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Wind Power News: July 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.
Environment Court to consider cumulative effects of wind farms
The cumulative effects of the Mahinerangi wind farm and others around New Zealand needed to be considered before a decision could be made about Project Hayes, Environment Court judge Jon Jackson said in Cromwell yesterday. Judge Jackson was responding to a question from Maniototo Environmental Society counsel Mike Holm about the appropriateness of making an application for new evidence – including the Mahinerangi wind farm decision released by the Environment Court this week – to be heard. The judge agreed it was . . . Complete story »
BP releases map of wind project sites
BP Alternative Energy today released an image of proposed sites for wind turbines and power lines for the Cape Vincent Wind Project; however, the public may get a better view early next week when BP plans to post the image on its Web site, BP project manager James H. Madden said. While the map is preliminary, he said, it represents a large move forward in the project process. The proposed turbines, overlayed on a U.S. Geological Survey map with outdated . . . Complete story »
Logan to get another wind farm
A second wind farm is on “Logan County’s horizon. On the heels of Texas-based Horizon Wind Energy receiving a conditional-use permit from the Logan County Board to erect 29 wind turbines in the Emden area, another company said Wednesday it plans to construct a wind farm in another part of the county. The farm, to be called Sugar Creek Wind One, has already started the process of contacting landowners in the New Holland and Middletown areas to obtain land leases . . . Complete story »
Wind farm court fight in works
The Tazewell County Board approved extending an enterprise zone to a proposed wind farm against the recommendation of State’s Attorney Stewart Umholtz, who said legal action against the county is the next step. ‘The issue will get before an Illinois court,’ Umholtz said Wednesday after the board’s 12-4 vote. Umholtz says the extension violates the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. He said he could find no supporting case law for the city of Pekin and the county to extend their jointly . . . Complete story »
Citizens debate plans for national forest land; Wind energy topic breezes by with little comment
Hot Springs – In stark contrast to meetings held in Hot Springs in March 2007 and in Woodstock two weeks ago, the future of wind energy in the George Washington National Forest was only briefly touched upon, and then in general terms, Monday night. The forest service met with citizens in Hot Springs to gather ideas about how the GWNF will be managed during the next 10 to 12 years. People who attended came from up and down the Shenandoah Valley, . . . Complete story »
Highland New Wind Development launches web site for utility plans
The company that might become the first to build a commercial wind energy utility in Virginia has a Web site in place, touting its proposed project in Highland County as the “greenest windfarm in the world.” Highland New Wind Development LLC, owned by H.T. “Mac” McBride of Harrisonburg, plans a 39-megawatt wind generation plant on family property here. The Web site shows a simulated photo of what the utility might look like after construction on Red Oak Knob and Tamarack . . . Complete story »
Billionaires bank on Wyoming wind
Wyoming’s future role in wind energy became a lot less speculative this week with the announcement that The Anschutz Corp. plans to take over the TransWest Express Transmission Project. The $3 billion, 900-mile-long, high-voltage line would provide for 3,000 megawatts of wind energy generation in Wyoming for delivery to emerging renewable energy markets in the Desert Southwest, according to Anschutz affiliate TransWest Express LLC. The announcement comes just weeks after another affiliate of Anschutz, Power Company of Wyoming LLC, filed . . . Complete story »
Firm lodges wind farm plans
Campaigners against a controversial wind farm in a Yorkshire beauty spot have vowed to fight the development now that plans have formally been submitted to Craven Council. German company, EnergieKontor UK Ltd, has earmarked land at Brightenber Hill, about 10km from Skipton, for a renewable energy wind farm consisting of five turbines which would each be 100 metres tall and an electricity substation. A Craven Council spokesman said that the proposal will now be advertised, notices displayed at the site . . . Complete story »
New planning clause is ‘draconian,’ says MP
North Devon MP Nick Harvey is demanding an explanation from Government Minister Hazel Blears as to why a “draconian” clause has been slipped into the Planning Bill just before the summer recess. “This new clause – section 155 – will effectively prevent local residents from making a claim for compensation against a development that creates a range of nuisances and ends up blighting their lives.,” he said. “Local councils and others will be able to force compliance with nuisances that are defined . . . Complete story »
Energy consortium leader optimistic
Greg Wortham, head of the West Texas Wind Energy Consortium indicated he’s disappointed that the transmission scenario chosen by the Public Utility Commission earlier this month was limited, but he said he thinks it will be expanded as energy projects develop. The eastern Texas Panhandle came out pretty well with the PUC’s initial plan with proposed transmission lines coming up through Childress County, through Collingsworth and Donley counties to near Pampa in Gray County and then southwest through Carson County . . . Complete story »
