Wind Power News: Netherlands
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.
Maritime “crash barriers” to avert collisions with wind turbines
Dutch maritime research institute MARIN this week tested three innovative barriers aimed at averting collisions between ships and wind turbines. The research was prompted by the incident involving the Julietta D on 31 January this year. This drifting bulk carrier initially collided with a tanker before hitting a transformer platform and a turbine foundation for the Hollandse Kust Zuid windfarm currently under construction. A collision with an installed wind turbine carries a real risk of the turbine toppling onto the . . . Complete story »
Residents vow to fight wind turbine plan as Amsterdam presses ahead
Locals opposed to Amsterdam council’s plans to build wind turbines within the city boundaries are hoping to organise a referendum in the province, in an effort to make sure the new turbines are far enough away from housing. Currently, turbines have to be at least 600 metres away from housing in Noord-Holland, but provincial officials want to ditch the limit, and Amsterdam officials have said they want to start the development process now, before national government comes up with new . . . Complete story »
White-tailed eagle, once again tagged in the Netherlands, killed by wind turbine
In the early morning of January 31, 2022, the White-tailed Eagle flew from the sleeping tree on the edge of the Oostvaardersplassen into the nature reserve, probably to forage. After a short period of rest in the swamp, the bird left the area around 10:50 am in an easterly direction, crossed the A6 highway and navigated into the polder of Southern Flevoland. Immediately after crossing the A6, the bird ended up in a wind farm, along the Roerdomptocht between the . . . Complete story »
A lot of hot air? Controversy grows about wind turbines’ impact on health
Wind power seems like the ideal renewable energy resource for the Dutch. It is cost-effective, has a low carbon footprint, and uses a resource the Netherlands has in abundance – wind. This week, however, MPs have been hearing from experts about the impact of wind turbines on health – particularly the regular sweeping sound as the blades turn. Wind power currently accounts for over 11% of electricity production in the Netherlands and the new government plans to increase that substantially . . . Complete story »
Call for warning systems after third sea eagle killed by wind turbine
Another sea eagle which had been fitted with a GPS tracking device as part of a monitoring programme has died after being hit by the blade of a wind turbine in Flevoland, nature journal Nature Today reports. The bird was one of fifteen young sea eagles born in the Netherlands and fitted with trackers in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Two other sea eagles have also died as a result of a collision with a wind turbine, and one was hit . . . Complete story »
Opnieuw in Nederland gezenderde Zeearend omgekomen door windturbine
[Another white-tailed eagle killed by wind turbine] Nadat vorig jaar een jonge in Nederland gezenderde Zeearend stierf door een aanvaring met de rotoren van een Duitse windturbine was het deze week opnieuw raak. Op 31 januari verongelukte een in 2020 als nestjong gezenderde Zeearend uit Biddinghuizen door een aanvaring met een Nederlandse turbine in Flevoland. De zender die de vogel al die tijd droeg documenteerde het verhaal nauwkeurig. In de vroege ochtend van 31 januari 2022 vloog de Zeearend vanaf . . . Complete story »
Vessel collides with Hollandse Kust Zuid foundation
The collision of two vessels, cargo ship Julietta D and oil tanker Pechora Star, has resulted in one of the vessels being left rudderless and later striking a platform foundation at the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm off the Dutch coast. The collision occurred mid-afternoon yesterday (31st January), reportedly when Julietta D broke free from its anchor off IJmuiden and hit Pechora Star. All personnel aboard Julietta D were evacuated by helicopter. The Dutch Coast Guard was assisted by . . . Complete story »
Turbine fire at the Netherlands’ largest offshore wind farm
A year after commissioning the largest offshore wind farm in the Netherlands, and the second-largest operating offshore wind farm in the world, Ørsted is reporting that a fire damaged one of the wind turbines. The turbine malfunctioned the company reports causing the fire. A total of three turbines are now offline out of a total of 94 with the remainder of the farm continuing to operate. “No employees were present when the fire broke out and no one was injured,” . . . Complete story »
’RIVM verzweeg invloed windlobby op positieve rapporten’
[For reports on the health effects of wind turbines, The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment used studies paid or influenced by the industry, but presented them as independent.] Het RIVM heeft voor rapporten over de gezondheidseffecten van windturbines studies gebruikt waarvan de neutraliteit niet vaststaat, zo stelt onderzoek van de Universiteit Twente. Volgens wetenschapper Joris van Hoof gebruikte het RIVM door de industrie betaalde of beïnvloede studies, maar presenteerde deze als onafhankelijk. Dat maakt Binnenlands Bestuur, een . . . Complete story »
Vulture’s death by wind turbine could have been avoided, says minister
The death of the bearded vulture which was hit by the blade of a wind turbine in Wieringerwerf in May, could have been prevented if an advanced bird detection system had been in place, caretaker agriculture minister Carola Schouten has said in answer to MPs’ questions. Bearded vultures, whose wingspan can reach some three metres, are one of the largest birds in Europe and on the ‘near threatened’ list of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which means . . . Complete story »
