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.
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 »
Fleet of over 50 fishing boats take to the Ijsselmeer in protest of wind farms
Fishers from Urk and Harderwijk took the Ijsselmeer on Saturday to demonstrate against the wind farms near the enclosing dike. The wind farms take away space to catch eel and scale fish, the fishers said. “People need to understand that a wind farm is not the remedy for everything”, leader of the protest Anja Keuter said to De Stentor. Currently, there are 89 wind turbines in the water near Breezanddijk where the protest was held on Saturday. “So many areas . . . Complete story »
Construction of 25 wind parks uncertain after ruling
A recent ruling by the Council of State about a wind farm in Delfzijl will have consequences for at least 25 other wind farm projects, newspaper Trouw reports. The Council of State ruled that construction on the Delfzijl wind farm could not start because there was no assessment on the environmental consequences of the project, such as noise pollution and the creation of cast shadows. Such an assessment is mandatory under European rules, the Council of State ruled. At least . . . Complete story »
Wind farm projects face delays after court orders more environmental research
The construction of a number of wind farms in the Netherlands will be delayed following a Council of State ruling which ordered more research into the environmental impact of a project in Groningen. Junior environment minister Dilan Yesilgöz has told MPs in a briefing that 20 to 25 projects currently still at the planning stage could be delayed by the ruling. Together, they will produce enough electricity for 500,000 homes, the minister said. The Council of State, which is the . . . Complete story »
