Wind Power News: 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 and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Lompoc wind farm gets two more years
The Bedford family lost yet another battle against the Lompoc Wind Farm project on May 15, when the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission upheld a decision to extend the project’s conditional use permit for a second two-year time extension due to economic hardship. George and Cheryl Bedford live on a property close to the 3,000-acre plot of land slated for the wind farm, about six miles south of Lompoc. They’ve fought the project since the planning commission first approved it . . .
Yucca should back up outlying areas
I recently read the May 11 story (page A10, Hi-Desert Star) where the Yucca Valley Planning Commission unanimously rejected commercial solar and wind facilities within the town limits. I would like to applaud them for their insight into the blight and destruction these types of installations would have on this community. However, the Planning Commission stopped far short of any kind of visionary brilliance. As to where solar fields and wind turbines are to be located, the article states Commissioner . . .
Huge wind turbine blade falls in CA; effects felt worldwide
Hundreds of wind farms around the world have slowed operations after huge turbine blades fell in Southern California and Iowa. U-T San Diego reports that a 170-foot blade fell last week at a wind farm in Ocotillo, 70 miles east of San Diego. The U-T’s report said turbine-maker Siemens confirmed Monday that its sent a team of experts to the wind farm in San Diego county to determine what happened and whether it’s related to an April incident in central . . .
Judge grants plaintiff’s motion to move Ocotillo wind lawsuit from federal to state court
Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel has granted a motion filed by citizens’ groups to remand a lawsuit over the Ocotillo Express Wind Facility from federal court back to state court. Plaintiffs Donna Tisdale, Protect Our Communities Foundation and Backcountry Against Dumps hailed the decision. “Since Ocotillo Express operation started in late 2012, residents complain of adverse impacts from noise, vibrations, electrical interference, shadow flicker and light pollution. People, pets and wildlife are suffering while the project’s wind production is far less . . .
170-foot blade breaks off wind turbine
The mystery behind a fallen turbine blade at the Ocotillo Wind power plant east of San Diego has led the manufacturer to curtail operations at select wind farms around the world. Siemens, a global leader in wind-turbine manufacturing, confirmed Monday that it has convened a team of experts at a wind farm outside the desert town of Ocotillo, where a 170-foot blade broke loose and fell to the ground. Residents of Ocotillo noticed the fallen blade on Thursday morning. “Siemens . . .
Ocotillo Wells: Blade breaks off wind-powered turbine, prompts investigation
A 173-foot-long blade broke off a wind turbine and fell to the ground at a 315-megawatt wind farm that supplies electricity near El Centro, it was reported today. The blade was found near its base Thursday under one of the 112 wind-powered generating turbines at the Ocotillo Wind project near the San Diego-Imperial county line, the Imperial Valley Press reported. No injuries were reported, according to the El Centro newspaper. But worldwide use of that model of turbine has been . . .
Our View: Falling blade brings heavy toll?
If a turbine falls in the desert, would anyone hear it? In this case, when environmentalists and the residents of nearby Ocotillo are watching for any little misstep, the answer is yes. The failure of one of 112 turbines in the Ocotillo Express wind farm was heard loud and clear. A year ago, at a county Board of Supervisors meeting, Pattern Energy senior developer Glen Hodges defended the safety and quality of equipment made by Siemens Energy, manufacturers of the . . .
Siemens shuts down wind turbines worldwide after Southern California accident
A few hours after one of its wind turbines threw a blade in the Imperial County desert town of Ocotillo, builder Siemens Energy announced it is shutting down all its turbines worldwide that use the same blade until their safety can be assessed. The faulty wind turbine at Pattern Energy’s Ocotillo Express Wind facility threw a ten-ton blade late Wednesday night or early Thursday. No one was injured, despite the blade’s coming to rest atop a Jeep trail on public . . .
Siemens to examine Ocotillo rotor blade crash; Curtails B53 blade types globally
Siemens has confirmed that a B53 rotor blade on a SWT-2.3-108 wind turbine broke off near the blade root and fell to the ground at the Ocotillo Wind project in California. No one was injured. The manufacturer has convened a team of experts at the site that will examine all facets of this incident, including the production, installation, commissioning and service of the blade, which is under warranty. Siemens says it does not know what caused the rotor blade malfunction . . .
Residents of Ocotillo and Boulevard speak out, share safety fears after turbine blade falls
“It’s scary, all the dangerous things that could happen. I don’t want anybody to get hurt,” said Michaela Woolley, 13. She spoke at a press conference at the Ocotillo Community Center today, after a wind turbine at the Ocotillo Wind Express Facility dropped a blade the length of a jumbo jet plane. Fortunately nobody was hurt by this accident, though Miachela’s younger brother, Albert added, “It’s scary, the blade of the wind turbine could have landed in a house.” The . . .
