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Wind Power News: June 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.
Forest fires and wind turbines: The danger no one is talking about
Despite all that has been written about wind power, a vitally important issue has barely been mentioned. When turbines fail, blades may fall to the ground or send fragments that land up to a mile away. Turbines often catch fire, and when they do they often send flaming shards into fields and forests. Much has been said about the short-term jobs created in preparing turbine sites, but almost nothing about job losses from turbine-caused fires in our paper mills, sawmills . . . Complete story »
Wind farm protest to heat up in Yass
A public meeting will be held this weekend at the Yass Soldiers Club regarding the increasing applications for wind farms in the area. The ABC’s Four Corners program is expected to attend the meeting, hosted by the Boorowa District Landscape Guardians (BDLG). The meeting will be held at the Soldiers Club from 2.30pm where guest speakers will discuss wind developments proposed for the Yass Valley. According to the BDLG there are approximately 600 turbines proposed for the area. The Yass . . . Complete story »
Residents fight another wind project
TEHACHAPI, Calif. – At the end of last week, plans for a massive Tehachapi wind project were pulled. It was a project that many residents and city officials felt would have been too close to town. Now residents in Sand Canyon are hoping that the project proposed for their area is the next one to go. It’s an area known for its picturesque beauty. “It’s amazingly beautiful,” said April Biglay, a canyon resident. She is also the treasurer of Friends of . . . Complete story »
Flyers Creek wind worries recognised in Senate report
Members of the Flyers Creek group opposed to a wind farm project planned near their villages have welcomed recommendations from a Senate committee that call for urgent Federal Government research to be carried out on the possible effects of wind farms on human health. The senate committee report also recommends a comprehensive study be carried out on the noise impacts of wind farms and that noise measurements be expanded to include any low frequency noise coming from wind turbines. An . . . Complete story »
Windfarm opponent rejects £400,000 offer to sell up
The woman spearheading opposition to plans for a windfarm in a picturesque Highland glen has been offered £400,000 by the developer to quit her home. Denise Davis and her husband have been told they would get most of the money at the time of the sale – and the balance if the government backed the multimillion-pound project. However, they have branded the deal “unethical” and rejected it after taking legal advice. [rest of article available at source] Complete story »
Wainfleet and Triton Knoll wind farms meet objections
Opposing views on the emerging wind farms proposed for the local area came to a head during a series of recent planning consultations. Campaigners against plans for four 127 metre turbines proposed for the Wainfleet area, submitted more than a thousand letters of objection to East Lindsey District Council on Wednesday as the application’s consultation period drew to a close. Wainfleet Wind Turbine Action Group (WWTAG) had gathered the letters from potentially affected residents following a series of demonstrations and . . . Complete story »
Success for wind farm protestors as Powys councillors vote for review of Welsh Government policy
A crowd of around 1,500 protesters got what they wanted as Powys councillors voted for an immediate review of Welsh Government wind farm development policy. The council unanimously supported a motion urging the Welsh Government to request a moratorium on all wind farm applications at a meeting held at Welsh Livestock Market to accommodate the large gathering of campaigners. Fears remain that whatever the eventual outcome of the issue UK policy on renewable energy will over-ride Welsh policy. But the . . . Complete story »
Enough is enough
Cumbria has 90 commercial windfarms, with at least another 49 on the way – and the leader of the county council says enough is enough. Councillor Eddie Martin has written to the minister for decentralisation to complain about government plans to allow windfarm applications to be pushed through regardless of local opposition. As well as the 139 windfarms which have already been granted planning permission, there are a further 46 applications awaiting a decision, he said. On behalf of the . . . Complete story »
Blame game 'not really smart Katrina'
Alby Schultz MP, the Federal Member for Hume has called on the NSW Coalition Government, particularly its rural-based ministers to dispense with the rhetoric and actually do something about a moratorium on all Wind turbine development pending an independent Commission of Inquiry into the Wind turbine industry. “This week in the NSW Parliament a Coalition Minister finally made a statement in the Legislative Assembly about what was described in that speech as industrial wind-operated power stations constructed and yet to . . . Complete story »
Turbine plans approved despite aviator concerns
A wind turbine at a Peterhead farm has been given the go-ahead, despite concerns from a nearby flying club. Concerns were raised by members of North East Aviators, whose pilots fly out of Longside Airfield, that the 80 metre turbine at Middleton of Rora farm could affect visibility causing a potential hazard. The application from Bruce Mackie was discussed at last week’s meeting of the Buchan area committee. He maintained his turbine would be outwith the 2,000m safety zone from . . . Complete story »
