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.
Debate grows over renewable energy bill
CALHAN – A strong effort is underway to sway governor John Hickenlooper into either signing or vetoing a new renewable energy bill. Senate Bill 13-252 mandates rural electric cooperatives produce at least 20 percent of their electricity from solar, wind and other renewable sources by the year 2020. Previous standards required the co-ops to produce just 10 percent by that same deadline. The accelerated timetable will likely mean expensive capital improvements for the non-profit co-ops. Ratepayers like George Schubert, a . . .
Tipton development: A study of contrasts
These are exciting times for Tipton County, with Chrysler coming to the county and bringing more than 800 legitimate jobs. These jobs will invite families to move to Tipton County and call this community their home. It will likely increase demand for homes and land in our county, thus improving property values, which have suffered in recent years with our nation’s economic struggles. Furthermore, the additions of Casey’s and Tractor Supply Co. to the area of the Ind. 19 and . . .
Residents question why wind developer wrote town’s appeal
ANTRIM — A handful of residents remain angry that the town’s Select Board voted to appeal a state decision that denied a proposed wind farm, but what really struck the wrong chord with those residents was learning that the town motion submitted to the Site Evaluation Committee was authored by an attorney for the wind developer. In a Microsoft Word document obtained by resident Richard Block, the properties of the document name Susan Geiger, the attorney for Antrim Wind Energy, . . .
Marshall County first to ban wind farms
It’s believed that Marshall County today became the first county in Indiana to ban commercial wind farms within its borders. “It’s just our wildest dreams realized,” said Marabeth Levett, a supporter of the ban. “Marshall County is very densely populated compared to Benton, and White County where they’re seem to be living fairly well with them; but in Marshall County, farms are right next to homes.” The decision on the part of the Marshall County Board of Commissioners was unanimous. . . .
Gov. Heineman: Wait on wind power legislation
As debate looms on legislation that could lead to Nebraska getting a $300 million wind farm, Republican Gov. Dave Heineman reiterated his opposition Monday to the tax breaks that could pave the way for the project. A bill (LB104) by Omaha Sen. Steve Lathrop would remove a barrier to the development and export of wind energy in Nebraska. The measure would provide a sales tax exemption for the purchase of turbines, towers and other wind-farm components — which Iowa, Kansas . . .
Dank blasts last minute tax credits
The Legislature’s most vocal opponent of wasteful tax credits said Friday that some legislators are again trying to pass last minute “stealth” tax credits and incentives during the final days of the 2013 session. “Once again a bunch of very questionable tax credits are emerging from the cracks in the walls of our crumbling State Capitol,” said Rep. David Dank, R-Oklahoma City. “There are stealth efforts underway to give away hundreds of millions of dollars at the end of . . .
Windham ridgeline project should be rejected
The current proposal to install approximately 40 wind turbines on the east ridge of the town of Windham is not only a violation of the democratically vetted and voted town plan, it also devastates the environment, undermines the economic security of our citizens, undercuts the increasing use of already available clean energy sources, and subverts efforts to build appropriately scaled sources of alternative energy. There may be not only economic security but also health issues involved. In concise fashion, the . . .
U.S. finishes wind turbine radar interference trials
The FAA and other U.S. government agencies have completed the third and final operational field test in a two-year, $8 million program to study the physical and electromagnetic interference between radar systems and wind turbine farms, and to identify mitigation techniques to address this issue. Data from the third Interagency Field Test and Evaluation of Wind Turbine-Radar (IFT&E), designed to assess near-term mitigation and to help develop long-term mitigation techniques, is being analyzed by Sandia National Laboratories and the Massachusetts . . .
Zoning board to consider permit for turbines; meeting on Tuesday
CHARLESTOWN — The final chapter of a three-plus-year-long saga over the planned construction of two wind turbines may open Tuesday night. The Zoning Board of Review will meet at 7 p.m. at Charlestown Elementary School to consider a special use permit that would allow Whalerock Renewable Energy LLC to build two 262-foot-high wind turbines on an 81-acre site north of Route 1 between King’s Factory Road and East Quail Run. The blades would bring the total height to more than . . .
Commissioners approve agreements to proceed with wind energy development
The Randolph County Board of Commissioners Monday approved wind energy agreements with E.ON Climate Renewables. The agreements covered economic development money that will be paid to the county by the developer, the plan to take the wind turbines down once they are no longer functioning and an agreement to return local roads to their prior condition once construction of the turbines is completed. The proposed E.ON wind farm would include approximately 30 turbines, generating 50 to 60 megawatts of electricity . . .
