Wind Power News: Maryland
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.
US Wind Force cancels western Maryland wind farm
CUMBERLAND, MD. — A developer is canceling a 25-turbine wind farm in western Maryland because it ran out of time to find a buyer for the electricity.
US Wind Force, of Greensburg, Pa., told the Cumberland Times-News on Thursday it will let pass a Saturday deadline for starting construction atop Savage Mountain near Lonaconing.
Three projects remain alive in western Maryland, although none has been built.
One is a 25-turbine US Wind Force project on Dan’s Mountain in Allegany County. The . . .
Permit expires Saturday for Savage wind development
CUMBERLAND — A Savage Mountain wind power project that never got off the ground will officially die on Saturday, when the facility’s construction deadline passes.
Despite a two-year extension granted in 2007, construction work never began on the proposed US?Wind Force facility. After three years of construction delays, Vice President David Friend said that ultimately, the company couldn’t secure an adequate power purchase agreement in a timely fashion.
“At that time the market was at one place and today it’s at a . . .
Delegate hopeful support growing for stricter wind farm development rules
CUMBERLAND — The House Economic Matters Committee heard testimony Tuesday on three bills proposed by Delegate Wendell Beitzel to increase the regulation of wind farm development in Maryland.
One of the bills would specifically target Garrett County, granting the County Commission the authority to enact ordinances regulating wind turbine setback distances and decommissioning plans.
The other two bills would affect statewide policy on wind turbines. One would require the Public Service Commission and Department of Natural Resources to develop performance standards for . . .
The fantasy of wind power for Maryland
An Abell Foundation report recently trumpeted the supposed “potential” of offshore wind to provide two-thirds of Maryland’s electricity needs. Talk about hot air.
With about 100,000 industrial wind turbines in operation around the world – 35,000 in the U.S. alone – there is not a shred of empirical evidence that wind has been responsible for offsetting greenhouse gas emissions in the production of electricity – or that it has contributed to any reductions in fossil fuel use.
Although 20 percent of Denmark’s . . .
Howard County official wants smaller wind turbine for Maryland
Wind power is generating an increasing amount of energy here in America–not all of it from those huge windmills seen dotting western states. Now, as Mike Schuh reports, a Howard County official wants to bring smaller wind turbines here.
The answer of how to solve some of our energy problems could be, as the song says, blowing in the wind. But only two wind turbines have been erected in nearby Howard County.
The reason isn’t lack of interest.
“I’m working with . . .
Howard councilman seeks to ease zoning approval for wind turbines
A Howard County councilman wants to ease zoning approval for small residential and commercial wind turbines.
There are now two wind turbines in the county. One is outside a recently opened Ellicott City apartment house for limited-income renters that was built for the county’s Housing Commission. A second is on a farm in the western part of the county, according to Joshua Feldmark, director of the county’s Office of Environmental Sustainability.
Feldmark said County Executive Ken Ulman expects to support the proposal . . .
Commission questions turbine rules
PRINCESS ANNE — Regulations for small wind energy systems in Somerset County could get a bit of tweaking before adoption by Somerset County Commissioners, who questioned setbacks and other provisions during a public hearing.
In particular, commissioners asked why there was a 20-foot setback requirement for wind turbines from a driveway on the same property.
“I don’t care if they put it on their own patio,” Commissioner Rex Simpkins said Tuesday. “It doesn’t bother me.”
Commissioner Mike McCready said he would like homeowners . . .
Study boosts notion of offshore wind production
Offshore wind energy can furnish Marylanders with as much as two-thirds of the electricity they currently use, and if aggressively developed, could turn the state into a net exporter of power, a new report by the Abell Foundation says.
About 2,900 wind turbines could be placed using current technology in relatively shallow Atlantic waters 28 miles to 43 miles off the Maryland coast, according to the report, which was written by researchers at the University of Delaware’s Center for Carbon-free Power . . .
Wind energy standards bill gaining support
CUMBERLAND — Delegate Wendell Beitzel has submitted a bill that would require the development of general performance standards for commercial wind turbines across the state.
Last year’s solo effort failed to get out of the House Economic Matters Committee. This year, the bill already has 22 co-sponsors, including the influential Montgomery County Democrat Brian Feldman, a member of the Economic Matters Committee, as well as Democrat Barbara Frush, of Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties.
Delegates Kevin Kelly and LeRoy Myers also . . .
Wind farm opponents seeking clarification on federal court ruling
CUMBERLAND — A recent federal court decision has some Western Maryland wind farm critics pushing state and local officials for increased regulation.
On Friday, a letter signed by the four members of the District 1 legislative delegation was sent to Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler, seeking a formal opinion on the responsibility of state agencies “as it relates to the protection of the state’s endangered species.”
The letter, sent at the urging of former state senator and Allegany County resident John Bambacus, . . .
