Wind Power News: California
| RSS | California |
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.
Windmill fire causes $750,000 in damage
Fire caused an estimated $750,000 in damage to a windmill on Thursday, the Palm Springs Fire Deparment said today.
Firefighters were called out about 5:55 p.m. to Windmill Farms a mile south of Interstate 10. The top portion of the windmill was on fire and several small spot fires happened because of falling debris.
The fire is under investigation.
Desert Sun staff
The Desert Sun
9 May 2008
Not much is generated
When talking about wind power, most eyes just glaze over and when I tell them that the more than 4,000 windmills in the San Gorgonio Pass about only generate about 100+/- Megawatts per year (Edison uses 13,000 MW) and the wind is only good enough to generate 14 percent to 20 percent of the time, they stare in disbelief. How can that be when the developers tell us they can provide power for thousands of …
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Wind-energy project must heed our heritage
The Board of Supervisors has a duty to secure the best deal for the future of Shasta County in requiring the Hatchet Mountain wind project to serve us, not just in its appealing revenue potentials, but just as importantly, in compatibility with our world-renowned scenic, mountain-beautified endowments.
They owe it not only to their eastern Shasta County constituents, but to their countywide constituents and our state and worldwide admirers, tourists, and customers, past and future, to …
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Power's path contested; Agency says corridor not yet chosen
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power says it has yet to pick a preferred route for Green Path North, a proposed electrical corridor running from Desert Hot Springs to Hesperia.
“The fact of the matter is we haven’t even commenced the environmental process,” said general manager David Nahai about selecting a route.
But folks from the California Desert Coalition and a local chapter of the Sierra Club say a route has been chosen, and they …
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Green line: California transmission battle divides environmentalists
Renewable energy is nice in theory. But what about in practice?
That’s the uncomfortable question raised by a showdown in California. Utilities that need to install clean energy to meet environmental targets are running into environmental opposition when it comes to actually transmitting the juice to where people live.
The L.A. Times reports that California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is throwing his support behind a proposed 150-mile transmission line that would partially run through a state park. Gov. …
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
A powerful champion of a power line; Governor is pressing state regulators to OK a utility’s plan. Critics are opposed to a route through a state park
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is pushing state regulators to sign off on a high-voltage power line that a San Diego utility wants to build through the middle of California’s largest state park.
Proposed for Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the project puts Schwarzenegger again at odds with environmentalists — and some state officials — who believe he is allowing California’s unrivaled collection of public preserves to be threatened.
The latest controversy follows the governor’s proposal to close 48 parks …
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Windmills blamed for jamming Air Force radar
Officials at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California are hoping a new radar system eliminates a problem caused by nearby wind turbines.
The Air Force says its radar sometimes loses small planes or shows small planes that aren’t there. It blames the phenomenon on 700 metal wind turbines in the Montezuma Hills near the base in Fairfield, east of San Francisco.
The Solano County Planning Commission is permitting construction of an additional 75 turbines after the …
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Wind power meeting is April 29
A community meeting to inform the public about a proposed wind energy project near Apple Valley is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29.
The meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Granite Hills High School gymnasium, 22900 Esaws Avenue in Apple Valley. A description of the project will be presented at 6:30 p.m.
Granite Wind LLC has proposed installing up to 28 turbines — each 410 feet tall — along the ridge tops of the …
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Supes wind up rejecting ban on wind turbines
The Solano County Board of Supervisors shot down a proposal Tuesday to place a temporary ban on wind turbine projects in the Montezuma Hills near Travis Air Force Base.
The supervisors voted 4-1 against a motion by Supervisor Barbara Kondylis to ban future wind turbine projects until Travis can install a new radar system.
Although the current 700 or so turbines already cause radar issues, the Solano County Planning Commission recently approved adding 75 new turbines because …
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Apple Valley opposes wind turbines
The Apple Valley Town Council is adamantly opposing the 27 wind turbines proposed for Granite Mountain. The council is scheduled to vote Monday night, and is expected to recommend the San Bernardino County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors deny the project.
“My concern is are we really looking at how this effects our desert environment?’” asked Councilman Scott Nassif. “All the sudden there seems to be a mad rush to the desert. We need to …
