Wind Power News: Pennsylvania
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.
Wind farm developer withdraws permit requests with DEP
Broad Mountain Power LLC, the firm that wants to build a wind project on the Broad Mountain in Packer Township and Nesquehoning Borough, has withdrawn two applications it had before the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The action comes three months after the Packer Township Zoning Hearing Board on Dec. 22, by unanimous vote, denied the firm’s request for a special exception permit and also for three variances. That decision came after more than 20 hearings in the multiyear dispute. . . . Complete story »
Firefighters race to second turbine blaze in months at US wind farm
An investigation is underway after firefighters were called to a second turbine fire within a few months at a wind farm in the US state of Pennsylvania, the latest in a string of blazes reported at the project. The fire on Saturday 13 March destroyed the nacelle of a turbine at the Locust Ridge project north of Mahanoy City. The West End Fire & Rescue service, which said nobody was hurt, posted a video of the incident of crews supervising . . . Complete story »
Mahanoy Twp. windmill burns
MAHANOY CITY – Fire destroyed a section of a windmill at a Mahanoy Township wind farm Saturday morning. The fire broke out around 8:15 a.m. in the hub mechanism of windmill T7 located at the Locust Ridge Wind Farm along Route 339 just north of Mahanoy City. The windmill is located adjacent to windmill T8 where the mechanism caught fire and burned on Dec. 28. Mahanoy City Fire Chief Dan Markiewicz said windmills use oil and other petroleum products in day-to-day . . . Complete story »
Windmill catches fire at Locust Ridge Wind Farm in Schuylkill County
A windmill outside Mahanoy City was totaled after it caught fire Saturday morning. Borough firefighters responded to the windmill at the Locust Ridge Wind Farm in Union Township at 8:15 a.m. after motorists called it in to Schuylkill County dispatch, fire Chief Dan Markiewicz said. Firefighters established a safe zone and watched the blaze burn itself out, while keeping an eye out for embers that could create brush fires, Markiewicz said. But the fire “staved itself” and the scene was . . . Complete story »
Another turbine burns at Locust Ridge
MAHANOY TWP. – Chalk up another. In at least the fifth such incident, and second since December, a wind turbine at the Locust Ridge wind farm caught fire and burned this morning. Fire crews were called to the Locust Ridge 1 Wind Farm in Mahanoy Township around 8:30am as flames and smoke were seen billowing from the turbine immediately next to the one that burned in December. Firefighters from Mahanoy City’s West End and Good American responded, but could do . . . Complete story »
The energy-environment marriage can work, but not this way
Sometimes the breezes don’t blow. Sometimes the sun doesn’t shine. Sometimes the wind turbines freeze. When “sometimes” happens in Pennsylvania in 2035, if we have eliminated fossil fuels and their 750,000 jobs (75,000 in this state) from our energy diet, what will happen? Consider Texas recently, where wind and solar provide 40 percent of the energy. A deep freeze and sunless days disabled the alternative supply, reducing its capability to 8 percent. People died. Texas should have been better prepared . . . Complete story »
Destroying Mother Earth
Within five years, Democrats plan to install 500 million solar panels and 60,000 wind turbines. Has anyone done a cost/benefit analysis? Are we saving Mother Earth or destroying it? Every step in the production of solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems requires a perpetual input of fossil fuels (i.e. coal). Up to 5-6 tons of carbon dioxide is produced per ton of metallurgical grade silicon smelted. Charcoal consumption in silicon production represents the deforestation of approximately 4 million acres. Polysilicon refineries . . . Complete story »
Year in review: Wind turbine battle continues
A multiyear dispute over proposed wind turbines in Penn Forest Township continued in county and state courts in 2020. County courts dealt two setbacks to the proposed turbines on property owned by the Bethlehem Authority. The company proposing the turbines appealed the decisions to a state appeals court. In April, Judge Steven Serfass sided with two property owners who appealed the approval of Atlantic Wind’s first application for 37 turbines. In May, Serfass again sided with property owners, upholding the . . . Complete story »
Windmill on fire near Mahanoy City Monday afternoon
Fire crews are responding to a windmill on fire near Mahanoy City. Just after 2:45pm, emergency personnel from Mahanoy City and Mahanoy Township were called to the windmill farm along Brandonville Road, Mahanoy Township for a windmill on fire. The black smoke from the fire could be seen as far as Frackville with Schuylkill County 911 reporting that they received multiple calls on it. Emergency personnel are at the scene and will let the fire burn out on it’s own . . . Complete story »
Fire damages Mahanoy Township windmill
MAHANOY CITY – Fire damaged a windmill Monday afternoon in Mahanoy Township. Around 2:45 p.m., firefighters from Mahanoy City’s West End Fire and Rescue Company were called to the Locust Ridge Wind Farm along Route 339 just north of the borough. Mahanoy City Fire Chief Dan Markiewicz said the fire was in the hub mechanism in windmill “T8,” located about a mile east of the entrance to the wind farm at Route 339. The chief said windmills use oil and other . . . Complete story »
