Wind Power News: Idaho
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.
Wind-energy regs blow toward finish
It’s taken nearly 10 public hearings and will apparently take one more for the Blaine County Commission to approve an ordinance that will permit and regulate wind-energy facilities.
Commissioners on Tuesday all but approved the ordinance, deciding to hold off for one more week to clean up the changes made to the most recent draft of the regulations. They are scheduled to make a final vote on the ordinance on Monday.
At the past two meetings, the commission decided it would . . .
Decision on wind turbines delayed; Debate over protecting scenic corridor puts commissioners at odds
Blaine County commissioners continue to insist that wind energy facilities do not belong in the valley’s “scenic corridor,” the area immediately visible from well-traveled state Highway 75.
During a meeting in Hailey on Tuesday, Nov. 24, the commissioners again stated that the highly visible area along the main thoroughfare through the Wood River Valley should remain free of wind-power generating structures to preserve the area’s scenic and tourist-drawing qualities.
However, the commissioners appeared to part ways over just what constitutes the . . .
Wind energy proposal causing friction in Blaine
HAILEY — When it comes to green energy and sustainability, the Wood River Valley often likes to think it’s ahead of the Idaho curve.
At a Tuesday hearing about a proposed wind energy ordinance, some residents questioned the reality of that commitment.
Rich Carlson of the Idaho Rural Council brought a photo of a turbine at Jerome Middle School, saying he has heard from area parents that they enjoy looking at it as they wait for school to let out.
“These are common . . .
Wind turbines disfavored in scenic corridor
Though a final decision has yet to be made, the Blaine County Commission made it clear this week that it does not favor allowing wind energy facilities in the “scenic corridor,” the area visible from state Highway 75.
It’s the biggest issue the commission faces while continuing deliberations on a proposed ordinance regulating wind energy facilities. The meeting Tuesday at the Old County Courthouse in Hailey was the fifth public hearing on the issue and another, possibly the last, is . . .
County continues to wrangle with wind ordinance
The Blaine County Commission will hold at least one more meeting on an ordinance regulating allowable wind energy facilities within the county that would either be freestanding or set on rooftops.
The commission met yesterday at the Old County Courthouse to tackle one of the most controversial issues regarding wind energy facilities, namely whether or not wind turbines would be allowed within the “scenic corridor,” or visible from state Highway 75.
While the commissioners seemed amenable to this idea at their last . . .
Officials seeking public comment on proposed wind farm near Glenns Ferry
The public has a say on a proposed wind project near Glenns Ferry. Through November 25th, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission will be taking comments regarding a proposed sales agreement with Idaho Winds Llc.
The project is located about six miles northwest of Glenns Ferry in Elmore County. The company wants to construct and operate a 21-megawatt wind facility that will be known as the Sawtooth Wind Project.
The 20-year contract consists of Idaho Power paying the posted rate of $75.45 per . . .
Power council addresses cost concerns
Surprisingly one of the costs driving up utility rates is wind generation. Bonneville’s transmission grid is a balanced grid system meaning it always has to have a balanced electrical load flowing through its lines.
“The unfortunate thing about wind power,” said PPC’s Policy Analyst Nancy Baker, “the way wind power works is that it cycles up and down in relation to the speed of the wind which requires the BPA fills the gaps from other sources.”
Baker went on to say that when the wind cycling of power happens, power from the Grand Coulee Dam has to balance the wind generators cycles, and that constant transmission cycling drives up the power transmission cost for everyone.
Sugar City P&Z approve wind turbine ordinance
SUGAR CITY — The Sugar City Planning and Zoning Commission approved a city wind turbine ordinance following a public hearing on Thursday.
The ordinance, which sets up logistics and technical specifications for wind turbines, will now be sent to the City Council for approval.
Only one member of the community showed up to comment on the ordinance. Jan Gallup of Sugar City presented a neutral opinion. She said that overall she approved of the ordinance but had an issue with using certified . . .
BLM asks for more public comment on China Mountain
Federal biologists are still researching what effects a 185-turbine wind farm would have on the desert southwest of Rogerson.
But the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is now asking for more public comment on the proposal, this time on a modification to the resource management plan that governs whether the agency can even consider allowing a wind farm in its Jarbidge Field Office.
The China Mountain project would place turbines generating up to 425 megawatts in parts of a largely federal, 30,700-acre . . .
Hagerman wind to be harnessed
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission approved three energy sales agreements between Idaho Power Company and a Boise-based wind developer who will build three wind farms in the Hagerman area, according to a statement issued by Idaho Power.
The sales agreements are with Exergy Development Group of Idaho, which plans to build all three projects under the provisions of PURPA, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. PURPA requires electric utilities to offer to buy power produced by qualifying small-power producers . . .
