| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Wind Power News: February 2013
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.
Judge recommends dismissal of Galloo Island wind farm connection request
Citing a lack of substantive activity on the project, an administrative law judge has recommended the state Public Service Commission dismiss an application by Upstate NY Power Corp. to construct a 50-mile electric transmission line from Galloo Island on Lake Ontario to a point on the mainland. Judge Kevin J. Casutto said in a decision issued Tuesday that the application “lacks viability at present” and that it has had a “chilling effect” on landowners and their plans for business development . . . Complete story »
Turbine plans withdrawn in face of fierce opposition
A wind power company has withdrawn its application for a wind turbine in the Llŷn Peninsula after re-ceiving fierce opposition. The applicant, Revolution NRG, withdrew its application for two 250kw wind turbines to be placed on land in at Pentyrch Isaf in Pencaenewydd. The application, which was recommended for refusal, was due to be dis-cussed by planners on Monday. Llanaelhaearn, Dolbenmaen and Llanystumdwy community councils all objected to the plans, mainly due to the size of the turbines. A large . . . Complete story »
Protesters on outer at wind farm meeting
The ability of wind farms to split rural communities was evident on Thursday, with farmers and their supporters protesting outside the Yass Soldiers Club barred from attending a meeting of people who will host the controversial turbines on their properties. Inside the club, landholders in the ACT region, including Goulburn and Yass, held a forum to network and swap information. The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage helped initiate the Wind Farm Host Landholder Network’s inaugural meeting, saying it was . . . Complete story »
Senators drop wind moratorium
Lawmakers removed a contentious element from a bill that would change the permitting process for large wind and other energy generation projects. The Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee unanimously decided on Tuesday to scratch a three-year moratorium on wind project developments with a production capacity greater than 500 kilowatts. The moratorium was unpopular among Democratic House leaders and the Shumlin administration. The new version of S.30 would insert into the Public Service Board’s approval process a mandatory conformance to . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine protest
Around 40 people gathered outside the Soldiers Club this afternoon to protest against a meeting for prospective wind turbine hosts. The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) held the meeting with local residents who had expressed an interest in hosting wind turbines. It was their neighbours who stood outside the club boasting placards that read ‘No wind turbines’ and ‘Wind farms belong in the desert’. “There’s a very strong, growing community backlash against these turbines,” Bookham farmer Mark Glover . . . Complete story »
MPP Walker says government offers no relief on wind energy policy
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker says he was expecting the Wynne government to spell out in concrete terms how it would fix its wind energy mess and offer a fair share of the gas tax funding at this year’s Good Roads conference. Instead says Walker, “some 1,200 municipal leaders from rural Ontario heard a lot of blasé and feel-good political-speak from the newly-minted Premier Kathleen Wynne.” “Councillors came to hear how the new Liberal government under Kathleen Wynne will be . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine will move to new location
BERLIN – The wind turbine first proposed for Schoolfield Street in Berlin will now be erected on Old Ocean City Boulevard. After more than a dozen residents of Schoolfield Street and the surrounding area told the Berlin Town Council last month they did not want a turbine in their neighborhood, citing noise and traffic concerns, officials asked electrical engineer Doug Richards to find another location for his pilot project. Working with Electric Utility Director Tim Lawrence, Richards came up with the . . . Complete story »
Portsmouth weighs options for busted turbine
PORTSMOUTH – There are three options to deal with the high school’s broken wind turbine and none of them is very promising. The first option, explained by town planner Gary Crosby to the Town Council on Feb. 25, is to pay up to $730,000 to replace the broken gearbox and have the town resume ownership of the 336-foot-high turbine. The second option: Allow a developer to dismantle the turbine and replace it with a new model of the same height. A . . . Complete story »
Councillors vote against wind farm plans
Plans for nine turbine wind farm in Bassetlaw were thrown out last night (Wednesday). Bassetlaw Council’s planning committee unanimously voted against the EDF energy plans to build a wind farm near Sturton-Le-Steeple and South Wheatley. The meeting heard from local campaigners and residents who opposed the plans. Among their concerns were the ‘significant’ visual impact on the surrounding villages, which already have West Burton and Cottam power stations nearby. Councillors voted to go along with the planning officers recommendation to . . . Complete story »
Coalition stands by call for more wind farm research as Gilliard Greens alliance shuts down debate
The Coalition will continue to work towards ensuring comprehensive research is completed into the possible health effects of wind farms on residents and communities, despite the Gillard Government’s action to shut down debate on amendments to a Bill that would have allowed those plans to be put in place, Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources Ian Macfarlane said. “The Government combined with the Greens in the Senate to deny the Coalition the opportunity to move amendments aimed at greater transparency . . . Complete story »
