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.
Emerging Energies wind farm hits a wall; Judge sends major energy project for further review
The only major wind farm on the drawing board in Wisconsin was dealt a setback this week when a St. Croix County judge sent the project back to state energy regulators for more review. Judge Edward F. Vlack decided that the state Public Service Commission erred when it set restrictions on the amount of noise that the wind turbines can produce. The Highland Wind Farm in the Town of Forest in St. Croix County is a $250 million project proposed . . . Complete story »
SunEdison withdraws Weaver Wind application, for now
OSBORN – SunEdison has withdrawn its application to the state to build a 22-turbine wind farm in Osborn and Eastbrook, though it plans to submit another application for the project in the future. The proposal from the Missouri-based developer called for 14 turbines in Osborn and another eight in Eastbrook, a wind farm to be known as Weaver Wind. SunEdison’s application to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was accepted as complete at the end of January. A draft analysis of . . . Complete story »
SunEdison is testing conditions for another Somerset County wind farm
Energy company SunEdison is testing wind conditions in the Misery Ridge area of Somerset County with plans to possibly build a 26-turbine commercial wind farm there. The company installed two meteorological towers in the area this week on land owned by Plum Creek, a forest management company, in the northeastern part of the county near Moosehead Lake. No application has been submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection for the project yet. “We usually need a couple years of data . . . Complete story »
Board says Huron County wind farm can go forward
The Ohio Power Siting Board has ruled that a planned wind farm in southern Huron County can go forward. The board, rejecting a late appeal from nearby landowners, upheld the order it issued on August 25 2014 allowing Greenwich Windpark LLC to proceed with a planned project in the Greenwich area that involves 25 wind turbines, about 490 feet high. The latest decision is likely to be appealed, a group opposing the project said Friday. Omega Crop Co. LLC, a nearby . . . Complete story »
SunEdison withdraws application to build wind farm in Hancock County
A Missouri-based wind power company has withdrawn its application to build a 23-turbine wind farm in Hancock County. SunEdison withdrew the application for its Weaver Wind project from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in order to address environmental issues raised by state regulators, according to John Lamontagne, a SunEdison spokesman based in its Boston office. A DEP staff analysis of the project raised concerns about the proposed wind farm’s potential impact on bats and migratory birds, citing a study . . . Complete story »
St. Croix County Judge: Town of Forest wind farm needs more scrutiny
Despite the fact that St. Croix County Judge Edward Vlack Wednesday ruled that Highland Wind Farm’s noise curtailment plan “ensures compliance” with state wind siting regulations, the judge stated in an order this week that the Public Service Commission did not provide, among other things, “proper notice and hearing” for discussion of the state’s compliance standard. As part of a ruling issued this week, the judge wrote: “This court concludes that while there are differences of opinion on this issue, . . . Complete story »
North Cumbrian landowner launches campaign to stop pylons going ahead
A landowner opposed to plans for a new network of pylons in north Cumbria has launched a campaign to stop the scheme going ahead. There are just days left for people to respond to the first round of consultation on ScottishPower Energy Networks’ proposal for a new route of 46m-high pylons through rural countryside around Longtown. The energy giant wants to replace most of a 132,000-volt line from Auchencrosh, Ayrshire, with a new 400,000-volt line. It has plans for an . . . Complete story »
The clean power plan will collide with the physics of the electric grid
There’s a lot that’s already been written about the Clean Power Plan (CPP): Google it and you find 71 million hits (at least as I write this). A lot more will be written yet. The scale of the CPP predictably and properly has ignited widespread debate. Much of the controversy centers around the animating force for the CPP, the claims of impending climate doom motivating a profound shift in U.S. energy use, and collaterally the politics, legality, and costs of . . . Complete story »
Vandalism report at wind tower construction site could reach $200,000
Vandalism over the weekend may have resulted in upwards to $200,000 in damage at a wind tower construction site. Antelope County Sheriff Bob Moore said his department is investigating a vandalism incident which occurred at a Prairie Breeze II wind turbine site in the vicinity of the “Million Dollar Corner” area. Moore said sometime late Saturday or early Sunday morning a person or persons fired up an excavator and rolled one of the wind turbine “tubes” down a slope, marring . . . Complete story »
Plan for sea wind farm faces resistance
Nearly 100 Oahu residents gathered to listen to a developer make his case for 51 wind turbines to be moored in the ocean 12 miles northwest of Kaena Point. The Waialua Elementary cafeteria was filled Tuesday night with community members as the North Shore Neighborhood Board held a meeting to learn about the wind farm. The proposed wind farm would be operated by AW Hawaiian Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Denmark-based Alpha Wind Energy. The proposal from Alpha Wind Energy, . . . Complete story »
