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.
Bid for wind farm on Borders boundary faces opposition from council planning committee
A proposed wind farm which would incorporate the tallest turbines ever seen in the Borders faces official council opposition. Cheshire-based Community Wind Power Ltd want to build a 45-turbine wind farm at Faw Side, six miles north of Langholm and 15 miles south-west of Hawick. The company says the scheme, capable of generating 315mw of green electricity, would bring investment of £256m into the region. But members of the council’s planning and building standards committee today, Monday, March 1, followed . . . Complete story »
Faw Side wind farm opposed by Scottish Borders Council
Councillors in the Borders have agreed to oppose plans for a 45-turbine wind farm stretching from their region into Dumfries and Galloway. Community Windpower says its Faw Side scheme near Langholm could meet the energy needs of 325,000 homes. Scottish Borders Council’s planning committee was told a “gateway into Scotland” was not the right place to site the project. It agreed to object but the final say will lie with the Scottish government. Planning officials had recommended that the council . . . Complete story »
Large renewable energy plant mooted for Dorset Council land
More than 12,000 comments were submitted by businesses and residents as part of the consultation on Dorset Council’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy. This strategy, the council’s blueprint for becoming a carbon neutral authority by 2040, explores a number of topics including the construction of a large scale renewable energy installation on council-owned land. The document, part of a public consultation which ended earlier this year, will help form Dorset Council’s decisions and policies for years to come, civic officials . . . Complete story »
Waterford residents push back against the breeze as windfarms loom ahead
One fine day last August Paddy Massey, his wife Annabelle and their three children made it to the summit of the Galtymore. Blue skies afforded them a panoramic view of south Munster, stretching across four counties, including the competing peak of Carrauntoohil, Co Kerry. And down towards the Lee Valley in West Cork, Paddy could even make out the white lines of rows of wind turbines. “They have them up all over the place down there, but we don’t want . . . Complete story »
Wind farms cause environmental carnage says Laois campaigner
I wish to highlight a major flaw in our Government’s plan to decarbonise by using primarily wind energy. Electricity comprises approximately 20% of the energy we use. The other 80% is used for transport, heating, industrial purposes and so on. Even if wind was to achieve the goal of 70% penetration by 2030 this would be 70% of that 20% which is 14% of our overall energy. Allowing for gas powered back up generation, inefficiency in balancing a very unstable . . . Complete story »
Plans revealed for 140-turbine wind farm off east coast
Plans for the country’s biggest offshore wind farm go on display today as part of a first phase of public consultation on the project. The Codling Wind Park proposed for off the Co Wicklow coast could generate up to 1,500 megawatts of electricity – enough to power 1.2 million homes. As currently designed, it would comprise 140 of the largest wind turbines in the world, reaching up to 320m high. These would be spaced out along a 16km stretch of . . . Complete story »
Tracked sea eagle dies in fatal collision with wind turbine
A sea eagle that was tagged in De Biesbosch in Zuid-Holland did not survive a collision with the rotor of a wind turbine in Germany. In 2019, the bird, together with ten others, was given a tag to track their behavior and learn more about the areas where sea eagles go and how they survive. The dead sea eagle is the first death in this group, nature website Nature Today reports on Sunday. According to a report on sea eagles . . . Complete story »
Planning permission lodged for windfarm near Baltinglass
The planning application for a wind farm on Kilranelagh Hill near Baltinglass has been lodged to Wicklow County Council. Green energy company ABO Wind lodged the application to erect five wind turbines with a blade top height of 165 metres, transformers, an electrical substation and all other works associated with such a wind farm, including linking the proposed substation with an existing one. The application was lodged by the company on 27 January and has been validated by Wicklow County . . . Complete story »
MP Coffey speaks of ‘devastating impact’ of windfarm on Suffolk beauty spots
A Suffolk MP says a single ‘connection point’ for new power projects off the county’s coast would avoid “spaghetti-like cabling” wrecking some of its most beautiful areas. Therese Coffey says proposals for a huge 30-acre electricity substation at Friston and the associated cabling corridor from Thorpeness for two new windfarms, if approved, would have a “devastating impact” on the area including elements of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Campaigners says 9km trenches at 60 metres wide would be gouged . . . Complete story »
Energy firms aiming to increase turbine size at Limekiln wind farm
A bid is being made to increase the size of turbines planned for Limekiln wind farm near Reay. The developers, energy firms Infinergy and Boralex, already have consent for 21 turbines and have applied for an extension of five more. Now they want to increase the tip heights of the 21-turbine scheme to align with the proposed extension – which would mean turbines of up to 149.9m across the site as a whole. At the same time, they have come . . . Complete story »
