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Wind Power News: November 2007
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Italy to build 500 new wind plants
Italy plans to build 500 more wind plants to become the biggest producer of wind energy, Italian News Agency ANSA reported on Tuesday. With the help of the 500 additional plants Italy plans to reach a 23,000 gigawatt energy production – ten times higher than what the country is currently producing. The new wind farms will make Italy the world’s biggest producer of wind energy, leapfrogging Germany which is now producing 22,622gigawatts. In 2006 alone, 417 wind plants were built in . . . Complete story »
Bluewater makes promise on future prices
An offshore wind farm developer said today it would not raise the price of its power if the prices of steel and other commodities go up. In making the concession, Bluewater Wind hoped to win over state regulators who have said the company’s offer to sign a long-term power purchase agreement with Delmarva Power would be too expensive. In a filing with the Public Service Commission, Bluewater attorney Thomas McGonigle argued Delmarva undermined the negotiating process, trying to drive up . . . Complete story »
Two wind farms may proceed without permit from S.D. regulators
A company that’s building wind farms in Brookings County does not need permits from the state Public Utilities Commission. The PUC made that decision Tuesday, agreeing with PPM Energy of Portland, Ore., that it is building two wind farms in the county and not one. PPM lawyer Brett Koenecke said turbines of the MinnDakota wind farm, which sprawls into adjoining Lincoln County, Minn., will produce 54 megawatts in Brookings County, and the Buffalo Ridge wind farm will produce 55 megawatts . . . Complete story »
Court affirms PSC ruling favoring W. Md. wind power project
A Baltimore judge has affirmed a state Public Service Commission ruling favoring a proposed wind power project in Garrett County. Circuit Judge John Miller found no fault with the agency’s approval in 2005 of Clipper Windpower Inc.’s plan to reduce from 67 to 40 the number of giant wind turbines it plans to erect on Backbone Mountain. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company said the turbines in the redesigned project would use longer blades that originally proposed to produce a comparable amount . . . Complete story »
LIPA seeks renewable power proposals
The Long Island Power Authority has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from firms interested in providing electricity from renewable facilities and associated renewable energy certificates. In a release Monday, LIPA said the renewable energy could come from new or existing projects in New York, New England or the PJM electricity markets. LIPA has voluntarily agreed to follow the state Public Service Commission’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which requires suppliers to acquire 25 percent of the power they sell from . . . Complete story »
Wind — a licence to print money
Now that the Fullabrook wind farm has been approved, many people are asking how much subsidy its developer will receive from our taxes.The answer is “none” – the subsidies will come from our electricity bills. As to how much the subsidies will be, the answer is “enormous”. Renewable energy generating companies receive one Renewable Obligation Certificate from the Government for every megawatt-hour of electricity they produce. These certificates have no value until sold at auction to other energy generating companies so . . . Complete story »
Exhibition for wind farm public opinion
AN EXHIBITION will be held in Weston on Friday to arouse public opinion over a proposal to erect a small wind farm in the village. Developers John and Paul Cherry, of Darnalls Hall Farm, want to construct three 120-metre-high wind turbines on Pond Place, a field in Hatch Lane, half-a-mile from the Baldock bypass. Each turbine would be capable of generating up to 2,000,000 watts of electricity per hour – enough from the three to power around 3,000 homes a year. . . . Complete story »
Trustpower seeks permission for $440m windfarm
TrustPower is seeking planning permission for a 240MW wind farm near Gore. The Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm will be built entirely on privately owned farmland and will have a maximum of 83 turbines, each with a maximum height of 145m. TrustPower, which lodged the application yesterday, says the proposed wind farm would be built in stages, with a projected total cost of $440 million, and at full capacity could supply the equivalent of 113,000 homes. The final cost would be . . . Complete story »
Peat probing work to begin in relation to windfarm project
Contractors working on behalf of Viking Energy are due begin a second programme of intensive peat probing work in relation to plans for a giant windfarm in Shetland. Mouchel, who specialise in environmental monitoring, will be deploying staff across the site later this month. Earlier this year Viking Energy engaged the services of Dr Olivia Bragg, an international authority on peatland conservation and management from the University of Dundee. Dr. Bragg has been actively involved in devising the draft road . . . Complete story »
Sarkozy announces new wind turbine policy
Industrial wind turbine development to end in rural and wild areas The Sustainable Environment Federation (FED), with the heritage and countryside associations who demonstrated in Paris on October 6 against industrial wind energy, are pleased by President Sarkozy’s redirection of French policy concerning wind turbines and renewable energy. In his comments at the closure of the « Grenelle de l’environnement », the president of the republic announced the end of the « rush » that has characterized French policy on wind turbines up to . . . Complete story »
