Wind Power News: April 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.
Dust-up over wind farms
Report: Noise from turbines meet guidelines There’s no scientific proof wind turbines make disturbing levels of noise and, although more study is needed, Ontario’s guidelines are sound, a long-awaited consultant’s report for the ministry of the environment says. The report by Ryerson prof Dr. Ramani Ramakrishnan was finished in December 2007 but was only posted on the government’s Environmental Registry website on Monday. It reviews the work of a Dutch scientist, Dr. G.P. Van Den Berg, who found that 98-metre . . . Complete story »
Group pledges to fight windfarm
A campaign against plans for a wind farm on the South Cheshire border is being stepped up after a bid for seven turbines was submitted. Energy firm Nuon Renewables has applied for the wind farm at Woore. But objectors say the scheme would dominate the skyline at Audlem, Buerton and Bridgemere. They say the turbines would be as high as St Paul’s Cathedral and could lead to health problems, noise pollution and slash the value of their homes. A group . . . Complete story »
Restoration after windfarms
Mark Ruskell, of Scottish Renewables stated in his letter (the Press and Journal, April 25) that “the renewables industry, by law, has to assess the environmental impact of any windfarm application and design the scheme appropriately to minimise environmental damage, including by restoring habitats”. I wonder what his response was to the beautifully-glossy environmental statement made by the promoters of the Loch Luichart windfarm proposal a year or two back? On the subject of restoration, they stated that, at the . . . Complete story »
Eminent domain question difficult to answer
The statement is released relative to a request directed to the Garrett Board of County Commissioners by John Bambacus in which he asks “Will Garrett County use its power of eminent domain to unlawfully seize private property in the event a citizen refuses to grant an easement of any kind to permit an industrial wind turbine company right of way for a cable crossing, access road, etc.? What is the county’s position on the use of eminent domain as it . . . Complete story »
Villagers vote against turbines
Villagers of Parkham went to the polls on Thursday and rejected proposals for two wind turbines in their parish. In a rare parish referendum 215 villagers cast their votes – a 34 per cent turnout. Of these, 174 or 81 per cent were against the proposal by local man Peter Willes, who wants the turbines to power his Parkham Farms cheese-making plant and the farms which supply his milk. His proposal for two 100-metre high turbines near Sedborough Farm is in . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine plan 'plague'
In your Eeast edition (Post, April 26), the proposed “Ring of Steel” wind farm around Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot is enthusiastically heralded by no less a person than Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of the Assembly Government.All the Welsh wind turbines planned for Tan8 will reduce the UK CO? emissions by about a miniscule 0.1 per cent. How daft can we get? In spite of the above being well known at the time, Andrew Davies AM, the architect of Tan8, . . . Complete story »
Pickens sends landowners letters
Energy tycoon plans to build water/electricity pipeline through North Texas A select number of property owners from Childress to Jacksboro learned this week that T. Boone Pickens would like to do a little business with them. The man who has made billions in gas, oil and hedge funds has an ambitious plan to build a combination water pipeline and electric transmission line from Roberts County in the Panhandle to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Landowners along the proposed route got notification . . . Complete story »
Windmill proposal goes around again
A new proposal for a wind energy law in Eau Claire County is being presented to rural leaders after a previous draft had been criticized for making windmills too expensive to build. The county’s Planning and Development Committee reviewed the draft Tuesday night and agreed to have it brought to town leaders before coming back for a public hearing on the evening of May 27. “The revision you gave us was a vast improvement,” said Will Fantle, a member of . . . Complete story »
Nothing short of desecration
We are being led to believe by Viking Energy that the hills of Shetland are eroding badly, with a consequent loss of wildlife habitat, and that the Viking wind farm will reverse this process. I know that there are areas worse affected by erosion, but this picture shows almost pristine blanket bog and a loch with vegetation right around its shores. This type of active bog is rated as land of the highest ecological value in the EU Habitats Directive . . . Complete story »
Ill wind blowing in Tazewell
Tazewell County State’s Attorney Stu Umholtz says the Tazewell County Board can’t give tax breaks to a proposed wind farm. The 11,000-acre “Railsplitter Wind Farm” – in both Tazewell and Logan Counties—would produce enough electricity to power 30–thousand homes, according to the company. The Tazewell County Board executive board voted to grant “enterprise zone” status to the project. But Stewart Umholtz says while the county board’ members intentions are good, their actions would be illegal. Umholtz says while other counties . . . Complete story »
