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.
Chino hills continues fight over Edison line
California Edison plan to erect high-voltage towers that would carry wind-generated energy from Kern County through this city.
Chino Hills officials are expected to discuss the status of the challenge at a public information meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Chino Valley Community Church, 14601 Peyton Drive.
The power lines would be about 200 feet tall and replace inactive Edison power lines, which are about half that size. City officials said the power lines would pose a safety hazard as they . . .
Isn’t it interesting
After attending the scoping meeting for the wind turbine project proposed for Bear River Ridge, it is my contention that the rush to widen Highway 101 through Richardson Grove is to facilitate Shell Oil’s wind turbine project. They stated that huge trucks will haul all the needed equipment up Monument Road to Bear River Ridge out of Rio Dell. So how to get the trucks, cranes, turbine parts and tons of other materials, such as concrete, to Rio Dell? If . . .
Speakers to face off on Marin Clean Energy plan
MARIN COUNTY – Supporters and opponents of the controversial Marin Energy Authority Community Choice Aggregation, or CCA, proposal will face off at the fourth-annual Impact Marin conference sponsored by the Business Journal March 11.
Dawn Weisz, principal planner for the Marin County Community Development Committee, will speak in support of the Marin Energy Authority not-for-profit public agency heading up implementation of a system that will permit cities and the county to purchase electricity for residents and businesses.
Former Assemblymember and PG&E . . .
It’s not green power
Wind power is not green power when its turbines are adjacent to the most concentrated nesting area in the region for a threatened species.
Much said lately about the proposed Radar Ridge Wind project is not true. True is that the Radar Ridge project has potential to harm the Marbled Murrelet, and the level of that potential harm is still in question. This bird raises one baby a year (when successful); populations have dropped significantly in past decades.
The “Independent Scientific Review” . . .
Garamendi visits local turbines
A blue sky Thursday afternoon perfectly backlit a series of monolithic wind turbines in the Montezuma Hills, their unmoving blades casting long shadows that shaded slumbering cattle.
The 26-story turbines, part of Solano’s Shiloh II Wind Project, and the clean energy they produce, were the impetus for an hours-long visit by Congressman John Garamendi, D-Solano, who serves on the House Science and Technology Committee.
While in the county, he also opened an office in Fairfield and fielded questions at a town hall . . .
Ocotillo wind farm in the works
Ocotillo’s barren desert landscape could resemble Don Quixote’s La Mancha when 240 wind turbines dot the area to harness the mountains’ powerful winds in two years.
“What you have here is the potential for a billion-dollar wind energy project in the Imperial Valley,” said Glen Hodges, senior developer for Pattern Energy’s Ocotillo Express Wind Project.
Pattern Energy is a San Francisco-based renewable energy company and has proposed constructing a “wind farm” near the Valley’s western mountains. The development would occupy 15,000 acres . . .
Public comment sought for environmental review for projects in Imperial County’s West Chocolate Mountains
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management intends to conduct an environmental review for energy developments on public land in the West Chocolate Mountains area.
People can submit comments on issues, concerns, potential impacts, alternatives and mitigation measures about the land considers for geothermal, solar and wind power projects, according to a press release. The information will be used to create a draft environmental impact study.
Issues already identified include hydrology, Native American concerns, cumulative impacts of other energy projects in the area . . .
Congressmen voice concerns over proposed East County energy projects
Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine), Congressman Bob Filner (D-San Diego) have sent letters to federal and state regulatory agencies voicing serious concerns over several major energy projects proposed in East County.
Hunter called the proposed Tule wind energy project “irresponsible,” noting that the $400 million project proposed by Sempra Energy would include payment of 30% in federal stimulus funds to Iberdrola Renewables, a Spanish corporation. “If approved, American taxpayer dollars that were to be specifically utilized for the creation of American . . .
75 wind turbines damaged; witness saw explosive blue light before Campo-area wind farm went dark
What happened at the wind farm?
“I saw a huge flash of blue out on the side of the hill where the windmills were. It started in the middle and spread out in all directions. It lit up the whole hillside the white-out of a snowstorm.”–Ken Daubach, ex-firefighter, who witnessed the power go down
Battered by a winter storm on December 7, 25 wind turbines at the Kumeyaay Wind project on the Campo Indian Reservation shut down—and haven’t come back on . . .
Valley ‘energy park’ sought
Backers of a proposed nuclear power plant in western Fresno County are adding renewable solar and wind power to their drawing board.
John Hutson, president of the Fresno Nuclear Energy Group, said in a statement that his plans now call for an “energy park” that would not only include a pair of 1,600-megawatt nuclear reactors, but alternative energy production and a large-scale plant to remove salt from seawater.
Areva, a French engineering conglomerate that builds and operates nuclear and other power . . .
