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Wind Power News: October 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.
Dual deaths in wind turbine fire highlight hazards
Two young mechanics, ages 19 and 21, died when a fire broke out in a wind turbine where they were performing routine maintenance. The tragedy occurred at Deltawind’s Piet de Wit wind farm in the Netherlands, but highlights the hazards associated with fires caused by wind turbines. According to the Netherlands Times, “because of the height, the fire department initially had trouble extinguishing the fire in the engine room.” The fire started in the afternoon, but it took until evening . . . Complete story »
Effort in Lansing to override voters’ rebuke of higher-cost energy mandate; Demonstrators to picket upcoming wind forum
The federal government says virtually all of Michigan, except for the shores of the Great Lakes, is “poor” or “marginal” for wind energy. But that’s not stopping a variety of groups and some legislators from pushing to increase the state’s renewable energy mandate. In response, a protest is planned for Monday at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing during the American Wind Energy Association Wind Forum. At issue is an ongoing effort by the wind energy industry to increase Michigan’s . . . Complete story »
Section of giant wind turbine damaged in incident
HERMANVILLE – A section of a giant wind turbine was damaged Wednesday here in eastern P.E.I. when one of the hooks the crane was using to lift it let go. No one was injured in the incident. “The crane was lifting a tower section and one of the hooks sort of let go and it hit the ground and bent a flange,” said Wayne MacQuarrie with the P.E.I. Energy Corporation. Transporting the large piece of turbines has been quite the process. . . . Complete story »
Solar bill gets cloudy reception
There may be a brighter future for solar power in Georgia one day. But the chances of it arriving sooner through a proposal in the state House are pretty dim, judging from lawmakers’ reactions at a hearing Wednesday. The bill (HB 657) would allow for more companies to provide solar power to residents and businesses in Georgia, which gets less than 2 percent of its electricity from renewable fuels. Lawmakers on the House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee did not . . . Complete story »
Utility says it would bury power lines for project in Vermont
A proposal to bring high-voltage Canadian hydroelectric power through Vermont on 150 miles of buried transmission lines is welcome news to those who oppose the Northern Pass plan to import large-scale hydroelectric power through New Hampshire – largely on overhead power lines. TDI New England President and CEO Donald Jessome said his proposed New England Clean Power Link would carry 1,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power on two, 6-inch cables that would run from the U.S.-Canadian border to a converter station in . . . Complete story »
Estate agents bemoan impact of wind farms
Estate agents have claimed that wind farms can have a surprisingly dramatic impact on the value of a property. According to industry experts, wind farms can lower the value of a home by as much as 8%, which goes to underline their contentious status. The structures have attracted lots of controversy in recent times, with a number of politicians and celebrities voicing their disapproval. Bill Bryson, for instance, argued that wind farms would damage the landscape of Britain for “at . . . Complete story »
Council to corporately oppose controversial plans for Sperrins wind farm
Strabane District Council is to corporately oppose controversial plans for one of the largest wind farms ever proposed in the north. The proposal, which is still at pre-application stage was brought to council’s Environment Committee for consideration and comment on Tuesday of last week. In what is one of the largest ever proposals to come before Planning Service, the plan sees 60 wind turbines on 6,000 acres of land belonging to the Blakiston-Houston Estate between Cranagh, Goles and Broughderg. Glenelly . . . Complete story »
Planning commission survey results are in
Respondents were then asked to review a list of potential future goals for the town, which were largely taken from Moretown's current Town Plan. Overall, residents supported all but three of the current Town Plan's goals, and those three were developing water or wastewater infrastructure in the village and developing wind turbines on ridgelines. Instead, the future goals with the most support related to supporting farming and forestry and retaining rural character. Complete story »
1,2 Millionen Euro Schaden bei Windrad-Brand
[1.2 million euros destroyed by wind turbine fire] Nach dem spektakulären Brand eines großen Windrades in der Magdeburger Börde erforschen die Ermittler die Ursachen. Am Montag besichtigten sie das Generatorhaus, wie die Polizei in Haldensleben mitteilte. Der starke Sturm am Wochenende scheidet nach ersten Ermittlungen aus. Windstärke 7 am Sonntag Beim Brand am Sonntag herrschte eine Windstärke von 7, das entspricht 50 bis 61 Stundenkilometer, wie Polizeisprecher Joachim Albrecht erläuterte. Bereits im September hatte es im Schwarzwald einen ähnlichen Brand . . . Complete story »
Generator overheats: windmill set ablaze
Generator überhitzt: Windrad brennt lichterloh In der Nähe von Magdeburg ist ein Windrad abgebrannt. Ursache waren vermutlich die starken Orkanböen, die auf die Rotorblätter wirkten und den Generator des Windrades überhitzten. Complete story »
