Wind Power News: U.S.
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch 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.
Broome County IDA rejects tax deal for Sanford, Windsor wind farm
A combined $34 million tax incentive package for an eastern Broome County wind installation was rejected Wednesday by the Broome County Industrial Development Agency. Several board members questioned the economic benefits of the 27-turbine project, which promised two full-time permanent jobs and 70 construction jobs over the two-year length of the construction process. “This type of project leaves us nothing when it’s over,” said Jim Peduto, one of five members opposing the package of incentives proposed. He termed the deal . . . Complete story »
MidAmerican Energy takes 46 wind turbines offline after blades fall in rural Iowa
MidAmerican Energy says it has idled nearly four-dozen electricity-generating wind turbines while workers check them for safety after blades broke off of two similar turbines over the past two months. Those blade failures follow a break earlier this year and one in 2019. MidAmerican, a Des Moines-based subsidiary of Warren Buffett-owned Berkshire Hathaway, said Tuesday it has paused the use of 46 turbines it has identified as having blades like the ones that broke. The blades, upwards of 175 feet . . . Complete story »
Wind energy hub project in Cortlandt withdrawn by developers
A proposed wind turbine manufacturing facility on property owned by the Town of Cortlandt in Verplanck that some town officials were hopeful could spearhead some economic development has been withdrawn. Supervisor Linda Puglisi and the rest of the Cortlandt Town Board were notified of the decision about the so-called Port Cortlandt plan October 13 by the head principles of AKRF, a consulting firm that was part of the development team. “Our plan was the result of extensive community engagement over . . . Complete story »
Scores more wind turbines proposed for Long Island’s South Shore
Scores more 600-foot tall wind turbines would be built off Jones Beach under a new proposal. Norwegian energy conglomerate Equinor has bid to create another 2,500 megawatts of offshore wind power for New York state and Long Island with two projects. One, which would connect to the local electric grid in Nassau County, would more than double the number of turbines off Long Island to some 200. A second would be built around 50 miles from Montauk Point and connect . . . Complete story »
Huron Township receives applications for future turbines
HURON TOWNSHIP – Huron Township could be looking at having more wind turbines within its boundaries in the future. Site permits have reportedly been filed in the township to build more turbines by Algonquin Power, the parent company of Liberty Energy and owners of the Deerfield Wind Farm that stretches across Huron, Lincoln, Dwight, and Bloomfield townships. Al Wichert, the zoning administrator for the township, said the company cannot act further until the township gets more information about the site plan . . . Complete story »
County P & Z approve wind farm and MET tower
BINGHAM COUNTY – The Bingham County Planning and Zoning Commission met with two items on the agenda—both for Cedar Creek Wind LLC. Cedar Creek has been before the P & Z in the past with meteorological tower sites, and would be requesting another Conditional Use Permit to install another one as they continue to search for a working location to start a wind farm. Following the presentation from Planning and Development’s staff, the commission invited the applicant to speak. The . . . Complete story »
Another Vestas wind turbine blade breaks and falls, this time in Iowa
Warren Buffett-owned Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, MidAmerican Energy, has idled more than 40 wind turbines at Iowa wind farms after a 50 metre-long turbine blade broke off and fell into a field last week. The Des Moines-based utility said on Tuesday that it had paused the use of 46 Vestas wind turbines to check them for safety, after a blade broke off a similar turbine in September, and another earlier this year, and one in 2019. MidAmerican said the latest fallen . . . Complete story »
New Mexico’s renewable energy sector growing in rural areas, local seek to capitalize
Renewable energy could stimulate some of New Mexico’s most rural areas and economic development leaders sought to embrace the sector to diversify economies and provide local jobs. In a panel hosted last week by Powering New Mexico, an initiative led by the American Wind Energy Association to promote the renewable sector, leaders of local economic organizations in southeast and northern New Mexico discussed how solar and wind energy developments have strengthened their economies and what needs to be done to . . . Complete story »
Wind turbines under inspection by MidAmerican after second blade loss
MidAmerican Energy is inspecting more than 40 wind turbines after the second case of a blade coming off a turbine. MidAmerican spokesman Geoff Greenwood says the latest blade issue happened last week. “Our technician at the Beaver Creek Wind Farm noticed an anomaly with one of the wind turbines – went to check it out – and saw that a blade had separated from off of a turbine which is just southeast of Paton in Greene County,” Greenwood explains. He says this . . . Complete story »
Recommendations made for commercial wind and solar farm applications
If the Madison County board of commissioners follows the recommendations made Thursday evening by the county’s joint planning commission, fees charged wind energy companies for conditional-use permits and towers will be toward the high end of a sample of counties that responded to a survey. The county board asked the joint planning commissioners to make a recommendation for the fees. To get input, the joint planning commission directed the county’s zoning administrator to see what other counties were charging. Heather . . . Complete story »
