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Wind Power News: March 2008
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.
Hare-brained scheme
ScottishPower Renewables is offering a bounty of £30 each on hares to be reintroduced into “a habitat management area” which is sufficiently far away from the Beinn an Tuirc wind farm site in Argyll and Bute (your report, 24 March). This is to encourage the eagles to “forage away from the wind turbines”, that is, hunt down the hares in the designated place. I do hope the hares have been adequately trained, if not exactly encouraged, to obey instructions. ALISON . . . Complete story »
Too close for comfort
Glen Innes Severn councillors saw first hand the impact that the proposed wind farm development at Furracabad would have on neighbouring residents last Thursday. Following the conclusion of council’s March meeting the eight councillors, three directors and the general manager boarded council’s Garden Court bus to tour the Furracabad valley. Upon boarding the bus, the councillors were each given a copy of an information package sourced from the NSW Department of Planning which detailed the information given to the department . . . Complete story »
New wind farm on hold in the Columbia River Gorge
Plans for a controversial wind farm on the hills above Mosier may be faltering. Almost a year has passed since developer UPC Wind first asked state regulators to review the 40-turbine project, which lies within the windy stretches of the Columbia River Gorge. Revisions to the proposal, promised more than six months ago, have yet to materialize. The delays underscore the difficulties UPC Wind faces as it tries to re-arrange the turbines so that they’re less visible from a federally . . . Complete story »
Charge of inconsistency cannot be substantiated
Contrary to lobbyist Timothy Killian’s recent assertion that “wind works;” in fact, wind power doesn’t work (on average) 75 percent of the time. When it does work, it is usually out of sync with demand and so requires very large backup capacity requirements. In Washington state today, that requirement is being met with natural gas fired turbines and at great expense to the consumer. As usual with proponents of unrestricted growth for commercial wind power, the “wish” is greater than . . . Complete story »
Freedom sees heated debate on legal fees
FREEDOM – Despite a lengthy, heated debate, a protest letter from those opposed and three votes on the matter, the controversial $25,000 town legal fund was approved by a mere two-vote margin at Saturday’s town meeting. Selectmen asked the town to approve $25,000 for legal services. Last year, the town budgeted $6,500 for legal services, according to the town report. In their “Selectors Letter” in the town report, selectmen argued: “The budget committee has increased the legal services request in our . . . Complete story »
Parish council chairman issues warning over wind turbines
A chairman of a parish council has warned residents of another Fenland village that a decision over wind turbines could be the most important one ever taken in their community during their lifetime. Councillor John Welcher who personally supported the erection of wind turbines at Doddington is accusing developers of being “less than economical with the truth”. After a meeting of FLAT (Fenland Landscape Against Turbines) at Marshland St James, Cllr Welcher said: ” I was trying to tell the . . . Complete story »
Missteps & mix-ups revealed at turbine hearing
EASTHAM – Over the course of two days, the selectmen’s warrant articles proposing private and commercial wind turbine bylaws got blown off the table. At a March 27 work-session meeting, the board unanimously voted to pull both its articles from the town warrant. Now, a petitioned article will be the only one proposing a wind energy facility bylaw on this year’s warrant. The dark clouds first threatened the night before, at a March 26 planning board public hearing. After a year . . . Complete story »
Villagers unite against Bishopton wind farm plans
Villagers have formed an action group to fight a proposed wind farm near their homes on the outskirts of Stockton. At a meeting in Bishopton village hall they pledged to fight the plans by Pure Renewable Energy to protect the countryside and the wildlife. Early site tests are being carried out on the scheme to build 11 turbines, 100 metres high, on farm land outside Bishopton, West Newbiggin, Gilly Flatts and Little Stainton. Although the Bishopton group is not opposed . . . Complete story »
Second large wind farm proposed near Gore
A company involved in developing wind farms in Australia and Europe yesterday confirmed it is investigating the potential for a $390 million wind farm near the Southland township of Wyndham capable of supplying electricity to about 74,000 homes. The proposed Slopedown wind farm would carry up to 50 3MW turbines on farmland 15km east of Wyndham. Wanaka-based Wind Prospect CWP (NZ) Ltd released details of its plans, which it admits are in their early stages, but it hopes to be generating . . . Complete story »
Working flat out to oppose turbine plans
Around 200 Marshland St James residents are thought to have attended the latest meeting organised by an anti-wind turbine pressure group. The meeting at the village’s Jubilee Hall on Tuesday, was organised by Fenland Landscape Against Turbines (Flat) to discuss plans for 19 wind turbines in the village. Committee members are calling for Marshland Wind Farms, the company behind the scheme, to hold another consultation event after the last was cancelled following a vandalism attack earlier this month. Themes centred . . . Complete story »
