Wind Power News: Iowa
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Future of Freeborn Wind Farm uncertain
FREEBORN COUNTY, Minn. – The Freeborn Wind Farm project has the possibility of being taken off the table after a judge ruled against it due to turbine noise. It’s a project that would put a proposed 100 wind turbines in both Freeborn County in Minnesota and Worth County in Iowa. Now, it’s in limbo. Doreene Hansen lives in Glenville and is the main organizer of the Association of Freeborn County Landowners. “Well just south of me there would be a . . . Complete story »
Court finds board, turbine companies in contempt
Fayette county zoning officials who allowed four wind turbine companies to illegally erect and operate three turbines outside of Fairbank have been found in contempt of court, along with the wind turbine companies. The Fayette County Zoning Board of Adjustment and Zoning Administrator Catherine Miller did not follow the court’s order requiring the companies to tear down the turbines, nor did the companies take action to follow the order, Judge John Bauercamper concluded in a June 11 ruling. Instead, the . . . Complete story »
Fate of turbines returns to Board of Adjustment
The fate of the three wind turbines located just east of the Flint Hills ethanol plant at Fairbank will be appealed once more, this time before the Fayette County Board of Adjustment when it convenes at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 12. Dante Wind 6, L.L.C., Galileo Wind 1 L.L.C., Venus Wind 4 L.L.C., Mason Wind L.L.C. Optimum Renewables L.L.C., collectively known as Optimum Renewables L.L.C., will meet with the Board of Adjustment regarding permits for the three turbines. “We have . . . Complete story »
Humboldt supervisors OK wind turbine rules
DAKOTA CITY – Humboldt County has a new ordinance governing wind towers. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved the ordinance on a series of 4-1 votes Monday. Wind towers have been the subject of several board meetings and workshops last year and this year, plus a public forum held by the board in December. County Attorney Jon Beaty has worked on the ordinance for several months. The supervisors have reviewed wind tower ordinances from several other counties and have listened . . . Complete story »
Iowa OSHA fines TPI Composites more than $150,000 for unsafe working conditions at wind blade maker
Iowa OSHA has issued $154,524 in fines to TPI Composites for multiple workplace safety violations at its Newton wind blade factory, the result of a five-month investigation sparked by a Des Moines Register special report. In 40 pages of documents, Iowa’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration alleged an array of safety issues including fire hazards, airborne contaminants, faulty record keeping, fall hazards and a lack of employee training on using personal protective equipment. Most notably, the citations support the complaints . . . Complete story »
Humboldt County wind turbine proposal changes again
DAKOTA CITY – The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors decided to again revise a proposed ordinance governing wind towers at Monday’s meeting. The board considered approving the first reading of the proposed ordinance Monday which included changes that involve the supervisors more in the application process. Also, the building permit fee has doubled from $500 to $1,000 per tower. However, additional changes in wording were added. Humboldt County Economic Development Director Alissa O’Connor suggested the board revise the ordinance’s definition of . . . Complete story »
Invenergy conducts public meeting on second wind energy project
Invenergy, developer of the first Ida Grove wind energy project completed at the end of 2017, held a public meeting May 29 at Skate Palace in Ida Grove related to the proposed phase two of the project. The second phase calls for the erection of 81 wind turbines in Logan, Silver Creek, Corwin, Blaine, Battle and Maple townships that will generate 200 MW of wind power. Some of the phase two turbines will be located in townships that currently have . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine blades damaged in train accident
At least two wind turbine blades were damaged during an accident on the Des Moines River bridge, between Keokuk, Iowa, and Alexandria, Missouri, on Saturday morning, June 2. Information is sketchy at this time, but it appears that two wind turbine blades being transported on a BNSF train made contact with the bridge, folded backwards and shattered. BNSF crews are on scene at this time, and the bridge is closed. We’ve reached out to both BNSF and Siemens, who we . . . Complete story »
Alliant Energy proposes new wind farm for Wisconsin customers
Alliant Energy wants to add a wind farm in Iowa to serve its Wisconsin customers. Alliant, of Madison, filed an application with the state Public Service Commission on Wednesday to build a wind farm in north-central Iowa that could provide as much as 150 megawatts of electricity – enough to power 70,000 homes a year. The site would be developed by Invenergy, one of the largest independent renewable-energy providers in the U.S., and then Alliant would build, own and operate the . . . Complete story »
Court action filed to block Black Hawk County wind farm
WATERLOO – An area farmer is asking the Black Hawk County District Court to stop development of a 35-turbine wind farm southeast of Hudson. Harold Youngblut filed an action Wednesday claiming the county Board of Adjustment acted improperly by approving a special use permit for the planned Washburn Wind Energyproject. Board members voted 3-2 April 24 to approve a special permit for the 70-megawatt industrial wind farm despite heavy opposition from surrounding property owners concerned about potential negative impacts on their . . . Complete story »
