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Wind Power News: February 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.
Wind energy may get boost in Bedford County
BEDFORD — Bedford County may decide tonight to begin permitting small wind energy systems, or turbines, as a use in zoning – a measure that could give residents an alternative source for electricity. The Board of Supervisors is holding a joint public hearing with the planning commission tonight at 7:30 in the county administration building in Bedford. Supervisors in early 2010 directed the commission to draft an ordinance that will be reviewed tonight. It proposes allowing small-scale wind turbines as a . . . Complete story »
The colour of this green is money
It’s hard to believe that something that is supposed to be so good for the environment can bring so much divisiveness and anger to Manitoulin Island. I haven’t written much about the MacLean’s Mountain wind farm because of those very reasons. I have lifelong friends who have been fighting the project since the beginning and very good friends who believe it will be a good thing for the Island. To be honest, I have gone back and forth on the . . . Complete story »
No-spin zone: Proposed sale of wind farm keeps turbines at standstill
The proposed sale of the Chestnut Flats Wind Farm is keeping the wind turbine blades from turning, a representative for the wind farm project said. Some wind turbine blades have gone through electrical testing and done a few spins since late December when construction wrapped up on the 19-turbine farm in Logan Township, Gamesa Project Development Director Greg Elko said Thursday. But the commercial operation for the production of electricity, now targeted for the spring, won’t get started until the . . . Complete story »
Wind farms causing problems in Bureau County
Wind energy keeps growing in popularity as a renewable energy source. But for a group of people in the Bureau County town of Ohio,Ill., it’s growing into a major problem. “It sounds like an airport at my house and I live in the country,” Al Harris, an Ohio resident for eight years, said. “You can’t go outside and enjoy the peace and quiet,” Deb Anderson, a 16-year resident of Ohio, said. The Big Sky wind farm in Ohio began operating . . . Complete story »
Turbine bylaw changes might kill Bournedale wind farm plan
Buzzards Bay and Bournedale residents, who would live in the shadows of the New Generation Wind turbines proposed off Scenic Highway, have submitted a citizen-petition article to the May Town Meeting warrant that could reshape formal review of the controversial wind-farm proposal and perhaps kill it. The group seeks to amend the town’s Wind Energy Systems bylaw, which would guide Bourne Planning Board scrutiny of the New Generation proposal should it pass muster at the Cape Cod Commission. Town Planner . . . Complete story »
Town refuses $750K wind grant — Timeline unfeasible
The Town Council, in the face of an unfeasibly tight time frame and concerns about public support, voted to give up $750,000 in grant money for a land-based wind turbine Monday. “I want to get this done as much as anyone,” First Warden Kim Gaffett said, “but, we need to get the feasibility study done first.” The project would have to be underway by March 31, 2012, which the Town Council decided was not possible given the many decisions and . . . Complete story »
£250bn wind power industry is a scam
Scarcely a day goes by without more evidence to show why the Government’s obsession with wind turbines, now at the centre of our national energy policy, is one of the greatest political blunders of our time. Under a target agreed with the EU, Britain is committed within ten years – at astronomic expense – to generating nearly a third of its electricity from renewable sources, mainly through building thousands more wind turbines. But the penny is finally dropping for almost everyone – except . . . Complete story »
Wind company pursuing land leases; many still oppose turbines
ST. HENRY – Jerry and Mary Lou May hope to someday look out their window and see wind turbine blades spinning. The couple believe their farmland along Lange Road could help Ohio and the rest of the country produce the alternative energy the government seeks. “They’re trying to find different kinds of energy … I believe it’s something that needs to be looked into,” Jerry May said. The Mays have joined at least 10 other local families who have signed . . . Complete story »
Call to ratify planning information convention
Two groups involved in separate planning challenges on the west coast have called on the incoming government to implement a key piece of international legislation linking human rights and environmental issues. Ratification of the Aarhus convention on access to environmental information and public participation in decision-making had been a key aim of the Green Party on entering coalition with Fianna Fáil more than three years ago. Former minister for the environment John Gormley had predicted almost two months ago that . . . Complete story »
Badgers cast bid for controversial north-east windfarm into doubt
Contentious plans for a windfarm in rural Buchan, which have been heavily criticised by locals, could finally be killed off by badgers. Environmentalists say that several setts have been found on land near Hatton which is earmarked for a three-turbine development. The discovery was made by conservation group Scottish Badgers, which believes that vehicles driving in and out of the site may already have caused disruption to the protected habitats. It emerged that Aberdeenshire Council had failed to highlight the . . . Complete story »
