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Wind Power News: August 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.
A new chapter for a controversial wind farm, as sPower buys Pioneer Wind Park from Wasatch Wind
For much of the past five years, controversy has surrounded a proposed 46-turbine wind farm planned near Glenrock. Now, a new company will try to push the project across the finish line. sPower acquired the interest in the planned 80-megawatt Pioneer Wind Park from Wasatch Wind in early August. Financial terms were not disclosed. The new Salt Lake City-based developer is an experienced hand in the solar and wind arenas. A subsidiary of Fir Tree Capital, a New York City . . . Complete story »
24-mile right of way leaves future uncertain
Tucked away in the long list of 61 individual parcels acquired or leased by Northern Pass is a vague description of land in Dixville, Millsfield and Dummer, leased for an undisclosed amount from Bayroot LLC, one of the largest private timberland owners in New England. The lease through 2017 is for development of a transmission line and a wind energy facility, with an option to extend for 98 years. “It’s a 24-mile right of way through Bayroot land, from the . . . Complete story »
New Jersey’s push for offshore wind farms loses steam
A few years ago, New Jersey’s political leaders laid out a vision: acres of giant wind turbines, rising like a modern flotilla in the Atlantic, their white blades spun by ocean gusts, generating clean renewable energy just beyond the horizon at the Jersey Shore. Governor Christie and other state policymakers set ambitious goals to develop New Jersey’s huge potential as a leader in offshore wind energy. But due to a combination of factors, New Jersey’s bid to become a trailblazer . . . Complete story »
Brown seeks to broaden California’s clean-energy reach in the West
Gov. Jerry Brown is working on an ambitious plan for transmitting electricity across state lines and bolstering California’s role in the region, according to energy officials. The plan would integrate PacifiCorp, a utility serving six Western states, into the electricity grid run by the California Independent System Operator, which is based in Folsom. If successful, it could make solar and wind energy available more widely throughout the West – a potential victory for Brown, who has sought partnerships beyond California’s borders . . . Complete story »
Cedar Point wind project worker injured
Another worker has been injured during construction of the 46-turbine Cedar Point wind project being built in Lambton County for Suncor and NextEra. Suncor spokesperson Nicole Fisher said in an e-mail that a contract worker was taken to hospital following an incident Friday, that happened at approximately 3 p.m. Fisher said contractor Amec Foster Wheeler notified authorities of the incident and suspended non-critical construction work at the site while an investigation is conducted. Tony McInally, a spokesperson for Amec Foster . . . Complete story »
West Kilbride windfarm application to be knocked back?
Council planning officers have recommended an application to build a new windfarm near West Kilbride gets the thumbs down. They say the application for six turbines at Blackshaw Farm by Community Windpower Limited (CWL) would have an adverse visual impact and be located in an area of ‘high sensitivity’. It would also affect tourism and recreational interests as well as potentially causing a noise nuisance and the safety of aircraft. The proposed turbines would have been 125m high with blades . . . Complete story »
Regulate wind farms
Kudos to the Lincoln Journal Star for addressing wind farms and county planning (“War over wind energy far from over,” Aug. 20). Every county in Nebraska should be developing regulations on how to deal with wind turbine farms now before it is too late. Our state needs to address the long-range permanent environmental damage that these wind farms will do to our landscapes. Some of these wind farms contain thousands of turbines covering miles and miles. One of the stated . . . Complete story »
State board rules Greenwich wind turbine park can be constructed
COLUMBUS – A state board has argued that a wind turbine development in rural Greenwich can proceed, rejecting, among other arguments, an opponent’s claim that it ›led in a timely manner for a rehearing after the board initially approved the project. The Ohio Power Siting Board’s ruling means that Windlab USA can proceed with its development of Greenwich Windpark, LLC, spokesman Matt Schilling said. The project calls for 4,600 acres and comprises up to 25 turbines, each 490.5 feet tall with . . . Complete story »
Wind Turbines Select Committee report debate: that the Senate take note of the report
Senators Urquhart, Back, Leyonhjelm, and Madigan: Thursday, 13 August 2015 Senator URQUHART (Tasmania—Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate) (18:01): The date 3 August 2015 should go down in history as an important date for global action on climate change, when Barack Obama announced the final release of America’s Clean Power Plan. Sadly, on the same day in Australia the Senate Select Committee on Wind Turbines was pulling in directly the opposite direction with the release of its final report. Let . . . Complete story »
Transmission line to bring ad valorem to county
An environmental impact statement on a transmission line project that will bring new ad valorem tax proceeds to Garfield County is expected in late-October, according to a Clean Line Energy official. Phillip Teel, Oklahoma manager of the Clean Line Energy Plains & Eastern Clean Line Project, says company officials do not know when construction will begin on the transmission line but are optimistic it will start in late 2016 or in 2017. “We’ve been told by the Department of Energy . . . Complete story »
