Wind Power News: Massachusetts
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.
Falmouth town meeting approves $2.5M to dismantle wind turbines
FALMOUTH – The two wind turbines at the town’s wastewater treatment plant have been a source of controversy since they began spinning almost a decade ago, and they proved to be the source of a long debate Wednesday, when town meeting was asked to pay $2.5 million to dismantle them. Ultimately the request was approved by a healthy margin. Before discussion on the expense even got underway, town meeting member Ronald Zweig made an unsuccessful attempt to derail it by proposing . . . Complete story »
Associated Industries of Mass. joins the effort to save Vineyard Wind
You know offshore wind power has finally arrived when Associated Industries of Massachusetts is now among its most enthusiastic backers. AIM, you might remember, had energetically fought Cape Wind, dogging what would have been the nation’s first offshore wind farm at every turn. Many critics of Cape Wind owned luxury properties overlooking Nantucket Sound, or had ties to people who did. But AIM’s chief concern had nothing to do with aesthetics and everything to do with the failed project’s massive . . . Complete story »
Wind turbines to top Falmouth’s fall meeting
FALMOUTH – The annual fall town meeting is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Lawrence School Memorial Auditorium. Town meeting members will be asked to weigh in on 36 articles at the annual fall session, including a request for $2.3 million to dismantle the controversial wind turbines at the wastewater treatment plant, which has generated quite a bit of discussion on social media. Among the articles on the warrant are a half-dozen citizen petition articles, the proposed . . . Complete story »
Price check
Falmouth continues the process of preparing its wind turbines for sale. The November 1 edition of The Enterprise included three very different estimates for the cost of dismantling the turbines—$1,250,000 for each of Falmouth’s two turbines. Then a quick Google search to confirm about the two wind farms Mr. Cool cited: about $410,000 per turbine for each of the 18 turbines at Palmer’s Creek Wind Farm and about $532,000 per turbine for each of the 134 turbines at Nobles Wind . . . Complete story »
Who’s in charge of Mass. offshore wind procurements?
The most recent offshore wind procurement exposed a major flaw in the selection process, as the state’s three utilities – and not elected officials and their staffers – were charged with making policy decisions about the direction of the Massachusetts offshore wind industry. The procurement, the state’s second, attracted three bidders – Mayflower Wind, Vineyard Wind, and Bay State Wind. All of the companies stepped up their onshore investments with this procurement, but only Mayflower Wind spelled out its general . . . Complete story »
Turbines, petition articles highlights at precinct meeting
Precinct 8 and 9 Town Meeting members addressed charter changes and the disposition of the wind turbines at their precinct meeting on Wednesday, October 30. Town Manager Julian M. Suso is seeking $2.5 million to begin disposition of Falmouth’s two Vestas 1.65-megawatt, V-82 wind turbines with 80-meter-tall towers from the wastewater treatment plant site on Blacksmith Shop Road. “This is the first step,” Mr. Suso said. “This is just dismantling and dropping the turbines down.” He said the funding request . . . Complete story »
Scituate: Noise compliance test near finalization for wind turbine
The 400 foot wind turbine, built in 2012, on Scituate’s Driftway powers half of the town’s electricity but it’s also causing nearby residents problems. Many residents have complained the noise from the turbines have caused health problems like headaches and ringing of the ears. Scituate complied and shut down the turbine during the hours of 11 PM and 6 AM and a noise compliance test is being conducted. Chair of the Board of Selectmen, Tony Vegnani, says the town hired . . . Complete story »
Understanding Article 14 is imperative
While awaiting Mr. Suso’s expanded wind project disposition report, Town Meeting members (Falmouth taxpayers) should try and gain some context to the $2.5 million appropriation request. Two Minnesota wind farms (Nobles Wind Farm and Palmer’s Creek Wind Farm), having comparably sized and dimensional turbines as Falmouth, submitted utility documents addressing decommissioning costs [internet available] to the requisite regulatory authorities. Projected in 2019 dollars, the cost is estimated at $410,000 to $532,000 per turbine (storage analysis not included). Costs were admittedly . . . Complete story »
State taps Mayflower for second offshore wind project
Gov. Charlie Baker and the state’s electric utility companies on Wednesday announced they’ve selected Mayflower Wind to provide 804 megawatts of offshore wind power from turbines built on a federal lease site approximately 20 miles due south of Nantucket. Mayflower Wind Energy LLC is jointly owned by Shell New Energies (parent company is Dutch Shell oil) and EDP Renewables North America, which builds, owns and operates wind farms and solar parks across North America, according to a press release from . . . Complete story »
Funding sought to dismantle, store Falmouth turbines
FALMOUTH – Requests to cover the cost of fending off lawsuits related to the two controversial wind turbines at the wastewater treatment plant have been regular items on annual town meeting warrants in Falmouth. A Barnstable Superior Court judge put a permanent halt to the pair’s spinning in 2017, and local officials have since been searching for ways to recover some of the town’s investment. As that discussion continues, town meeting members on Nov. 12 will be asked to tap $2.5 . . . Complete story »
