Wind Power News: Europe
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.
Windfarms: An ill wind of change?
Less than a week ago 106 mostly Conservative MPs wrote to the Prime Minister, urging cuts in public subsidies to UK windfarms, on the grounds that these towering turbines were neither efficient to run nor pleasing on the eye. Yet today sees the opening, in Cumbria, of the world’s biggest-ever windfarm, the switch-on to be performed by Ed Davey, the new man in charge of energy and climate change (his predecessor Chris Huhne having temporarily pulled the plug on his . . .
Controversial Palgrave wind turbine shut down
A controversial village wind turbine has been shut down while a long-term solution is found to problems with noise from the rotor blades – which neighbours say is keeping them awake at night and causing health problems. The Palgrave Community Centre committee has switched off the 24m turbine on the edge of the village playing fields after villagers in Lows Lane, the Green and Upper Rose Lane complained they could not sleep due to the “whirring” sound which was causing . . .
Wind farm bid sees farmers’ tempers flare
A group of Erris landowners have reacted angrily to a planning application for a wind-farm in Cordoverry. Just before Christmas, the newly-formed Cordoverry Wind Farm Ltd lodged a planning application with Mayo County Council for a 10-turbine windfarm covering 190 hectares. The proposed wind farm would be situated on part of the lands acquired by Bord na Mona between the 1950s and the 1990s for the purpose of extracting peat to fuel Bellacor-rick station. Known as the Oweninny acquisition, it . . .
Saxby Wold wind turbines plan refused by councillors
Controversial plans for wind turbines in a rural area of North Lincolnshire were turned down by councillors meeting in Scunthorpe this afternoon. RWE npower renewables Ltd was refused permission to construct 16 wind turbines and associated infrastructure. The development, on land to the west of Brigg Road, Horkstow, was turned down by North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee. The proposed site is close to the Viking Way – a major public right of way. The company has the right of appeal . . .
Renewables report a blueprint for ignoring communities, says MEP
Today’s release by the Scottish Government of a blueprint to streamline the scoping, planning and consenting of offshore renewables developments is yet more bad news for Scotland’s coastal communities and businesses, Scottish Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson has said. The report, prepared by a task force comprising government agencies and renewable developers, sets out a number of recommendations to speed up the whole-sale development of off-shore wind farms. Although it recommends that, “Developers and regulators should use a mandatory multilateral pre-application . . .
Mother’s plea to wind farm public inquiry
A mother asked a planning inspector to throw out applications for two wind farms as the Norfolk countryside is helping her son to adjust to life in this country. Kathy Chalk told a public inquiry into two wind farms near Stanhoe and Syderstone, that her family had recently moved to South Creake from Hong Kong and the wildlife seen on their school runs help to distract her 10-year-old son. On Friday, Mrs Chalk made an impassioned speech to inspector Robert . . .
Calls for research on wind turbines impact on Northumberland tourism
A study should be carried out into the potential impacts of the growing number of wind farms being approved in Northumberland on the county’s vital tourism industry, it is claimed. County councillor Wayne Daley says the huge importance of the visitor industry means a detailed local assessment is needed on whether tourists and their spending power will be affected by scores of huge turbines going up in the next few years. His call for local research to be commissioned on . . .
Bid to extend wind farm
Proposals to extend the second-largest wind farm in the UK by 11 turbines go on display at two public exhibitions. Crystal Rig wind farm, about seven miles south of Dunbar in the Lammermuirs Hills, currently operates with 85 wind turbines (25 turbines of phase I and Ia, and 60 of phase II and IIa) giving it a capacity of 200.5 megawatts. The proposed phase III extension for 11 new turbines would be located on the northern side of Crystal Rig . . .
Complaints flood in over noise from offshore wind farm work
A constant banging noise from work to build Redcar’s offshore wind farm gave locals a right ear-bashing. The noisy pounding went on from mid-afternoon on Monday and didn’t stop until after 9pm the same day, prompting a flood of complaints from residents. It was all quiet yesterday, but locals were still shell-shocked from the din the day before. Now the firm behind the wind farm, EDF Energy, has apologised and pledged to try to pipe down when it can. Shocked . . .
Green light for windmills
The countryside south of Clonegal is set to become a major centre of green energy, with the granting of planning permission to local landholder Andy Nolan for three huge windmills. The 85 metre towers are due to be erected in the townland of Ballinastraw next to a six-turbine wind farm that is already in the pipeline. The 6.9 megawatt development submitted by Andy Nolan was given the thumbs-up by the planners at Wexford County Council after no objections were raised . . .
