Wind Power News: April 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.
The Sheffield I will remember until my last breath
About 60 years ago my grandparents left Sheffield because they feared their children were not getting the education they deserved. Eight years ago, my gram warned me not to move to Sheffield because the school was no good. I did not listen. About 30 years ago my mother and brother left Sheffield because they were tortured and tormented because they lived their life differently than others thought they should. Eight years ago my mom warned me not to move to . . . Complete story »
Karl Hughes: impacts of the proposed Tiree Array and divorce from the natural world
I have been harking on about some of the environmental effects of the Tiree array on Tiree… effects on protected species such as the Great Northern Divers and basking sharks that swarm or swim in our inshore waters; effects on proposed Special Protected Areas (the marine equivalent of a SSSI). We also now have a poll released by VisitScotland that shows that hypothetically we can expect a minimum of a 20% down turn is tourism. On top of this but . . . Complete story »
Wind farms can increase night time temperatures, research reveals
Large windfarms can increase local night time temperatures by fanning warmer air onto the ground, new research has revealed. The study used satellite data to show that the building of huge wind farms in west Texas over the last decade has warmed the nights by up to 0.72C. “Wind power is going to be a part of the solution to the climate change, air pollution and energy security problem,” said Liming Zhou, at the University of Albany in New York. . . . Complete story »
Wind farms in the wrong places are turning the public against fighting climate change says Bill Bryson
Wind farms will damage the landscape of Britain for “at least a generation”, according to the author Bill Bryson, as new figures show the number of turbines onshore is set to more than triple within a decade. At the moment there are 3,162 wind turbines onshore in the UK, up from a few hundred when the industry first set out 20 years ago. Despite protests around the country, the number being built is set to speed up even further over . . . Complete story »
Kings County puts major wind turbine projects on hold
KENTVILLE – The door could soon be shut on large-scale wind turbine development in Kings County, at least for now. The planning advisory committee for the Municipality of the County of Kings has passed a motion recommending further review of wind turbine issues. The committee also recommended that large-scale projects not be permitted in the meantime. Council has not yet approved the motion. A public meeting has been set for May 10 at 5 p.m. in council chambers. The existing wind . . . Complete story »
Wind farm action groups throw down gauntlet to candidates
It is a sign of the times that overtures on behalf of taxpayer-subsidised wind farm developments, large and small, are currently outstripping proposals for house extensions in the in-trays of planning officers at Scottish Borders Council. With a new council due to be elected next week, a plea to those candidates who may find themselves on the local authority’s quasi-judicial planning committee has been issued this week on behalf of no fewer than eight action groups, set up in the . . . Complete story »
Wind farms warming Texas; Turbines mix air at night and could affect local climate and farming
New research finds that wind farms actually warm up the surface of the land underneath them during the night, a phenomena that could put a damper on efforts to expand wind energy as a green energy solution. Researchers used satellite data from 2003 to 2011 to examine surface temperatures across as wide swath of west Texas, which has built four of the world’s largest wind farms. The data showed a direct correlation between night-time temperatures increases of 0.72 degrees C . . . Complete story »
Campaigners demand urgent action against shock rise of giant wind turbines
The countryside is caught in a “hurricane of new wind turbines”, campaigners warn today – demanding urgent action to protect the landscape. The Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) today publishes a new report highlighting the dramatic proliferation of huge onshore wind turbines. The issue is proving increasingly contentious, and is leading to tensions within the coalition Government. Prime Minister David Cameron said last week he “passionately” believed the rapid growth of renewable energy was vital for the . . . Complete story »
Sustainable Shetland call for heads to roll
Anti-Viking group Sustainable Shetland has called on the chairman of Shetland Charitable Trust and the charity’s two most senior officers to consider their position after a hastily arranged special meeting was suddenly cancelled. The campaign group allege that chairman Bill Manson, chief executive Ann Black and the trust’s financial controller Jeff Goddard have failed to ascertain whether holding such a meeting was legal or not. On Thursday, the trust announced a special meeting for Monday to discuss a £6.3 million . . . Complete story »
Call for clarity on wind turbines
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is calling on the government to say how many onshore wind turbines will be built and where they will be. CPRE says local groups feel overwhelmed by the number of wind farm applications in beautiful countryside. Just over 1,800 wind turbines more than 30 metres (100 feet) tall have been granted planning permission or are waiting for it. Ministers say the planning system balances landscape and energy needs. The CPRE’s demands amplify the . . . Complete story »
