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.
Wind revenue could elude counties
Nearly 150 students, some traveling by way of gravel roads, attend the Fairfaix R-III School in the state’s far northwestern corner. Staff members say they aren’t sure when the district’s first school building was built on Main Street. Today, teachers park in a lot filled with potholes, and a vocal student practices next to an electrical junction box behind the stage. Lately, money rolling in from Atchison County wind farms promises to upgrade the no-frills environment of rural schools throughout . . . Complete story »
Galloway resident sounds alarm on noise damage of wind farms
A Galloway resident has launched a petition calling for the full health implications of wind farms to be investigated before any more are built. Paul Swift said: “Thousands of people are living within 20 kilometres (12 miles) of a wind turbine and they may be suffering from health issues created by “infrasound.” “Effects include reducing cardiac muscle strength. Infrasound affects the inner ear and the brain and can cause sleeplessness, emotional reactions and many other distressing symptoms. Infrasound has even . . . Complete story »
Noise from wind turbines linked to increased use of sleeping pills, Danish study finds
A Danish study has found that people over 65 years of age are more likely to take certain types of medicine if they live close to wind turbines. People over the age of 65 who live close enough to wind turbines to hear a significant level of noise are more likely to be use prescriptions for anti-depressive or sleeping medication, the research found. The study was conducted by the Danish Cancer Society (Kræftens Bekæmpelse) and was financed by three government . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine catches fire at Nova Scotia wind farm, blaze now under control
WEST PUBNICO, N.S.—A towering wind turbine went up in flames Friday at a wind farm located at the edge of a southern Nova Scotia community. The West Pubnico fire department responded just after 5 p.m. to monitor the rotating blades and make sure flaming debris did not start additional fires on the ground. Fire department chief Gordon Amiro said the fire burned itself out after about an hour, once all flammable materials had burned up. Amiro lives a few kilometres . . . Complete story »
Silent and annoying: Can infrasound really be the cause of different health problems?
I am starting to wonder if a mystery noise around our house which drove us mad for months comes from the same box of tricks as wind farm turbines. A public petition raised in Scotland is trying to force the UK Government to investigate claims mysterious acoustic activity around wind farms is making people ill. Campaigners fear something insidious is floating around in the atmosphere, which sounds to me like “silent noise”. A finger of suspicion is being pointed at . . . Complete story »
Rotorblatt fliegt 60 Meter durch Luft
Das Rotorblatt einer Windkraftanlage in Nortorf (Kreis Steinburg) ist am Donnerstag abgebrochen und 60 Meter weit durch die Luft geflogen. Das teilte Windkraftanlagen-Herstellers Amperax am Freitag mit. Das Blatt ist eines von drei Rotorblättern einer 150 Meter hohen Windkraftanlage mit einem Rotordurchmesser von 116 Metern. Es flog über einen Spazierweg und landete auf einer Wiese. Verletzt wurde dabei laut Amperax niemand. Ursache unklar, Untersuchungen laufen Laut dem Windkraftanlagen-Hersteller könnte ein Blitzeinschlag der Grund dafür gewesen sein, dass das Rotorblatt sich . . . Complete story »
Meteorological tower approved for possible Marshall County wind farm
LACON – A third meteorological tower will soon be going up in the southeast corner of Marshall County in preparation for a possible wind farm. Like the other two already there, the tower given final approval by the County Board last week will be used to measure and record wind speeds, directions, and other weather variables at different altitudes. It will be erected by Texas-based Calpine Wind Holdings LLC. “This is an early-stage study that will gauge the feasibility of a . . . Complete story »
ISPCA plans to object to Co. Longford wind farm
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) is set to object to the development of a wind farm in Co. Longford. The ISPCA’s National Animal Centre is based outside Kenagh which is in close proximity to the proposed site for the Derryadd Wind Farm development at Lanesboro. The organisation said that while it supports the creation of renewable energy, it has concerns about the proposed wind farm due to “the close proximity of turbines to the . . . Complete story »
Ensure all are heard on wind energy
As others have pointed out, counties can create wind zoning ordinances right now if they so desire, and some have. The problem LB373 addresses is the fact other counties that have and are hosting wind energy projects have chosen not to enact zoning ordinances. This causes a problem because many citizens in those counties feel like they are being ignored by their elected officials. Sen. Brewer introduced LB373 for this very reason. The process of enacting zoning is a very . . . Complete story »
Worth aims for wind law adoption in May
Mrs. Nichols said much of the regulations in the law were driven by the board’s desire to protect the town’s resources like the Tug Hill Aquifer, creeks for fishing, woods for hiking and the scenic beauty. She also said she wanted to prevent the possibility of declining property values or infrasound from turbines hurting people’s ears, although she was unsure whether that would occur. “We want to protect not only the people, but the town itself; our land,” she said. Complete story »
