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 are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Topbankiers ‘verdienden’ miljoenen met windmolen
[Former ABN Amro director Rijkman Groenink and other bankers have avoided millions in taxes through investments in renewable energy.] ‘Ideële doelen worden gecombineerd met een redelijk rendement van circa 10 procent’ —Rijkman Groenink Dat blijkt uit onderzoek van de Volkskrant naar de bouw en financiering van de eerste megamolen op het Nederlandse vasteland, de bijna 200 meter hoge windturbine De Ambtenaar bij Medemblik. Om de duurzaamheidsdoelstellingen van de overheid te halen, moeten de komende jaren veel meer van dit soort . . .
Breed verzet tegen windmolens | Broad opposition to wind turbines
HUIZEN – Frank Kempeneers en Nicolette van Gorp strijden tegen de komst van windmolens in Almere, pal tegenover de kust van Huizen. ‘Wij vertegenwoordigen niet alleen direct betrokken buurtbewoners in Huizen. We werken nadrukkelijk samen met de bewoners uit Almere. Daarnaast sluiten ook steeds meer bedrijven en organisaties die watersport, toerisme en natuur vertegenwoordigen zich bij ons aan waardoor wij inmiddels een brede coalitie vormen.’ De bezwaren van Stop de Windmolens Gooimeer zijn helder. ‘De molens zijn met hun 200 . . .
400 personnes rassemblées à Rodez contre l’éolien industriel
[Called by the 27-group collective "Save Aveyron from the Wind Scourge", about 400 people assembled Friday afternoon in front of the prefecture in Rodez.] 27 associations de l’Aveyron réunies au sein du collectif «Sauvons l’Aveyron du fléau éolien» avaient appelé à un rassemblement d’opposition à l’éolien industriel à Rodez. Environ 400 personnes, de source policière, ont participé à ce rassemblement qui entendait dénoncer, selon les termes du collectif, “le mirage écologique et l’inefficacité de l’éolien, le saccage des paysages et . . .
Wind farm battle blows into Huntington
HUNTINGTON COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) – Apex Clean Energy hopes to invest $195 million into Huntington County by creating wind farms in the southeast part of the county. But a group of concerned citizens is saying not so fast. Plans for wind turbines in Huntington County are still preliminary. The Virginia-based company is still exploring the idea. Learn more about Apex Clean Energy’s wind farm plan In the meantime, the group “Huntington County Concerned Citizens” has cropped up. It hopes to . . .
Birding groups oppose ‘six giant wind turbines’
Two birding groups that succeeded in halting a planned wind turbine at Camp Perry have turned their attention to the wind turbine at the nearby Lake Erie Business Park. The American Bird Conservancy and the Black Swamp Bird Observatory have written to Dan Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington, D.C., claiming “six giant wind turbines” are being built at the business park. The letter asks the service to look into the project and “take decisive . . .
Farmers object to wind turbines, survey says
LONDON — The debate over wind turbines in Western Ontario is generating some lively opinions among farmers with a clear majority strongly opposed, a Farmers Forum survey suggests. A random survey of 50 farmers at the London Farm Show on March 5, found that 58 % disapproved of wind turbines. Just 20 % of survey respondents approved and 22 % were neutral on the issue. Among those who had an opinion, farmers opposed to turbines outnumbered those who approved by . . .
Boone County wind farm proposals fire up election season debate
POPLAR GROVE — A drive along Illinois 76 is an excursion along vast tracts of rural acreage where at least one developer envisions wind turbines climbing hundreds of feet toward the skies. Some farmers don’t necessarily like the equipment that, on sunny days, they fear will cast flickering shadows in their homes and wreck their view of pastoral landscapes. They blame the wind farms for threatening wildlife, devaluing property and dividing their community. But the wind farms still have their . . .
LePage bill to change Maine’s wind-energy policy moves tentatively forward
AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage’s initiative to overhaul Maine’s wind-energy production goals to require ratepayer benefits and manufacturing jobs gained tentative approval in the Legislature’s Energy Committee on Friday. But the bill, LD 1791, sponsored by state Rep. Lance Harvell, R-Farmington, saw significant revisions, including allowing a section of current law to stand, prior to the 6-2 vote to approve the measure. Initially, the bill would have erased from Maine law specific goals by year for installed wind energy capacity, . . .
County delays sale of farm land; Expects release of report on wind turbine noise
DANVILLE — Plans for farmland owned by Vermilion County have been put on hold for the time being. Vermilion County Board Chairman Gary Weinard said board members would hear an update at Tuesday’s meetings on the county’s plan to sell the acreage located southwest of Danville off of Catlin-Tilton Road. The county attempted to sell the land, totaling around 120 acres, at an auction in mid-February. Bidders, however, fell short as the top bid reached a total of $925,000 — . . .
Energy expert delivers blow to Alex Salmond wind power hopes
An energy expert has warned offshore wind power may be the “expensive luxury” Scotland can no longer afford. Ian Marchant, the former chief executive of Scottish and Southern Energy, one of Britain’s biggest investors in renewable energy, fears for the future of the controversial schemes. It will add to worries that offshore wind power, once hailed as the catalyst for reindustrialisation of Scotland, is grinding to a halt. Mr Marchant, now chairman of renewables firm Infinis Energy,said that in 2008-9 . . .
