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Wind Power News: January 2011
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.
Sweetwater wind farms might benefit from Super Bowl
Organizers of the Super Bowl and its surrounding activities are making a concerted effort to go “green” in 2011, and wind farms around Sweetwater are playing a role. The National Football League and Just Energy, a “green energy” retailer, plan to offset the carbon footprint created during the Super Bowl by purchasing renewable energy credits. What that will mean is, for every megawatt of energy used, Just Energy pledged to purchase a similar amount of energy – renewable energy credits, or . . . Complete story »
Village of Poquott extends ban on some renewable energy devices
In August of last year, the Village of Poquott enacted a six-month moratorium on the installation of certain types of wind and solar energy devices. On Thursday, the Board of Trustees voted to extend the temporary ban for another six months. The moratorium was initially intended for the board to review what other villages, towns and the county did, but after five months, the board is still waiting to hear guidelines from the Suffolk County Planning Commission. “We really have . . . Complete story »
Testing to begin on Hardscrabble wind turbines
Fairfield, N.Y. – An official with the Hardscrabble wind farm project said testing of the 37 wind turbines has begun. “They are all standing, but they haven’t reached commercial operation yet,” Paul Copleman, a spokesperson for Iberdola Renewables, said in a telephone interview Monday. He said he anticipates a commercial operation start date to be sometime in February. “People may already be seeing all of them turning. That’s still part of the commissioning and testing process which we do at the . . . Complete story »
Cape fishermen fear losing prime grounds to turbines
NEW BEDFORD – The sheer scale of the 3,000-square-mile area of federal waters south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket recently opened for wind-turbine leases has many in the fishing industry worried. An open meeting at the Whaling Museum today will offer fishermen and the public a closer look at the proposal. The Obama administration announced in December its intention to encourage wind energy development in federal waters off Massachusetts and elsewhere by offering leases. The Bureau of Offshore Energy Management, Regulation . . . Complete story »
Laura Israel and Lynda Barry on WNYC
Director Laura Israel and cartoonist Lynda Barry talk about the controversy over wind turbines. Israel directed Windfall, a revealing look at wind energy that tells the story of residents of Meredith, NY, who are divided when companies want to build wind turbines in the traditional dairy farm community. Windfall is playing as part of DOC NYC Friday, November 5, and Monday, November 8, at IFC Center. Lynda Barry is researching a book on homes near turbines. Her latest book is . . . Complete story »
Large wind projects need closer scrutiny, says Sault MP
Large industrial wind energy projects being proposed for the Algoma district in northeastern Ontario should be linked to a national energy strategy backed by research, retrofit programs, conservation, and new technology commitments, said Sault Ste. Marie MP Tony Martin in a Jan. 24 news release. Martin announced he is bringing Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington to Algoma in late January to Batchewana and Wawa as well as to tour the coastline of the proposed wind farm sites. The Lake Superior . . . Complete story »
Public Trust Doctrine should rule out ferry terminal wind turbine site
Something to consider as we debate the wind turbine proposal for the lakefront is that the more easterly site that has been suggested—the spot near the ferry terminal—is filled land and thus is subject to the restrictions of the Public Trust Doctrine. The doctrine is based on our state constitution. It requires that filled land—land retrieved from the lakebed—must be used for recreation and navigation only. The latter use includes docks, harbors, wharves, and other facilities described as “in aid . . . Complete story »
Cape Cod Commission tackles regulating wind turbines
Draft regulations Setbacks: 3,000 feet for one-megawatt (or greater) turbines Regional review: Triggered if turbine is more than 65 feet tall Noise study: Required Shadow flicker study: Required Mitigation plans Noise, shadow flicker and decommission rules Building a wind turbine, even a small one at your home, could be much more difficult if the proposed new regulations before Cape Cod Commission are adopted. The proposed rules state that any turbine greater than 65 feet in height would be a Development . . . Complete story »
Roanoke County to hear wind-energy plans
Roanoke County will take its first steps into the contentious world of wind-energy regulation Tuesday. The county’s planning commission has scheduled a public hearing at 7 p.m. on proposals for small-scale wind-energy generation – dealing primarily with systems for individual homes or businesses. The hearing will be held in the Roanoke County Administration Center. Although these small generators have not drawn the same attention or debate as large, industrial wind-turbine farms, this will be the first time the county has considered . . . Complete story »
State seeks input on wind energy plan
State and federal officials are holding public meetings starting tomorrow on an environmental study of the proposed transmission of wind energy from Maui County to Oahu by undersea cable. The project could cost $1 billion, officials estimate. But the environmental group Life of the Land said government officials should be looking instead at generating electricity through ocean thermal energy conversion. “OTEC would cost less,” said Henry Curtis, executive director of Life of the Land. The study, funded with up to . . . Complete story »
