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Wind Power News: Florida
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.
DeSantis signs Florida bill banning offshore wind turbines
Climate change will be a lesser priority in Florida and largely disappear from state statutes under legislation [HB 1645] signed Wednesday by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that also bans power-generating wind turbines offshore or near the state’s lengthy coastline. Critics said the measure made law by the former Republican presidential hopeful ignores their warnings of climate change threats in Florida, including projections of rising seas, extreme heat and flooding and increasingly severe storms. It takes effect July 1 and would . . . Complete story »
DeSantis’ office quietly backed Florida ban on wind energy
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office quietly helped write a bill to curtail wind energy in the state of Florida, email records provided to the Tampa Bay Times show. A version of that bill is now awaiting DeSantis’ signature to become law, which will ban offshore wind turbines in state waters. It also proposes to delete the majority of references to climate change found in state law, the Times previously reported. Florida lawmakers passed the bills, Senate Bill 1624 and House Bill . . . Complete story »
Biden ’emergency’ offshore wind push faces Trump roadblock
As part of his efforts to take executive action to address climate change, President Joe Biden said yesterday he would advance offshore wind development for Southeastern states – a prospect seemingly prohibited by a moratorium signed by his predecessor. Wind advocates said they aren’t ready to celebrate yet, instead focused on maintaining a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act currently moving through Congress to reverse the 10-year ban on offshore energy development in the southern Atlantic Ocean signed by former . . . Complete story »
Seven indicted on federal fraud charges in alleged miracle windmill investment scheme
A federal grand jury in Miami has indicted seven men on charges they swindled $1.9 million from investors by falsely claiming to have developed a revolutionary windmill turbine that could generate power at a fraction of the cost of existing technology. The indictment was filed in U.S. District Court in Miami on July 29 but remained under seal until Monday, after two defendants surrendered to authorities. All of the defendants were declared fugitives in an Oct. 2 filing that was . . . Complete story »
Birds are not tilting at windmills
As usual, fixing one problem only creates new problems to solve. When I was growing up in the farmland of Nebraska, water was hard to come by, but wind was readily available across the plains. My grandfather Emil erected a two-story windmill that filled the water tank in the pasture from the well he dug below. The windmill assured the cows, goats and sheep had ample water on the dry plains. The mills were surrounded by acres of corn fields. . . . Complete story »
Trump’s offshore oil ban to halt coastal wind farms too
President Donald Trump’s decision to rule out energy development along the coasts of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas will bar not just offshore oil and gas drilling – but coastal wind farms too. The broad reach of Trump’s recent orders, which was confirmed by the Interior Department agency that oversees offshore energy development, comes as renewable developers are spending hundreds of millions of dollars snapping up the rights to build wind farms along the U.S. East Coast. At issue are recent . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine falls off truck causing delays for morning commuters
Morning commuters were at a standstill when a piece of a wind turbine fell off a truck in Pensacola. The police department tweeted a wind turbine fell off a truck on Hayne and Blount Street just over an hour ago. According to witnesses, the flatbed truck was making a turn and piece of the wind turbine just slide off blocking Hayne and Blount streets. At 9:18 a.m., Pensacola Police told Channel 3 News Blount was reopened but Hayne will remain . . . Complete story »
Lake Wales couple hopes to build wind turbine on property
A Polk County couple has their sights set high on building a wind turbine on their property. It would be the first ever in the county. And, they’re one step closer to doing it. Tuesday, Commissioners approved their request. Maurice Ramirez and Allison Sakara of Lake Wales know a thing or two about cutting energy costs. “The structure is coated with a ceramic acrylic that reflects sunlight,” Ramirez said about his home. “We have 81 solar panels producing just under . . . Complete story »
Misinformation about wind power
As a resident of Block Island Rhode Island (and Cape Coral in the winter), I read the story about the Deepwater Wind offshore windfarm with great interest, but a few additional facts are needed. Our costs per kilowatt on the island go from a low of about 36 cents in winter to about 50 cents in the summer. In Cape Coral, my last LCEC bill was about 11 cents. What the story omitted was the fact that this project was . . . Complete story »
Wind turbines threat to birds
Last week, the Obama administration approved regulations for the use of wind turbines that could potentially lead to the death of thousands of birds. Where is the outrage from the public, the Audubon Society and the Sierra Club? In the last two years wind turbines have killed hundreds of thousands of birds, including eagles. Where is the publicity and outrage? If 100 ducks were oil slicked, it would be front-page news. If on the Crystal River I shoot seagulls, pelicans, . . . Complete story »
