| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Wind Power News: June 2007
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.
Villagers' opposition looks doomed to failure
Controversial plans for a wind farm near the Doncaster village of Marr have moved a step closer. Doncaster Council planning committee has given the scheme its backing, although about 150 residents from nearby villages oppose the plan. Now the firm behind the scheme is promising to work with residents to try to address their concerns. Banks Developments wants to build four 125-metre tall turbines on the site, either side of Hangman Stone Road. The scheme has already been scaled down . . . Complete story »
Villagers' opposition looks doomed to failure
Controversial plans for a wind farm near the Doncaster village of Marr have moved a step closer. Doncaster Council planning committee has given the scheme its backing, although about 150 residents from nearby villages oppose the plan. Now the firm behind the scheme is promising to work with residents to try to address their concerns. Banks Developments wants to build four 125-metre tall turbines on the site, either side of Hangman Stone Road. The scheme has already been scaled down . . . Complete story »
Report slams 'blight' of windfarm proposal
Building a windfarm near Littleborough would blight the landscape and harm leisure opportunities. That is the verdict of an independent report commissioned by Rochdale, Calderdale, Lancashire and Rossendale councils to look at Coronation Power’s proposals to build 12 125m-high turbines at Crook Hill. Authors North Yorkshire-based Julie Martin Associates examined the landscape and visual consequences of the scheme. They recommend the plans are rejected. “The windfarm would cause major harm to the key characteristics and integrity of this sensitive and highly . . . Complete story »
Save the mountain
Gamesa’s guest column last week, written by their corporate spokesman, Michael Peck, is an example of spin, half-truths and out and out untruths that Gamesa has tried to use to promote its proposed Shaffer Mountain wind plant. Gamesa starts out by referring to those opposing the Shaffer Mountain wind plant as “anti-wind advocates.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Most people who are opposing this project, including me, support wind power and Gov. Rendell’s initiatives. We are deeply concerned, . . . Complete story »
Wind, algae projects to tap state money for energy studies
Turning algae into fuel? Building a windmill on Tangier Island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay? Setting wind turbines miles off the Virginia Beach coast? The ideas might sound futuristic, but they are the primary alternative-energy projects that the state will support with $1.5 million in research grants, to be awarded next week. The grants represent the first investment by state government in the work of a newly formed group of university scientists, called the Virginia Coastal Energy Research . . . Complete story »
SCE files to expand wind farm project
Southern California Edison on Friday applied to the California Public Utilities Commission and the U.S. Forest Service for authorization to construct Segments 4-11 of the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project. The project – a series of new and upgraded high-voltage electric transmission lines – will deliver electricity from proposed new wind farms in the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area to SCE customers and the California transmission grid. The Tehachapi project includes a series of upgrade and new high-voltage electric transmission lines and substations to . . . Complete story »
Wishes are ignored
The decision by Carmarthenshire Council to approve a 16-turbine wind power station on Mynydd y Betws ignored the wishes of the majority of the local community councils and neighbouring county councils, the National Parks Authority, the Council for the Preservation of Rural Wales, Cadw and others. It also ignored the bulk of the conclusions reached in its own report, and gave as its reason for recommending approval the need to achieve the target for wind power laid down by the . . . Complete story »
Beauly Denny inquiry to proceed
Scottish Ministers, having considered legal submissions submitted to the Beauly Denny Public Inquiry, on behalf of Eilean Aigas Estate, Highlands before Pylons and Scotland before Pylons, and the Beauly Denny Landscape Group (BDLG), together with the further submissions on behalf of Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd and Scottish Powers Transmission Ltd, have decided that the inquiry will proceed at present on the agreed timetable. The inquiry is into the proposed route for the 400,000 volts (400kV) overhead electricity transmission line . . . Complete story »
Assynt windfarm ballot
A public meeting and postal ballot are to be conducted at Assynt in Sutherland to gauge local opinion on a proposed windfarm project that has split the local community. Assynt residents acquired the picturesque Drumrunie and Glencanisp Estates in Sutherland and Wester Ross for £2.9million under Land Reform legislation two years ago and they are now divided over plans that could result in three to six turbines being erected on one of them. The estates, run by the Assynt Foundation, . . . Complete story »
Turbines generate objections
Plans for a wind farm with turbines taller than Big Ben sparked a mixed reaction from people living near the site. Pictures of the proposed energy development at Hill of Fiddes in Udny were shown to the public at a meeting in Cultercullen Primary School. But Broadview Energy’s proposals for four large turbines received a mixed response. Graham Bonner, 56, who lives 1,000 metres from the development, said: “My biggest concern is about the noise generated.” He said he approved . . . Complete story »
