Wind Power for Michelin in Canada

Michelin will be Barrington’s main customer for the proposed $25 million project, with eight to 10 turbines to be built on public and private land near Canso and operating in 2008.

"It’s a great opportunity to make electricity and not burn fossil fuels," said Grant Ferguson, manager of Michelin North America’s Waterville plant. "The deal is about an environmental focus rather than financial," he continued. "We’ve got a clear goal to improve our use of natural resources."

The Canso wind farm has been in the planning stages for almost three years. Michelin and Barrington started talking last year about using power from the project. Financial details were not disclosed, although Ferguson said Michelin is not making a direct capital investment in the project.

The contract is for 12 megawatts, the amount of electricity needed to power about 3,300 homes in an average year. "We can use that and multiple times more," said Ferguson.

If you’re a shop looking to sell summer tires, it’s important to know that customers looking for these tires have very specific needs. Let’s talk about why, before recommending summer tires, you need to fully understand customer performance requirements.

Unlike all-season or all-terrain tires built for diverse driving conditions, UHP summer tires are designed with one priority: dry and wet traction for performance driving. Lateral and longitudinal grip in dry and wet conditions are also important, which is achieved through optimized contact patches, high silica tread compounds and circumferential grooves to channel water. Generally, UHP summer tire tread design features large blocks and fewer grooves for more road contact on dry surfaces. The grooves are designed to channel water away from the tire, reducing the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.