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Wind Power News: Asia
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.
As Japan makes major investments in wind power, some residents are pushing back
About a 40-minute drive to the north from central Sapporo lies the Sea of Japan port of Ishikari, a city rich in biodiversity that now finds itself at the heart of a fierce debate over wind power as Japan scrambles to decarbonize its energy sector. In a sense, Ishikari represents the idealized version of Hokkaido for many Japanese as well as for foreign tourists: Its coastal waters are famous for their seafood, while the city’s nature trails and parks are . . . Complete story »
Mannar wind farm project: another folly like Sinharaja logging project on the horizon?
Background A wind farm consisting of 30 towers generating 100MW (Phase 1 – Thambapawani) was established on the southern coast of Mannar Island in 2020, with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The widespread criticism of this project due to its positioning within one of the main bird migratory corridors in the Asian region (detailed elsewhere in the article) was largely overlooked or ignored due to the economic priorities that prevailed at the time, as it happened with . . . Complete story »
Man falls to death from wind mill structure in Theni
Saravanakumar, son of Marimuthu of VOC Street, Jayamangalam in Periyakulam in Theni district, died when he allegedly fell from a 15-feet high wind mill structure at a place in Kandamanur police station limits on Friday. Police said that he was working in the wind mill unit for the last year and had gone to carry out some repairs in one of the structures. When he reached the top along with some electrical materials and equipment, he suddenly slipped and fell . . . Complete story »
100-ton wind turbine blades fall to pieces in Vietnam
Blades of a wind turbine totaling 100 tons fell off 140 meters and broke into pieces in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on Friday. Residents of Hoa Binh District heard a loud noise at around 5 p.m. Friday and saw wing blades at Hoa Binh Wind Power No. 5 fell to the ground. No person was injured. Authorities of the district were seen on site Saturday morning to examine the accident. The blades, each of which is 80 . . . Complete story »
Surprise discovery of wind farm project in Philippine reserve prompts alarm
Conservationists have expressed alarm over the surprise discovery that a Singapore-based company has started construction of a wind farm inside the Philippines’ Masungi Georeserve. The Masungi Karst Conservation Area (MKCA), declared a strict nature reserve and wildlife sanctuary since 1993, is home to more than 400 wildlife species. The site is located in Rizal, a province about 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of the Philippine capital, Manila. “This development entails widespread road construction and raises significant concerns for local wildlife, . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine collapse at Mekong Delta flagship farm
A wind turbine suffered a major collapse earlier this week on a flagship renewable energy project in Vietnam’s Bac Lieu province, according to local media reports. The incident occurred on the Hoa Binh 5 wind farm, operated by local developer Hacom Bac Lieu Energy in a region of coastal flatlands in the Mekong Delta, according Vietnamese news website Dan Tri. A broken tower resulted in the nacelle and blades falling crashing to the ground. The blades “broke into many sections, . . . Complete story »
Environmental group condemns drilling operations in Masungi for wind farm
The Environmental Defenders Congress (EDC) opposed the ongoing drilling operations for the construction of the Rizal-Laguna wind power project that will impact the Masungi Georeserve, a conservation area and a rustic rock garden located in Rizal. EDC Spokesperson Jean Lindo stressed the group’s opposition in a statement on Thursday. “EDC strongly condemns the ongoing drilling operations for the construction of the 102 MW Rizal-Laguna Wind Power Project, currently being undertaken by Aboitiz Renewables in a joint venture with Singapore-based Vena Energy,” . . . Complete story »
Serious environmental concerns on proposed Mannar windpower facility
Proposed 250 MW windpower facility on Mannar Island would block the most important migratory bird corridor in Sri Lanka. Mannar is one of the oldest cities in Sri Lanka dating back to the maritime Silk Road and the trade routes between India and Sri Lanka. It also has some of the most important wintering wetlands for migratory birds in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a signatory nation for the United Nations Convention of Migratory Species (CMS). Hence, we have a global . . . Complete story »
Wind farm plan in Hokkaido called threat to endangered fish
Environmental groups are demanding the suspension of a wind power plant project in Hokkaido, saying it could devastate the population of “ito” (Japanese huchen), an endangered species of salmonid freshwater fish. The Environment Ministry has also cited the need for major revisions to the project. Japan Renewable Energy Corp. (JRE), a Tokyo-based company affiliated with Eneos Corp., a major oil company, is in charge of the wind power project. JRE has indicated it is open to changes. “We are aware . . . Complete story »
Bill submitted to restrict windpower construction that interferes with defense radar
The Japanese government is set to submit a new bill to a regular diet session convening early next year to restrict the construction of wind farms as they can potentially interfere with the Self-Defense Forces’ radar systems, sources familiar with the matter said Friday. The legislation will obligate businesses to notify the government of their construction plans if those facilities are built in areas designated by the defense minister, according to the sources. In cases where the government determines that . . . Complete story »
