Wind Power News: May 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.
For Wainfleet, it blows
Anger. Defeat. Disappointment. Just a few of the emotions Thursday’s announcement from Ontario Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli evoked in Wainfleet Mayor April Jeffs. The petite brunette attended the CanSIA Solar Ontario Conference armed with a massive question that she wanted answered. “So, if I have an existing project in my municipality, nothing you say applies?” It was a question she said she asked adamantly to the minister after he shared news that local governments will get a voice in major . . . Complete story »
Ontario Liberals give municipalities greater say over wind and solar farms
NIAGARA FALLS, ONT.—Municipalities will be given a much bigger say in where – or if – renewable energy projects are located, says Ontario energy minister Bob Chiarelli. And Chiarelli said Ontario will abide by a World Trade Organization ruling that the province’s made-in-Ontario requirements for renewable energy projects violate trade rules. Giving local governments more say in where energy projects – especially wind turbines – go is a political necessity for the Liberals. After the Green Energy Act removed all authority for the projects . . . Complete story »
Council ‘likely’ to reject wind farm abatement
SELMA – The chairman of the city-county plan commission isn’t the only local government official who is not ready to welcome wind farms to Delaware County. E.ON Climate & Renewables this week canceled an appearance before the council, from which it was scheduled to ask for property tax abatement for a wind farm. The reason? “In my opinion, they pulled the request off the table until a later date yet to be determined because I think they are pretty well tuned . . . Complete story »
Wind farm regulations on hold until 2015?
MUNCIE – The chairman of the Delaware-Muncie Metropolitan Plan Commission has asked the commission to postpone the adoption of wind farm regulations until at least May of 2015. The reason for the request is to gather more information on the impact that existing Indiana wind farms have had on communities. “Among the items to be considered is the impact of such developments on property values,” Chairman Tom Green wrote in an email to Marta Moody, director of the commission. “A 2- . . . Complete story »
Hold fire on Dublin Bay wind farm, say councillors
A minister has been called on to delay a decision on a plan to construct up to 145 wind turbines in Dublin Bay. Labour politicians in Dublin and Wicklow have written to the Junior Environment Minister Jan O’Sullivan, who will decide whether to grant a foreshore licence for the €2bn development. The councillors, along with the Coastal Concern Alliance, have strong misgivings about the Dublin Array project. Electricity If given the go-ahead, renewable power firm Saorgus Energy would begin construction . . . Complete story »
Coillte hold windfarm day
Advanced plans for an 18 turbine windfarm in Cullenagh south of Portlaoise are to be revealed at open days in Timahoe and Ballyroan. Coillte who manage state forests at Cullenagh, Clontycoe and Dooary are planning to build the turbines at a height of 131 metres, for supply of electricity to the Irish grid. They will submit their planning application to Laois County Council mid summer. People Against Wind, the Laois action group, say they will be lodging an objection. “We . . . Complete story »
Council opposes turbines proposal
A parish council has objected to plans for two 54-metre wind turbines it says will blight the landscape. Members in Wales voted to register their protest against the wind plan, south of the village close to the M1. Navarda Wind Turbines says the development at Norwood Lock, off Rotherham Road, will create 1,120Mwh of renewable energy. Parish council clerk Richard Waller detailed the councillors’ objection to the scheme. He said: “Notwithstanding any measures taken by the applicant to minimise the . . . Complete story »
Xcel seeks termination of agreement with troubled wind project
SAINT PAUL – After spending more than $15 million over an unprecedented four-plus-year permitting process, the New Era wind project near Zumbrota might soon be back at square one. Xcel Energy filed paperwork May 24 with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission that seeks to terminate its power purchase agreement with the 78-megawatt wind project. If New Era declines to accept that action, Xcel is prepared to take the issue to court. Jim Alders, Xcel’s director of regulatory affairs, said Thursday that . . . Complete story »
Group plans wind turbine in Keystone route
Opponents of the planned Keystone XL pipeline started a fundraising campaign to build wind and solar energy projects along the pipeline’s Nebraska route. The U.S. State Department is vetting millions of public comments to its draft environmental assessment of Keystone XL. Pipeline company TransCanada wants to build the cross-border pipeline to deliver heavy Canadian crude oil to southern U.S. refineries. Jane Kleeb, director of pipeline opponent Bold Nebraska, said the group was joining other advocates in calling for the construction . . . Complete story »
Second set of wind-power rules rejected
HARTFORD – State lawmakers have rejected a second set of proposed regulations for siting power-generating wind turbines. The legislature’s Regulation Review Committee followed a recommendation to reject the latest version of the regulations because some provisions were vaguely worded. The vote means the Connecticut Siting Council must now submit a third set of proposed regulations for the committee’s consideration in June. The bipartisan, 14-member panel must approve all state agency regulations. The committee also rejected the siting council’s initial submission in . . . Complete story »
