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Wind Power News: October 2018
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.
Poll shows tax, clean energy ballot measures losing as Election Day nears
A new poll shows two high-profile Arizona ballot measures, Propositions 126 and 127 losing, and badly, in the case of the clean-energy proposal. Prop. 126 would prevent any new taxes on services, which are not widely taxed in Arizona. Prop. 127 would require electric companies to get half their energy from renewable sources like solar and wind by 2030. Fifty-three percent of respondents to the poll were against Prop. 126, while just under 39 percent said they supported it, according . . . Complete story »
Germany reaches deal to boost renewable energy capacity: SPD
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU and its Social Democrat (SPD) partners have agreed to keep their promise to speed up the expansion of renewable power installations, ending months of wrangling, an SPD spokeswoman said on Wednesday. Renewable energy is one of the most important drivers of Germany’s plans to become a low-carbon economy, part of the country’s commitment to help to combat global warming. As part of these efforts, the German government agreed in January to plan for additional tenders for . . . Complete story »
PTC still going strong
In the political debates recently people have been asking about the Production Tax Credit for industrial wind energy. The pat answer is that the tax credits are declining every year starting in 2016 giving people the impression that now industrial wind can stand and that their costs have fallen so far as to make it affordable. That is not the whole story. The PTC is given for 10 years. MidAmerican has even repowered some of their turbines that are barely . . . Complete story »
Why wind power isn’t the answer
On October 8, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report warning that nations around the world must cut their greenhouse-gas emissions drastically to reduce the possibility of catastrophic climate change. The report emphasizes “fast deployment of renewables like solar and wind” and largely ignores the essential role nuclear energy must play in any decarbonization effort. Four days earlier, to much less fanfare, two Harvard researchers published a paper showing that trying to fuel our energy-intensive society solely with . . . Complete story »
Wake up, Canisteo: Change is in the wind
Your quality of life and property values are about to decline. Are you aware that there is a proposal afoot right now, to construct as many as 175 wind turbines, 600 feet tall within the Town of Canisteo? This project has been in the planning phase for several years now, and may come to completion with little public input thanks to intense secrecy of the developer. The negatives of this project are too numerous to list here; in addition to . . . Complete story »
Wind farm review faces possible extension after eagle nest details were withheld
State officials want to extend the Galloo Island wind project review beyond its year-long time frame because the developer failed to divulge the finding of an eagle nest on the island last year. Several participants in the state Article 10 review of the 109-megawatt project, including Clifford P. Schneider, Claudia J. Maurer, Ann and Martin Maurer and Henderson Town Supervisor John J. Culkin, filed a joint motion in September asking state examiners to dismiss Apex Clean Energy’s application because it . . . Complete story »
Montague and Clay County anti-wind farm groups hold meeting
The debate over the production of wind farms continued Tuesday night as Clay and Montague County residents met to discuss how they plan to fight off another project. One project is in the Joy/Buffalo Springs area and another in northern Montague County near Bellevue. APEX energy is working on the Bellevue project and a representative says they are disappointed to see the escalation of anti-wind activity in the area. However, residents Tuesday night said there’s a good reason for that. . . . Complete story »
CAQ government looking to abandon $600M wind farm on Quebec’s North Shore
The Quebec government wants out of the contentious Apuiat wind farm project and has tapped Hydro-Québec to come up with an exit strategy, Radio-Canada has learned. The Apuiat project, first proposed in 2015, is to produce an estimated 200 megawatts annually from about 50 wind turbines on Quebec’s North Shore, near the town of Port-Cartier. Backed by the former Liberal government, the $600-million project was highly criticized by the CAQ’s François Legault during the election campaign. “We’re not going to . . . Complete story »
Controversy erupts over ‘Wind Farm’ in Monroe County IL
NEAR VALMEHYER, IL – A big controversy is brewing in and around the small town of Valmeyer, Illinois in Monroe County, and it`s all about using wind turbines for electricity. A developer wants to put up a wind farm but residents are fighting back saying not in my backyard! “It`s just our little piece of heaven,” said Joann Fricke about the home that she and her husband Mike live in along the bluffs near Valmeyer. They have 120 acres, much . . . Complete story »
Penn Forest nears decision on wind turbines
PENN FOREST TWP., Pa. – Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Penn Forest Township Zoning Hearing Board will announce its decision on an application for 28 wind turbines on Dec. 17, after months of zoning hearings for a special exception application submitted by Atlantic Wind LLC. The date was announced as the final night of testimony wrapped up Tuesday evening. Proponents of the wind turbine project defended its impact on nearby land during the hearing. Representatives from both Atlantic Wind and . . . Complete story »
