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.
Windmill catches fire at Locust Ridge Wind Farm in Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County fire companies were dispatched Monday night to a 390-foot-tall windmill that caught fire at the Locust Ridge Wind Farm near Mahanoy City, according to emergency radio reports. The fire was reported at the center of the windmill’s three 133-foot blades about 9:15 p.m. in the sprawling wind farm in Union Township. The wind farm has at least 50 more windmills. Fire officials radioed that the flames and sparks at the blades did not appear to be spreading on . . . Complete story »
Carbon not alone in turbine war
Penn Forest Township supervisors continue to feel the heat from residents clamoring for a change in the municipality’s zoning ordinance on the heels of two proposals by Atlantic Wind, a subsidiary of Avangrid Renewables, Bethlehem Water Authority property, one for 37 turbines, and another for 28. Hearings continue on the matter, with the latest scheduled for Tuesday night. Township solicitor Thomas Nanovic said the supervisors are committed to making a change to the ordinance, and that a consultant, Charlie Schmehl . . . Complete story »
Officials suggest lower volume
The maximum noise level for wind turbines would be further restricted under new changes introduced Monday to the county’s wind farm ordinance. Noise cannot exceed 50 decibels, according to the updated language – about the same as light traffic. That’s a couple notches above the originally-proposed 48 decibels, which was recommended by Purdue University expert Keith Kluender. The current level is 60 decibels, similar to conversation in a restaurant. Montgomery County Commissioners have spent months debating the issue following opposition to . . . Complete story »
Fire damages Locust Ridge windmill
UNION TWP. – Fire damaged a windmill in the Locust Ridge II Wind Farm Monday night. Fire crews from Shenandoah Heights and Ringtown were dispatched to the wind farm just before 9:30pm for multiple reports of a windmill on fire. Crews responding from Ringtown reported flames visible from the borough, and crews arriving on scene found the top of the windmill aflame. A precautionary 1000-foot collapse zone was established shortly after crews arrived. Just after 10:30pm, crews at the scene . . . Complete story »
Lawyer for Dakota Range wins a key ruling against interveners
State regulators agreed Monday to bar interveners from introducing third-party exhibits at a permit hearing for a wind farm planned in northeastern South Dakota. The state Public Utilities Commission ruled unanimously for the Dakota Range project proposed in Grant and Codington counties. The prohibition affects several exhibits from Teresa Kaaz of South Shore and more than 30 exhibits from Kristi Mogen of Twin Brooks. Mollie Smith, a lawyer for a Minneapolis law firm, sought the ban. “Like Ms. Kaaz, Ms. . . . Complete story »
DeKalb County Planning and Zoning Committee will evaluate wind turbine setback standards next
SYCAMORE – DeKalb County residents will have an opportunity to discuss setback requirements Wednesday, during the county’s Planning and Zoning Committee meeting. The committee will go over setback standards outlined in other wind energy ordinances around the region during the 6:30 p.m. meeting at the Gathertorium in the DeKalb County Legislative Center, 200 N. Main St. DeKalb County Board Chairman Mark Pietrowski Jr. said the moratorium to come up with a wind farm ordinance still is in effect through September. . . . Complete story »
Proposed Cass Co. wind project contracts released
Cass County’s advisers indicated Monday that a proposed wind turbine project would add over $100 million to the county’s assessed value while decreasing residents’ tax rates. But that didn’t impress the attendees who spoke at the end of the morning’s meeting. The Cass County Commissioners made public three agreements between the county and Harvest Wind Energy LLC Monday. The company is a subsidiary of Renewable Energy Systems Americas, or RES, based in Broomfield, Colorado. A financial adviser and attorney working . . . Complete story »
Kahuku wind farm wins state approval
A company trying to build what would be the third wind farm on Oahu’s North Shore has obtained its last discretionary state approval after a contentious proceeding and almost five years of work. The state Board of Land and Natural Resources voted 5-1 last week to accept a habitat conservation plan largely focused on limiting Hawaiian hoary bat deaths from eight wind turbines spinning on a 707-acre site in Kahuku. An affiliate of California-based Champlin/GEI Wind Holdings LLC received the . . . Complete story »
Ameren to establish state’s largest wind farm in northeast Missouri
Ameren announced an agreement Monday to move forward with a 175-turbine wind farm in northeast Missouri – which, when constructed, would be the largest in the state. The St. Louis-based electric utility expects the project to break ground in summer 2019 in Adair and Schuyler counties. The 400-megawatt wind farm will be built by an affiliate of the utility-scale renewable energy company, Terra-Gen, and acquired by Ameren after its completion. Ameren – which generates about two-thirds of its electricity from an aging . . . Complete story »
Lone turbine in Prairie Grove a remnant of Arkansas wind power
PRAIRIE GROVE – The 100-foot wind turbine near the western edge of town stands as a guidepost, elaborate bird perch and lonely symbol of a renewable energy industry that just can’t seem to take root in Arkansas. It’s one of the only turbines in the state, more than 100 miles from the closest wind farm in Oklahoma, according to the U.S. Wind Turbine Database. Rudy Timmerman built it in the early 2000s and said he could get a couple hundred dollars’ . . . Complete story »
