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Wind Power News: March 2015
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.
Wind farm projects a burden on south-west councils says Senate inquiry
Councils have been unfairly burdened with handling wind farm projects after higher levels of government handballed responsibility, the head of a Senate inquiry has claimed. A panel of some of Australia’s best-known senators took part in a public hearing on wind turbines in Portland yesterday, with dozens of witnesses called. Independent senator John Madigan led the inquiry and said the huge volume of complaints and criticism regarding south-west wind farms was a large burden for local government to carry. He . . . Complete story »
Victorian councils set to lose wind farm planning authority as State Government takes control
Victoria’s Energy and Resources Minister says planning changes for new wind farm developments are designed to attract more investment in regional Victoria. Tomorrow, local councils will lose their planning authority over wind farms and the responsibility will be transferred to Planning Minister Richard Wynne. The Bulgana Wind Farm, near Great Western, was the last to be approved before the change, when Northern Grampians councillors voted in favour of it last week. Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said stakeholders would . . . Complete story »
Muircleugh wind farm proposals rejected
Plans to build a wind farm between Stow and Lauder have been rejected by Scottish Borders Council. Airvolution’s application for the seven turbine site at Muircleugh was unanimously refused by the Council’s Planning and Building Standards Committee yesterday morning. The council believes it would have an “unacceptable” impact on the landscape and character of the area. But the company behind the plans claims the council has ‘lost out on over £3.9m of investment’ to the region. It says it is . . . Complete story »
‘Secret ruling’ on Mid Wales wind farms a disgrace, says Ukip candidate
Suggestions that controversial plans to build a series of wind farms across Mid Wales have been given the go-ahead in secret are “disgraceful” if true, it has been claimed. Reports suggest that plans for three of the five giant wind farms planned for Mid Wales, along with 30 miles of pylons have been given the go-ahead following a public inquiry. But the decision is being kept under wraps by Lib Dem Ed Davey, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, until . . . Complete story »
Planning inspector dismisses protests and gives wind turbines green light on appeal
Protests against plans for a new wind farm in Lincolnshire have been dismissed by a planning inspector, who claimed that public concern was not as great as had been claimed. In a move that will be keenly watched by other communities in Lincolnshire, the inspector overruled the original decision by East Lindsey District Council to refuse planning permission for eight turbines near Humberston, which the developer, ASC Renewables, said would generate enough power for 11,500 homes. The government official said . . . Complete story »
Turbine study ‘not meant to be scientific’
The wind farm company which commissioned a recent groundbreaking study investigating links between health complaints and low-frequency noise generated by wind turbines has told a Senate committee it was “never meant to be a scientific study”. Acoustics engineer Steven Cooper, who has advised on transport and industrial noise and vibrations in Australia, the US and Britain for more than 25 years, released his report on renewable energy company Pacific Hydro’s Cape Bridgewater wind farm, in Victoria’s southwest, in January. The . . . Complete story »
New England power plants fight renewables plan
Merchant power generators are warning three New England states that their novel proposal to procure renewable energy capacity could force existing power plants in the region to retire early and may not survive legal scrutiny. The New England Power Generators Association last week said the states’ clean energy plan would create a subsidy that could “flood the market” with large-scale Canadian hydroelectric energy and have a “catastrophic” impact on existing northeast US power plants. The association represents companies that own . . . Complete story »
Dems, environmentalists blame Christie for New Jersey wind energy failure
Shortly after taking office in 2010, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vowed to turn the state into “a national leader in the wind-power movement.” He signed into law legislation authorizing New Jersey to provide $100 million in tax credits for qualified wind energy in addition to energy projects to established state and federal subsidies. Five years later, the program is moribund and there are no clear plans for getting construction under way on the state’s first wind farm. The firm . . . Complete story »
Neighbors oppose town’s appeal of wind ruling
FALMOUTH – Neighbors of the town’s controversial wind turbines say the appeal of a zoning lawsuit should not reach the state’s highest court because it does not involve issues that could affect the entire Commonwealth. Last month, the Massachusetts Court of Appeals overturned a 2013 ruling by Barnstable County Judge Robert Rufo, who ruled that the town didn’t need a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals to erect Wind 1, one of Falmouth’s twin wind turbines located at the . . . Complete story »
Secret go-ahead for Mid Wales windfarms
Controversial plans to build a series of windfarms across Mid Wales have been given the go-ahead – but the decision is being kept a secret until after the General Election. Reports say Lib Dem Ed Davey, who served as Energy and Climate Change Secretary in the coalition government, has given the go-ahead for three of the five giant windfarms planned for Mid Wales, along with 30 miles of pylons. But the plans are so unpopular that Mr Davey has refused . . . Complete story »
