Wind Power News: Kentucky
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.
Progress made in getting wind farm issue to JPC
An agreement was reached Tuesday between opponents of a possible wind turbine farm in May’s Lick and county officials on how to proceed in getting the wind farm issue before the Maysville-Mason County Joint Planning Commission. Prior to the beginning of the regular meeting of Mason County Fiscal Court, Judge-Executive James L. “Buddy” Gallenstein, County Attorney John Estill and May’s Lick resident Joe Pfeffer, who also serves as the spokesperson for Citizens Voice of Mason County met to discuss a . . . Complete story »
Citizens, officials get facts on proposed wind project
Opponents of a proposed wind turbine farm project in May’s Lick, wearing buttons that said “Get The Facts,” filled the former Mason County courtroom to capacity Tuesday. At least 100 people attended the regular Mason County Fiscal Court meeting, which was moved from the smaller court chambers on the ground floor to the former courtroom of the building. Tuesday’s meeting was the fifth meeting since May in which opponents to the project have been in attendance. At the beginning of . . . Complete story »
Duke Energy talks turbines at fiscal court meeting
FLEMINGSBURG | A representative from Duke Energy attended Fleming County Fiscal Court Tuesday to discuss a wind turbine project proposed in Fleming and Mason counties. About 25 residents were on hand from Mason and Fleming counties to listen to a presentation and ask questions of the Duke Energy representative. “This is a new project for Fleming and Mason counties,” Fleming Judge-Executive Larry Foxworthy said. “This presentation will give us a better understanding of what this project will entail. This is . . . Complete story »
Duke Energy, some residents at odds over proposed wind farm
Duke Energy wants to harness the winds sweeping across Mason and Fleming counties by building a wind farm. “We think we can do it to a low cost standard and have a strong focus on safety.” Duke Energy’s Graham Furlong said. In the proposal outlined before Mason County representatives and residents Tuesday, the farm would have 25 to 100 turbines and generate between 70 and 150 megawatts of power. As a comparison, the Zimmer Generating Station across the Ohio River . . . Complete story »
County, citizens agree to listen to Duke Energy
After more than an hour and half of discussion about the future of May’s Lick and Mason County if a proposed wind farm becomes reality, a compromise of sorts was reached between county officials and concerned citizens. Nearly 40 May’s Lick citizens attended Tuesday’s meeting of Mason County Fiscal Court to once again voice their opposition to the project, which is centered in southwest Mason County and northwest Fleming County. Judge-Executive James L. “Buddy” Gallenstein opened discussion by reminding the . . . Complete story »
Officials seek meeting with Duke Energy about wind farm project
May’s Lick residents opposed to a possible wind turbine farm in the May’s Lick and northwest Fleming County area once again expressed their concerns to officials during a Mason County Fiscal Court meeting Tuesday. Thirteen residents were in attendance to support an immediate moratorium on the Duke Energy project. Mike Averdick read from a prepared statement, noting residents have invested heavily in their homes and “had no inkling our local government was in dialog with an out of town utility . . . Complete story »
Wind farm study under fire again
For the second month in a row, residents of May’s Lick attended Tuesday’s fiscal court meeting to express their opposition to and concerns about a potential wind farm in Mason County. Mike Averdick serves as spokesman for the citizens, who asked last month that a countywide moratorium on wind energy projects be implemented so that zoning, regulations and policies of such a project could be studied. Also in attendance Tuesday was Dave Clarke, who spoke in favor of the project . . . Complete story »
Abandoned gym, wind farm raise concerns
The court also heard from members of the May's Lick Community Development Group, who asked the court to draft and impose a countywide moratorium on wind energy projects so necessary zoning, regulations and policies of such a project could be studied. The issue was raised after property owners learned Duke Energy has been engaged in a test project in the area for the last 10 months. Duke Energy has been in dialog with May's Lick landowners about securing land for the project should it prove viable and is still one year away from making a decision to go forward with a wind turbine farm in the county, according to Gallenstein. This is the second time Mason County has been tapped as a test site for wind energy. The first was approximately two years ago, when NextEra explored the potential for a wind farm in the Germantown area. Complete story »
Study outlines barriers to wind energy
Unlike its Appalachian neighbors, Kentucky has no large or small-scale wind farms. And a study says that’s only partly due to the state’s low wind potential. In the report, the authors identify a number of barriers to more wind development in Appalachia. There are obstacles like rough terrain, which makes it difficult for large trucks with wind turbines to get through. And then there’s small-scale land ownership means wind companies have to negotiate with several property owners to lease the . . . Complete story »
Alternative energy supporters push agenda to lawmakers
FRANKFORT – Supporters of renewable energy are continuing the effort to move Kentucky away from its near-exclusive use of coal to generate electricity. Wider use of energy sources such as solar and wind power, and efforts to promote energy efficiency could help hold down electricity rates and create jobs, according to information supporters gave a House committee Thursday. However, the proposal they support, House Bill 167, won’t get a vote in the legislature this year, just as a similar measure didn’t . . . Complete story »
