Wind Power News: Nebraska
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.
Public hearing set for commercial wind farm regulations
Lancaster County residents will get a chance to comment Tuesday on proposed regulations for commercial wind farms. Although companies have inquired about building commercial wind farms near Hallam and in the northern part of the county, there are no projects on the drawing board at this time, said Mike DeKalb, a planner with the City-County Planning Department. A public hearing on the proposed regulations will be held during the county board’s Tuesday meeting set to begin at 5 p.m. on . . .
Wind energy snarls
Windmills have been used for centuries to pump water out of the lowlands, but The Netherlands is conflicted over the installation of gleaming, new 650-foot monsters along shorelines that formerly were dominated by picturesque, wooden, four-bladed versions. They’re noisy, opponents say, and will disrupt the tranquil panorama. Birds will be traumatized, fishing will be endangered and tourism will dwindle. Last year, nearly 10,000 megawatts of wind power was installed across the European Union, making a total of 84,000 megawatts, or . . .
Lessons to learn from the land of windmills
Nebraska, which has the fourth best wind resources in the nation, is catching up, thanks to recent and possible future actions by the Legislature. Last year, Nebraska lawmakers made it possible for wind producers to export electricity from wind farms in our state to other states. This year, the Unicameral is considering a bill to provide sales tax incentives, beginning in 2015, to lower the sales tax on wind turbines and towers for projects that contribute stock to employee ownership . . .
Proposed fees for windmill generator permits rise sharply
Nebraska City, Neb. — Otoe County Zoning Administrator Dave Schmitz said he increased proposed permits for wind generator towers after Thursday’s public hearing in Syracuse. The county’s planning commission held the hearing regarding a 12-page document containing proposed zoning regulations for windmills. The regulations require a building permit for all wind energy systems. A fee of $250 had been proposed for the permit, but Schmitz said Tuesday the proposed fee has been raised to $1,000 for turbines generating 100 kilowatt . . .
Proposed fees for windmill generator permits rise sharply
Nebraska City, Neb. — Otoe County Zoning Administrator Dave Schmitz said he increased proposed permits for wind generator towers after Thursday’s public hearing in Syracuse. The county’s planning commission held the hearing regarding a 12-page document containing proposed zoning regulations for windmills. The regulations require a building permit for all wind energy systems. A fee of $250 had been proposed for the permit, but Schmitz said Tuesday the proposed fee has been raised to $1,000 for turbines generating 100 kilowatt . . .
Public hearing scheduled on windmill turbines
Nebraska City, Neb. — Otoe County’s 12-page document intended to govern windmill electricity generators is scheduled for a final public hearing at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Syracuse City Hall. Otoe County Zoning Administrator David Schmitz said he believes the proposed regulations provide a fair balance between the concerns of homeowners and openness for wind turbines. He said Otoe County has so many houses ideal locations for windmill generators are limited. “It’s probably not the best place for a . . .
City planners prepare for future wind generation issues
McCOOK, Nebraska — A zoning ordinance amendment approved by the McCook City Council Monday evening, only allows for domestic use wind turbines to be built in the agricultural district, but may be a stepping stone for the energy producers to one day be allowed within city limits. Other Nebraska cities such as Grand Island have already put similar ordinances in place and have done so with the intent of promoting safe, efficient and effective use of wind energy. Today, a . . .
Utility skeptical about wind power’s potential
Rolland Skinner is all for energy conservation and the use of renewable resources. What Skinner, manager of Northwest Rural Public Power District, is against, he says, is subsidizing one person at the expense of others. In this case he’s talking about a concept called net metering, which would pay residential windmill owners for generating excess electricity. Proponents say Nebraska rural customers could generate much of their own electricity with small windmills and recover their costs if utilities were willing to . . .
Officials working to keep birds, wind farms off collision course
The Nebraska Legislature gave the green light last year to projects that export wind energy from a state of prominent and largely unharnessed wind potential. It remains to be seen to what extent Nebraska’s equally prominent place in the Midwest’s migratory flyway for whooping cranes and other bird species will become a red light. Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Grand Island and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission say they have a strategy in place that . . .
Wind power could put birds at risk
One of the nation’s largest bird conservation groups says rapid construction of wind energy projects will endanger several avian species. That includes the whooping crane, a famous migratory bird and annual visitor to central Nebraska. Officials with American Bird Conservancy on Wednesday cited data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that estimates 400,000 birds of various species are killed by turbine blades annually. The conservation group’s concerns come as state and national officials push to expand wind energy development . . .
