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Wind Power News: June 2017
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.
Mo. court paves way for Grain Belt Express decision
For years, a group of Missouri landowners has battled the developer of the proposed Grain Belt Express transmission line that would stretch across the Show-Me State. And the parties have disagreed on nearly everything involving the project. But the two sides agree on this: A state Supreme Court decision refusing to hear an appeal involving another transmission line project should help bring resolution to the Grain Belt Express case. This week’s court decision involved an appeal of Ameren Transmission Co.’s . . . Complete story »
Bird conservation groups win fight against great lakes wind project
Camp Perry turbine would have set dangerous precedent. (Washington, D.C., June 29, 2017) American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) have won their campaign to stop a planned wind turbine in a major bird migration corridor close to the shores of Lake Erie. In response to a lawsuit by ABC and BSBO, the Ohio Air National Guard (ANG) has announced that it has not approved or authorized plans to install a large turbine at its Camp Perry . . . Complete story »
Camp Perry turbine plan axed; Birders cheer as National Guard retreats on wind power
OAK HARBOR, Ohio – For the second time since 2014, the Ohio Air National Guard has backed away from its plans to erect a commercial-scale, $1.5 million wind turbine at Camp Perry – a decision that the region’s biggest birding organization hopes will put an end to five years of contentious litigation and send a message to other would-be developers. “This is a very important victory for migratory birds,” said Kim Kaufman, executive director of the Oak Harbor-based Black Swamp Bird Observatory. . . . Complete story »
Bird strike, noise levels wind farm issues
Issues of bird strike and likely noise levels from a planned wind farm north of Dunedin occupied much of the third day of an Environment Court hearing in the city yesterday. Judge Jane Borthwick and two independent commissioners are hearing an appeal by Blueskin Energy Ltd against the Dunedin City Council’s refusal to allow the establishment of a wind farm on Porteous Hill near Warrington. Blueskin Energy (BCL), a company formed by the Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust (BRCT), says the . . . Complete story »
You can keep your cash and your wind farm, Leadhills tells duke
Residents of a small Clydesdale hamlet have told the Duke of Buccleuch, Richard Scott, he can keep the hundreds of thousands of pounds he is offering to spend on improvements if his estate company is allowed to build a huge wind farm on their doorstep. Leadhills Community Council claims that the 300 inhabitants of the former mining village deep in the Lowther Valley would rather keep their stark but beautiful scenery than take the money. The council is now asking . . . Complete story »
Wind energy moratorium reduced to 18 months in compromise bill
A proposed ban on wind energy projects for four years has been reduced to an 18-month moratorium under a compromise renewable energy bill that passed the House and Senate early Friday morning. The Senate had tacked the four-year ban onto a lengthy renewable energy bill that was developed in the House. Sen. Harry Brown, a Republican from Jacksonville, argues the ban is needed to provide time to ensure wind towers don’t interfere with military flight training. But opponents of the . . . Complete story »
Without funding, offshore wind project for AC hangs in limbo
ATLANTIC CITY – Ten years ago, New Jersey was poised to become the first state in the nation to build an offshore wind farm. But by December 2016, Rhode Island had won the race and the Garden State missed out on a chance to build a new industry. Now, Fishermen’s Energy’s proposed 24-megawatt, six-turbine demonstration project 3 miles off the coast of Atlantic City hangs in limbo. “We just kind of ran out of time and ran out of money,” said . . . Complete story »
Wind-energy proponents say they’ll continue fight for ease in site restrictions
Wind-energy advocates say they will continue to push to ease restrictions on where wind turbines can be placed, undeterred by a stinging defeat this week in the Ohio General Assembly. The Ohio Senate supported the eased restrictions this week and inserted it into the proposed state budget, only for the Ohio House to remove the provision. This was part of a marathon give-and-take as lawmakers rushed to complete work on the budget. “It was a missed opportunity for the state . . . Complete story »
Researchers found they could hack entire wind farms
On a sunny day last summer, in the middle of a vast cornfield somewhere in the large, windy middle of America, two researchers from the University of Tulsa stepped into an oven-hot, elevator-sized chamber within the base of a 300-foot-tall wind turbine. They’d picked the simple pin-and-tumbler lock on the turbine’s metal door in less than a minute and opened the unsecured server closet inside. Jason Staggs, a tall 28-year-old Oklahoman, quickly unplugged a network cable and inserted it into . . . Complete story »
New wind energy guidelines ‘insult’ to rural Ireland
“These guidelines are an absolute disgrace and an insult to the inhabitants of rural Ireland,” says Stephen Carroll, chair of the Rhode Parish Wind Turbine Action Group. He was responding to the new guidelines published in one of Simon Coveney’s last actions as Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. The proposed changes to the 2006 guidelines include a new setback distance of four times the height of a turbine, subject to the mandatory minimum setback distance of 500m. . . . Complete story »
