| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Wind Power News: January 2012
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.
Turbines huge threat to birds
In the excellent S4C wildlife series Antur y Gorllewin (Adventure of the West), Welsh naturalist Iolo Williams films wildlife along the western shores of mainland Europe, Iceland, Canaries and the Azores. His latest programme on January 25 featured the thousands of birds that migrate between Europe to Africa every year. Iolo could not disguise his disgust and anger when he showed us the 250-plus eyesore wind turbines on the hills above Tarifa, the southernmost point of mainland Spain near the . . . Complete story »
Huge new towers for Clonegal area
The countryside south of Clonegal is set to become a major centre of green energy, with the granting of planning permission to local landholder Andy Nolan for three huge windmills. The 85 metre towers are due to be erected in the townland of Ballinastraw next to a six-turbine wind farm that is already in the pipeline. The 6.9 megawatt development submitted by Andy Nolan was given the thumbs-up by the planners at Wexford County Council after no objections were raised . . . Complete story »
Dong Energy abandons attempt to place wind turbines in Kappel
It took the Kappel Group 5-1/2 years of exhausting struggle – but it has been worth it! Friday 27 January 2012: Dong Energy* has confirmed that they have abandoned their immense wind turbine project of 40 MW in Kappel. Kappel citizens and the many summer home owners in the area can now breathe a sigh of relief and no longer fear having their sleep and health destroyed by wind turbine noise. One local residents’ association and 39 property owners in Kappel . . . Complete story »
Enfield wind farm expected to be running by end of 2013
Ithaca – If all goes according to plan, there will be wind turbines up and running on Buck Hill in Enfield come Christmas 2013. Though several steps still remain, project manager Marguerite Wells said she expects the 8-year-old project to be completed by that date. In the meantime, the environmental impact statement has to be completed, the public will have a chance to comment on the project, construction details will be worked out, and funding secured, she said. Earlier this month, . . . Complete story »
No cause for turbine fire
ALTONA – Monday, officials from Noble Environmental Power were still trying to determine the cause of a wind-turbine fire that broke out Saturday evening at the Altona Wind Park. John Bahouth, vice president of human resources and communications, said the company was working to mobilize heavy equipment to the area in order to reach the top of the extremely tall turbine. “We are pursuing the cause with all diligence, and as soon as the company knows more details, we will be . . . Complete story »
Kirklees Council suspends turbine planning applications after blades fly off windmills
Campaigners last night welcomed a freeze on new wind turbines following safety concerns. Kirklees Council yesterday suspended planning applications for a type of windmill manufactured by Brighouse firm Evoco Energy. The move came after high winds ripped blades from the company’s turbines in Hepworth and Upper Cumberworth earlier this month. Kirklees leader Clr Mehboob Khan said yesterday: “As a responsible council we take these incidents very seriously. No more applications for this model of turbine will be considered until we . . . Complete story »
Delahunt backs off controversial wind energy deal, tells Hull he’ll help for free
HULL – Former U.S. Rep. William Delahunt and his consulting firm will help Hull advance plans for offshore wind energy but they won’t accept money for their work. Delahunt, who faced a storm of criticism for nearly cutting a deal that would have paid his firm $90,000 from federal funds he earmarked while still in Congress, told the town Municipal Light Board that he would help the town for free. “It’s a big plus for us,” said Patrick Cannon, who heads . . . Complete story »
Green electricity finds few customers in Massachusetts; Wind farms bring higher NStar bills
Five years after NStar became the first Massachusetts utility to allow customers to buy electricity supplied by a wind farm, its Green program has failed to catch on. Fewer than 1 percent of the company’s nearly 900,000 customers have enrolled. The dismal response resembles lackluster participation in similar renewable energy programs offered by other utilities, worrying state officials as they push toward a goal of generating 20 percent of electricity from renewable energy by 2020. The NStar program has faltered . . . Complete story »
FAA accused of fast-tracking wind farm
The FAA has cleared development of a 64-turbine wind farm west of Pratt Regional Airport in Kansas. But the Pratt County Zoning Board is left scratching its collective head after a former FAA employee who’s also a commercial pilot, flight instructor, and expert witness in 60 lawsuits says the FAA screwed up, and building the wind farm could leave the county liable for aviation accidents. The Pratt Tribune reports that on Monday evening, Don Hensley of Safe Sky, LLC told . . . Complete story »
Noise from wind turbines ruins people’s lives
I have lived in the Cross area of Mineral County for my entire life and have done so because of the peace and quiet of the area. However, over the past months, things have changed, and the reason is the windmills on the mountain across from my home. The windmills cause an extremely loud disturbance to the point of lying down at night to have a good nights sleep is impossible. I recently attended a Mineral County Commission meeting, hoping . . . Complete story »
