Wind Power News: Europe
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.
Une éolienne en feu au parc de la Bouleste, à Flavin
[translate article to English] L’alerte a été donnée ce mardi 24 mars peu avant 10 heures par un agriculteur riverain des lieux du sinistre. Neuf pompiers et plusieurs gendarmes dépêchés, un impressionnant panache de fumée, visible à plusieurs kilomètres… et un risque de chute de la génératrice, en proie aux flammes. La situation était tendue, ce mardi matin, aux abords du parc éolien de la Bouleste, à Flavin, où l’une des cinq éoliennes du site a pris feu peu avant 10 . . . Complete story »
Greece goaded to keep wind farms away from environmental areas
As the number of wind farms using giant turbines has spread across Greece, environmental analysts want the New Democracy government not to allow more in areas considered environmentally-friendly. Experts urged authorities to suspend the development of new wind parks on Natura-protected sites, arguing that planned facilities in areas that could suffer environmental damage should be exempted, said Kathimerini. A study by the University of Ioannina found wind farms already cover nearly half the target for 7,050 megawatts (MW) of wind . . . Complete story »
Decision on world’s biggest wind farm off Norfolk coast hit by coronavirus
A decision on whether to build the world’s biggest wind farm off the east Norfolk coast has been hit by coronavirus. Swedish energy firm Vattenfall wants to build a wind farm called Boreas 70km out to sea. It would come ashore at Happisburgh and has sparked opposition because a cable trench, 60km long would need to be dug across Norfolk from Happisburgh to Necton to connect it to the National Grid. At Necton new substations would be built, causing further . . . Complete story »
‘I would fight on’: Anger as council ends turbines legal battle
A council has ended its legal battle against plans to build two controversial wind turbines near the north Norfolk coast. The proposals for the turbines between Sheringham and Holt were given the go-ahead last month by the Planning Inspectorate after years of battles between developers, residents and North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), which tried to have them stopped. But the council said it would no longer continue its legal battle against the plans, which will see a 66m turbine built . . . Complete story »
Keltbray demolishes huge wind turbine with explosives
Keltbray has demolished a giant wind turbine at Hunterston in Ayrshire. Along with Controlled Demolition Inc (CDI), the firm blew up the 177m turbine in a controlled explosion (see 1.05 in video). The turbine had been used as a rest site for offshore wind farms before being decommissioned. While one turbine was dismantled by crane in 2018, client SSE Renewables said there was no safe method of using a crane for the second turbine. The National Offshore Wind Turbine Test . . . Complete story »
Energy bill hikes to pay for £69m Scots wind farm compensation
Households are facing a huge hike in their energy bills after a record surge in subsidy payments to switch off Scottish wind farm turbines partly caused by them producing too much power, an analysis has found. In the two months of this year, £69 million was paid out in constraint payments, according to research by the Renewable Energy Foundation which described it as an “extreme spike”. This is four times greater than the previous most expensive January-February period on record, . . . Complete story »
Rural householders want farmers to reject offers from wind-farm company
A number of families have appealed to landowners in the Mountmellick area to reconsider their decision to allow wind energy company Statkraft to erect turbines on their land. Those behind the Mountmellick Wind Turbine Impact Group, as well as individuals living in the Dernacart, Upper Forest, Lower Forest and Mountmellick areas, took the unusual step of appealing to the landowners to ‘reconsider your decision to provide access to land for the erection of industrial wind turbines in our community’. Below . . . Complete story »
Merkel–states wind power crisis talk cancelled on Coronavirus precedence
The renewables industry is demanding Chancellor Angela Merkel ends an impasse over a damaging planned distance rule for onshore wind and a cap on support for solar power. Both issues were supposed to be tacked at a meeting today with the premiers of Germany’s 16 states, but energy issues were adjourned due to pressing discussions on the Coronavirus. Also, Bavarian state premier Markus Söder on before the meeting had said there still was a “considerable need for discussion” on contentious . . . Complete story »
Controversial plans for giant wind farm in the Rhinns of Kells in New Galloway scrapped
Controversial plans to build a giant wind farm in the Rhinns of Kells have been scrapped. Torrs Hill Wind Farm Ltd had lodged an outline bid for 12 turbines below the scenic mountain range. But this week parent company Fred Olsen Ltd opted to pull the plug on the project. The company said a “complex” wind resource meant the project was not feasible. Thomas Jebsen, FOL lead for the development, said: “Local opinion was taken into account in the latest . . . Complete story »
Towering turbines to be placed near Denbigh ‘add insult to injury’, says AM
An assembly member says plans to raise wind turbines in an area of outstanding natural beauty by a further 70 feet “add insult to injury”. The developer of the controversial wind farm site, at Pant y Maen, Nantglyn, on land adjacent to Llyn Bran, Bylchau, Denbigh, wants to increase the height of its turbines via a planning amendment. The application would affect the development of seven turbines planned for Pant Y Maen Wind Turbines Ltd, based in Oxfordshire. It would . . . Complete story »
