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Wind Power News: February 2009
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.
Don Quixote battles windmills — and so do the folks in Boulevard
PART II in a three-part series: WHY BOULEVARD? Iberdrola Renewables and other parties have had their fingers in the wind, testing for the past three years and more. “If you link the windy areas in San Diego County to the transmission, it restricts you to very few areas. McCain Valley—and a small area around Julian—is one of the few areas in San Diego County that has wind anywhere near transmission,” said Andy Linehan, Permitting/Environmental Director of Iberdrola. The quality of . . . Complete story »
Turbine noise irks some in Ubly area
Forty-six wind turbines are producing electricity at the Michigan Wind Park in the Ubly area in Huron County. They have been up for four months, but not everyone is happy with the tall structures. Some residents were worried that the wind turbines would be too close to homes and cause too much noise. It appears some people now agree. “It’s not the ‘swoosh, swoosh’ we expected,” said Angie Weber, who lives nearby. You can’t hear them on a windy day, . . . Complete story »
Don Quixote fights the windmills — and so do the folks in Boulevard
Editor’s Note: Should wind turbines hundreds of feet tall –higher than the existing Kumeyaay wind farm turbines—be allowed in the rural McCain Valley/Boulevard region in East County? Does the nation’s critical need for “green” energy outweigh the concerns of residents seeking to preserve the rural character of their backcountry communities? With new industrial-scale wind farms proposed across America, East County Magazine’s Gayle Early set out on a quest to explore these issues in depth for our three-part series on wind . . . Complete story »
Something in the wind as mystery illnesses rise
Residents living near wind turbines are increasingly complaining of headaches, dizziness, insomnia and other ailments, sparking fears that the new energy source could pose a risk to public health. Although the cause of the problem remains unclear, the Environment Ministry is investigating the possibility that low frequency sounds produced by the turbines are to blame. The ministry is concerned that reports of ill health could spread as more wind turbines are built near residential areas. Tsuyoshi Okawa’s family fell ill . . . Complete story »
Dixmont voters OK wind farm moratorium
DIXMONT, Maine – A moratorium on industrial wind farms and a new comprehensive plan both passed by wide margins Wednesday night during a special town meeting at the Etna Dixmont School. The 131 voters who turned out for the meeting voted 111-20 in favor of the 180-day moratorium, which aimed to give town officials time to study the pros and cons of such projects, First Selectman Brian Wilson said. That information gathering already is under way, Wilson said, and likely will . . . Complete story »
Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm turbine fire
A $6 million wind turbine has caught fire near Port Lincoln, starting blazes on the ground as embers fall. The fire, at the Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm about 30km southwest of the town, was first noticed by a boat about 1am. The turbine is alight halfway up its 60m structure, making it difficult for the 14 Country Fire Service firefighters trying to deal with it to extinguish the blaze. They are also busy controlling the spotfires, but consider the situation . . . Complete story »
