Wind Watch: Industrial Wind Energy News
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch 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.
Atlantic Wind’s turbine appeal denied
Carbon County Court of Common Pleas Judge Steven R. Serfass has denied a land use appeal filed by Atlantic Wind LLC and the Bethlehem Authority, seeking to erect a wind turbine project in Penn Forest Township. This was the second of two proposed wind turbine projects to be decided before the court. In April, Serfass granted the appeal of two Penn Forest Township property owners who sought to stop the construction of 37 525-foot-tall wind turbines in the township. The second . . . Complete story »
DeWitt County delays decision on wind farm
CLINTON – It will be another six weeks before the DeWitt County Board will make a decision on the county’s first proposed wind farm. Citing issues with being unable to meet as a group, the board voted 6-5 to postpone a decision until July 14. Seven of the 12 board members, including board Chairman Dave Newberg were present in the County Board room along with County Clerk Dana Smith, County Administrator Dee Dee Rentmeister and State’s Attorney Dan Markwell. Four others . . . Complete story »
Michael H-Rae calls for judicial probe into ‘outrageous’ zoning
Deputy Michael Healy Rae has reiterated his calls for a judicial investigation of a key document underpinning zoning in North Kerry and which finds much of the territory to be of little or no scenic or tourism value – including Ballybunion’s beautiful beaches and golf links. The Independent Kerry TD this week blasted that document as ‘outrageous’ for its unfair dismissal of so much of the region of North Kerry from the point of view of tourism and recreation. He . . . Complete story »
Application to extend Thanet Offshore Wind Farm rejected
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, has rejected a Development Consent Order application submitted by Vattenfall to extend the Thanet Offshore Wind Farm. The decision, which had been due yesterday (June 1) has now been announced. The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) accepted the proposed project for examination in 2018 following 18-months of consultation with residents and businesses by Vattenfall. The Examining Authority issued a Recommendation Report to the Secretary of State on September 11, 2019. . . . Complete story »
Iberdrola to invest up to 4 billion euros in French renewable energy
Spanish utility Iberdrola (IBE.MC) said on Wednesday it will invest up to 4 billion euros ($4.5 billion) over the next four years in France to develop renewable energy. Iberdrola said it is already investing 2.4 billion euros in the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm in France and plans to invest in new onshore wind, solar photovoltaic and participate in future offshore wind capacity auctions. “France is a strategic country for Iberdrola,” said Ignacio Galán, chairman and CEO of Iberdrola. “The company . . . Complete story »
Petition could take wind out of Hawke’s Bay electricity farm’s sails
A proposal to construct a 41 turbine wind farm on the Titiokura/Te Waka range situated near Te Pohue on the Napier-Taupo¯ Rd could face further delays with a petition and the Covid-19 pandemic pushing the project back. The petition was started by Maria Rahui. She and the 374 signatories strongly oppose the location of the wind farm. Hastings District Council has given consent to Meridian Energy for the project. “Tıtıokura/Te Waka mountain range is a significant landscape for people of . . . Complete story »
In New York and New England, wind energy projects are “like siting landfills. Nobody wants them.”
The politics of renewable energy can be seen as left versus right. But when it comes to siting large renewable-energy projects, the divide is increasingly about rich versus poor. “Wind developers don’t target the tony communities, like near Hillary Clinton’s house in Chappaqua, or Westchester County,” says Joni Riggle, a resident of Chautauqua County, who opposes the Cassadaga project. “The people who live in those places have the financial clout to fight Big Wind.” Complete story »
Turbine topples, as does company’s relationship with college
The designer of an experimental wind turbine located near Medicine Hat College says an operational decision to lock them from spinning led to one shearing off in high wind on Sunday night. As well, the working relationship between the college and company appears to have ended. One of the distinctive blue, helical turbines laid on its side on Monday morning, separated from its base, while another was being girded by a forklift. Joel Goldblatt, head of Bluenergy SolarWind, told the . . . Complete story »
Ruling on huge wind farm faces further delay
A ruling on whether one of the world’s biggest wind farms can be built off the Norfolk coast has been deferred for another month. The deadline day for Norfolk Vanguard has now been set as July 1, after earlier being pushed back from December to today (June 1). Alok Sharma, secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, made the decision to delay. A statement from the Planning Inspectorate said: “The Secretary of State has decided to re-set the . . . Complete story »
Sagamore Wind Project: Wow, 25 years
The New Mexico Energy Transition Act (ETA), passed as law in 2019, requires that all electricity generation has to be zero-emission by 2050. Recently Xcel Energy said, “Our billion-dollar Sagamore Wind Project hit a recent construction milestone, and topped out the first of 240 wind turbines [with a natural gas power plant backup]. The project will generate enough electricity to power 194,000 homes annually while saving customers tens of millions of dollars and reducing carbon emissions [over the next 25 . . . Complete story »
