Wind Power News: Americas
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.
Wind energy company still investigating fire
BOLAN — The cause of a fire on a wind turbine near Bolan Tuesday remains under investigation, a spokeswoman for the owner said Wednesday. No one was injured. The wind turbine is part of the Barton II wind farm owned by Iberdrola Renewables is on land southeast of Bolan in Worth County. Jan Johnson of Iberdrola said the fire occurred in the nacelle, the portion of the turbine that houses all of its component parts. She could not give an . . .
Wind turbine damage update expected
PAYNE – Inspectors continue their examination of turbine blades on a Paulding County wind farm that suffered a malfunction in April, which resulted in two blades shearing from a structure. All 55 turbines of the Timber Road II Wind Farm in Benton Township remain still. They were shut down April 24 after two blades from one tower were damaged during high winds. It is thought that the wind speeds were not a factor in the mishap. To read the rest . . .
Selectman’s involvement in wind suit questioned by Fairhaven officials
FAIRHAVEN — The Board of Selectmen is locked in a dispute over whether newly elected member Bob Espindola can vote on issues concerning wind turbines. Espindola, who was elected in April, was previously a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the town that tried to stop the construction of two, 397-foot turbines on town-owned land off Arsene Street. He dropped out of the suit in March when he decided to run for office, but Selectmen Chairman Brian Bowcock contends that Espindola’s . . .
Turbine noise creates chronic stress
No one ever gets used to the noise from industrial wind turbines. We have developed a special sensitivity to the infrasound they produce that makes this impossible. The inner ear has developed an exquisitely sensitive and sophisticated system to alert us to approaching danger, even when we cannot hear it — and especially when we are asleep. The microscopic fibers in the cochlea, known as outer hair cells, or OHC, are so sensitive to the inaudible, low-frequency sound from turbines . . .
Wind farms: Kings County concerns justified
Regarding the editorial “Wind farm fracas: Kings takes wrong turn” (May 17): The citizens and council of Kings County are not alone in being concerned about health and safety impacts of industrial wind turbines. So are the French National Academy of Medicine and the Australian Senate Committee that reported last year on impacts of wind farms on rural communities. These authorities — and many others — indicate only an extensive, independent, epidemiological study can prove to what extent wind farm . . .
Ocotillo Wind Express construction to continue
A temporary restraining order against a 112-wind-turbine project set to be built east of Ocotillo was denied by federal judge, a county official said Wednesday. This decision comes more than a week after the Quechan Indian Tribe filed suit against the Department of the Interior for awarding a right-of-way to the project’s developer. Environmentalists and some Ocotillo residents have been opposing the project along with Native American tribes. Tribes say the project permanently impacts cultural and archaeological resources, that mitigation . . .
Residents fight town over wind turbine noise
FALMOUTH, Mass. — One of the two town owned-and-operated wind turbines in Falmouth, called Wind One, sits idle, shut down by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection a little over a week ago, citing the noise it makes is more than 10 decibels above the sound of the rest of the neighborhood. “It’ll be turned on and off at periodic times over the next 30 days” for additional tests, said selectman Brent Putnam. Wind Two, which went online just a . . .
Council going to province for wind turbine buffers
Councillors agreed to take action to ensure wind turbine companies respect the Municipality of Kincardine’s buffer zones, yet were not in immediate agreement on how to proceed. The discussion took place at the May 16 meeting after Deputy Mayor Anne Eadie expressed frustration in not having support of the Ministry of the Environment. Eadie suggested making phone calls and sending letters to officially express this concern. “It doesn’t hurt to send more letters,” she said. “Is the province saying to . . .
Sumner passes wind ordinance, 159 to 79
SUMNER — Voters at a special town meeting on May 16 overwhelmingly passed a Industrial Wind Facility Ordinance, regulating wind power development in Sumner, with 159 in favor and 79 opposed. The vote came after nearly 12 months of work by the Industrial Wind Ordinance Committee. During the process committee members had a difficult time agreeing on certain language that would best protect the town of Sumner and its residents. There were 239 voters in attendance, with one person casting . . .
San Luis council OKs rezoning for wind energy towers
SAN LUIS, Ariz. — A Maryland firm won second and final approval Wednesday from the city council of its proposal to convert wind to electricity within two towers erected on the south corner of San Luis. With two members absent, the San Luis City Council voted 4-0 to approve the second of two readings of an ordinance that rezones 880 acres of agricultural land to heavy industrial use, allowing for construction of the towers by Clean Wind Energy. The towers, . . .
