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Wind Watch: Industrial Wind Energy News
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These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Trees removed for offshore Coastal Virginia Wind project
Construction and tree clearing near Naval Air Station Oceana is catching the attention of drivers and neighbors. Dominion Energy says work along Oceana Boulevard and Harper’s Road is part of the 176-turbine Coastal Virginia Wind project. Carrie Rose Pace, a senior communications specialist with Dominion Energy’s electric transmission department, explained that the tree clearing along Oceana Boulevard, across from the base, is related to this project. She described it as duct bank work to install cables for the power that . . . Complete story »
RAF fears fighter jets flying as low as 250ft could hit 650ft wind turbines
Military chiefs have objected to plans to extend a Scots windfarm amid fears RAF jets could crash into its huge turbines. Energy firm Boralex wants to build 22 turbines up to 650ft high to extend the Cabrach wind farm in Clashindarroch, Aberdeenshire. The new blades would reach far higher than the 18 existing 360ft turbines at the site and another 14 turbines measuring 590ft that are due to come online. But the Ministry of Defence has objected due to concerns . . . Complete story »
Kay County family frustrated by wind turbine leak
A Kay County family told News 4 a leaking wind turbine near their property has now prompted an investigation. The turbine in question is owned and operated by Deriva Energy. Stephanie Mayer said she hadn’t noticed any problems with it until last month. “We had little specks of brown stuff showing up on our windows of our vehicles, out of nowhere,” said Mayer. “When we went to wash it off, like it just smears, it doesn’t like to wash off. . . . Complete story »
BLM extends comment period on proposed Sweetwater County windpower facility
The Bureau of Land Management announced on Monday that it is extending the public scoping period for the Jackalope Wind Energy project in Sweetwater County to May 2nd. The proposed 213-wind generator project is planned on 293,000 acres of private, state and public lands in a checkerboard section of lands south of the Table Rock townsite west of Wamsutter. Less than half of the land, 146-thousand acres, is federal and administered by the BLM. At full capacity, the project could . . . Complete story »
Judge rules against tribes in lawsuit with ‘largest clean energy project U.S. history’
A federal judge yesterday ruled against The Tohono O’odham Nation, the San Carlos Apache Tribe and environmentalists in a lawsuit to halt work on a $10 billion transmission line being built through an area of cultural significance to the tribes. The SunZia Southwest Transmission Project will carry wind-generated electricity from New Mexico to California. The 520-mile-long powerline is the biggest U.S. electricity infrastructure undertaking since the Hoover Dam and is being lauded as “the largest clean energy project in U.S. . . . Complete story »
‘Uncertain’ environmental impact of wind farm prompts call for revision
The developer of a proposed wind farm near Mortlake is being urged back to the drawing board in a “win for environmentalists”. It comes as Planning Panels Victoria released its report on the Mount Fyans wind farm which would see a 400-megawatt, 81 turbine wind energy facility about five kilometres north of Mortlake. The panel found the level of uncertainty in terms of possible material impacts on the environment, particularly on the endangered Brolga and critically endangered Southern Bent Wing . . . Complete story »
Offshore wind farms are detrimental to whales
Since 2016, more than 200 humpback whales have died and been stranded on beaches along the East Coast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA). In fact, NOAA is so concerned about the sheer number of dead humpback whales in this region that it has labeled the situation an “unusual mortality event.” Likewise, NOAA has declared an “unusual mortality event” regarding the mysterious mass deaths of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale along the East Coast. As NOAA . . . Complete story »
‘We’d never have moved here if we knew more turbines were coming’
When Trevor Smith and his wife Dawn moved to the Cabrach, they thought they had found the home of their dreams. After falling in love with the tranquillity during four holidays in the north-east, they decided to make the massive move from the increasingly busy Isle of Wight. In summer last year they moved into their perfect home, a converted former church, and began settling into their new community. Just four months later they learned of the large wind farm . . . Complete story »
Battle lines set on Lewis over Spiorad na Mara
The decision to refuse the request from Northland Power for a strip of common grazing close to the shoreline for siting a 120 metre mast was taken unanimously by an unusually well attended meeting of shareholders in New and North Shawbost grazings. Northland hope to develop the “Spiorad na Mara” windpower facility just off the coast of Lewis. One of those who attended told the Gazette: “We were all given an opportunity to say what we felt. Everyone was wholeheartedly . . . Complete story »
Council secures court order prohibiting further development at wind farm where bog slide occurred
Donegal County Council has secured a High Court order prohibiting further development of a wind farm at a site that was the subject of a large bog slide that had “significant environmental consequences”. Mr Justice David Holland’s order restrains Planree Limited and Mid-Cork Electrical from finishing their “largely complete” 19-turbine project on primarily blanket bog in Cashelnavean, Co Donegal, until further court order. The development entities can apply to vary or discharge the order, which came in enforcement proceedings issued . . . Complete story »
