Wind Power News: Wyoming
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.
Moratorium placed on wind farms
The Sweetwater County Commissioners approved a nine-month moratorium on Commercial Wind Farm Tuesday morning. Eric Bingham, director of land use in the county’s planning and zoning department, said the moratorium would allow the department time to bring county regulation on par with state wind farm regulations. The state requires county regulations to at least meet the minimum requirements passed by the Wyoming Legislature in 2010. Currently, Sweetwater County does not meet these requirements and any decision by the county for . . .
BPA proposes plan to pay wind developers to reduce power when rivers high
The Bonneville Power Administration today proposed paying wind energy developers for reducing output to help balance the electricity supply during high river flows. If BPA decides to proceed with the compensation proposal, it would seek to split the cost equally between customers including electrical cooperatives and public utilities like Idaho Falls Power, and wind developers. BPA is releasing its proposal for public review now so the agency can meet a March 6 deadline for filing the proposal with the Federal . . .
BPA offers to split costs when it pulls the plug on wind farms
The Bonneville Power Administration has proposed to cover half the cost of wind farms’ lost revenue when it shuts off their output because there is too much hydropower already being generated in the region. Renewables advocates said Tuesday that the approach is unacceptable. The cost-sharing proposal is the latest bid to end a dispute that began this spring, when the federal power marketing agency accommodated the massive spring runoff and resulting surge in power production by cutting off wind farms . . .
Experts: California demand for Wyoming wind is a ‘gamble’
JACKSON — It’s no secret that Wyoming wants to sell its wind power to California. But its chances are still up in the air, said some participants at a state Infrastructure Authority meeting here Tuesday. “It’s a big question mark, and a gamble,” said Bill Boyd, executive vice president and chief operating officer of TransWest Express LLC, a subsidiary of Denver-based Anschutz Corp. and developer of a high-voltage power line to carry wind power from Wyoming to California. Yet Boyd . . .
Group to appeal court OK of Wasatch wind farm in Wyoming
A group of opponents to new power lines and wind farms in part of the Laramie Range will appeal to the Wyoming Supreme Court a lower court’s approval of a wind farm proposed south of Glenrock. A Wyoming District Court judge on Jan. 19 affirmed state and county permits for the 62-turbine, 100-megawatt Pioneer Wind Park wind farm proposed by Wasatch Wind of Park City, Utah. The Northern Laramie Range Alliance appealed the permits granted by the Converse County Commission . . .
Wyoming governor says changing wind energy tax unlikely
Gov. Matt Mead says he’s given up hope that the Wyoming Legislature this year will roll back state tax increases on wind energy production and construction of wind energy projects. Wyoming began imposing a $1 per megawatt hour tax on wind energy production in January. This month, the state also began imposing sales and use taxes that generally exceed 5 percent on equipment used on wind energy projects. Mead has expressed concern that the higher taxes might make wind energy . . .
District Court rules against NLRA appeals of wind permits
District Judge Keith Kautz of the Court of the Eighth Judical District on Jan. 19 ruled against the appeals filed by the Northern Laramie Range Alliance (NLRA) and the Northern Laramie Range Foundation (NLRF) challenging the permits granted to Wasatch Wind for the planned construction of its Pioneer Wind Parks south of Glenrock. Pioneer Wind Park I and Pioneer Wind Park II, each containing 31 wind turbines, are planned for land in the Boxelder/Mormon Canyon area about 10 miles south . . .
Former Natrona County planner, wind businessman owes $58,000 to local developer
The former Natrona County planning and development director must pay a local contractor for work done for his wind energy business, according to a recent court order. Blair Leist and his WindWorks Energy LLC owes Ricor Investments $58,156.70 plus interest for failing to pay invoices for equipment, tools and labor for wind projects sent to him in 2010 and 2011, according to the order issued by Natrona County District Court Judge Catherine Wilking in December. Leist had promised to pay, . . .
Wyoming researchers study impact of wind farms on antelope, elk
CASPER, Wyo. — For the first time in Wyoming, scientists are studying the impact of wind farms on wintering antelope and elk. Researchers with the University of Wyoming collared 35 antelope in 2010 and another 17 in December to monitor their behavior on their winter range in the high desert near Medicine Bow. Scientists will collect their collars, loaded with data, in the spring. It is part of a three-year study paid for by PacifiCorp as part of the permitting . . .
Wind farms provide nothing to local economy
I have been following the news and commentary regarding wind energy in Sweetwater County. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why there is so much activity in the wind energy business….beside the government subsidies provided — free money. From what I understand, these wind turbines or windmills as I call them, are not profitable. Each windmill costs from $3 to $3.2 million dollars. It takes 20 years to pay off one of them, because they do not . . .
