Wind Power News: March 2009
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Industrial wind energy proponents increase pressure for 45-50 story turbines in East County
For the record, even though I chair the Boulevard Planning Group and head up the non-profit group, Backcountry Against Dumps, this opinion column is my own personal perspective. The pressure from industrial wind energy proponents is really cranking up in Eastern San Diego County. Multi-national firms, worth billions of dollars, and others, have targeted public, private and tribal lands in the Tecate Divide and Tierra Del Sol area of Campo and Boulevard for their hulking 40-50 story wind turbines. Other . . .
Noble liens snare landowners
Noble Environmental, the company along with upc/first wind, that was investigated by NY AG Cuomo is being sued for not paying an electrical contractor, who has placed liens on the property owners leasing land to Noble for the Chateaugay Windpark. Several property owners who entered easement agreements with an arm of Noble Environmental Power now find themselves with mechanic liens on their land after the company reportedly failed to pay a bill to an electrical company. On March 11, three . . .
Turbine collapses, wiring blamed
A “wiring anomaly” was blamed for the collapse earlier this month of a wind turbine near Altona, N.Y., according to Noble Environmental Power, the operator of the wind park. The 1.5 megawatt turbine, made by General Electric, broke apart on March 6th, and caused a small fire on the ground, as seen in this video from the local NBC affiliate, WPTZ. According to press reports, the park had experienced a power outage at the time, but two of the 65 . . .
Turbines fire fear in Macedon Ranges
Tooborac residents fear a proposed wind farm will make their fire-prone village even more unsafe after a turbine caught fire in South Australia. The turbine burnt scrub near Port Lincoln last month at the height of a prolonged heatwave. Tooborac, about 20km from Lancefield, has been earmarked for a 70-turbine wind farm for more than five years by Transfield Services. Another proposed project at Sidonia – badly hit in the Redesdale fire – is mooted to be getting 34 turbines, . . .
Lawsuits, Altona accident end wind power in Beekmantown
BEEKMANTOWN — It’s over. Windhorse Power LLC proposed a 13-turbine wind-power facility in the Town of Beekmantown three years ago, and the Town Council shot it down at their regular meeting Monday night. Windhorse’s project was approved Feb. 1, 2007, by the Beekmantown Zoning Board of Appeals. Beekmantown residents have spent more than $70,000 in lawsuits against the town Zoning Board and Windhorse. As a late item on the agenda, Town Councilwoman Sydney Sue Garrant proposed that the conditional-use permit . . .
Catastrophic failure of a wind turbine
Recently a commercial wind turbine in Altona caught fire and collapsed. There were sounds like explosions coming from the turbine before the collapse. We know about this catastrophic failure of a turbine chiefly because neighbors told us, and someone called 911 to have local fire companies dispatched to the site. The owner of the wind farm, Noble Environmental Power, was issuing generic press releases within hours of the incident. When a WPTZ Channel 5 News crew arrived at the wind . . .
Residents shocked by wind-turbine collapse
ALTONA — Many residents were shocked that a massive wind turbine could come tumbling down and officials say it could take months to learn why one collapsed Friday. Mike Fellion flew over the wreckage Saturday morning and was amazed to see that pieces of the structure appeared to have been thrown “about a quarter-mile away.” “I was surprised,” said Fellion, who flew above the wreckage with his father, Victor, a volunteer pilot who runs the Wings of Life program, which . . .
Wind turbine collapses, sparks fire
ALTONA — Area residents were startled Friday morning when they heard what sounded like explosions at Noble Environmental Power wind park here. “It (the noise) was so consistent and lasted so long I thought it was a thunderstorm way off in the distance,” said Bernie Bullis, who lives about four miles away. He had stopped at his home to pick up paperwork for work when the rumbling started. “Then, I thought it might be an earthquake.” Either way, he said, . . .
Wind project raises Belfast traffic worries
BELFAST, Maine — Officials are worried that a wind-turbine project at the other end of the state could snarl traffic to a crawl this summer, a situation that could have a damaging impact on the city’s economy. “We’re concerned that this could affect us greatly during our busiest time of the year,” City Manager Joseph Slocum said Wednesday. “This could become a major imposition on this community.” The wind turbine generators are expected to begin arriving in Searsport by ship . . .
