopted by the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative, and as a result of Greenleaf Advisors’ outreach efforts, the collaborative has hosted a series of webinars highlighting wind siting tools from across the nation.  This was followed by a workshop where multiple agencies have agreed to further the development of a singular regional tool.   Ultimately, a full build-out and utilization of this platform will enable the intelligent and coordinated siting of offshore wind projects in and around the Great Lakes.
Why Greenleaf Advisors
Greenleaf Advisors – Intelligent Infrastructure Discipline – brings a non-biased respectful approach to developing collaboration, while driving change with science based and practical ideas.  In addition, Greenleaf Advisors has a strong partnership with the Sierra Club and James Sewall Company who augment our ability to progress the critical issue of siting wind intelligently in the Great Lakes region.
Partners / Sponsors
Greenleaf Advisors partnered with the James Sewall Company, a 175 year old engineering firm with deep expertise in infrastructure siting.  Our work is generously sponsored by The Johnson Foundation.