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.
How stakeholders evaluate the green-green dilemma — and what they think about possible solutions
The replacement of fossil and nuclear energy sources for electricity production by renewables such as wind, sun, water and biomass is a cornerstone of Germany’s energy policy. Amongst these, wind energy production is the most important component. However, energy production from wind is not necessarily ecologically sustainable. It requires relatively large spaces for installation and operation of turbines, and bats and birds die after collisions with rotors in significant numbers. For these reasons, the location and operation of wind energy . . . Complete story »
Gordonbush wind farm extension: environmental and economic downsides
The Scottish Government has recently approved increases in turbine heights – now set to reach 150 metres (490 feet) to blade tip – at the extension to the Gordonbush wind farm in the far north of Scotland, near Brora in Sutherland. The approval brings many significant public interest questions into the spotlight. The Gordonbush wind farm is notorious for its impact on wildife in the area, particularly Golden Plover. A study by the RSPB found that “numbers of the plover, . . . Complete story »
High Court: Developer loses challenge to An Board Pleanála’s decision to refuse planning permission
A company seeking to develop a wind farm in Cork has lost an application for judicial review of a decision by An Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission based on the “cumulative impact on landscape and visual amenity”. Dismissing the application, Mr Justice Garrett Simons said the case failed on the merits but that, in any event, he would have refused to set aside the Board’s decision in the exercise of the court’s discretion. Planning permission refused In July 2014, . . . Complete story »
Scotland left with ‘scraps off table’ in £2bn wind farm boom
Scotland has missed out on hundreds of millions of pounds of work in the creation of one of the country’s biggest offshore wind farms to overseas firms, the Herald can reveal. Unions are furious at what they see as “the scraps off the table” that Scotland has received in the work on the £2 billion Neart Na Gaoithe (NnG) wind farm off the Fife coast, awarded by EDF, the French state energy giant. It is understood that in a key . . . Complete story »
Council votes against plans to support wind farms
A council has voted against supporting the creation of onshore wind farms after councillors described the turbines as “noisy” and a “threat to birds”. West Norfolk Council voted against a motion, proposed by deputy leader of the Labour group Jo Rust, which would have seen the council back the Local Electricity Bill. The motion, put before a meeting of the full council at the town hall on Thursday, November 28, stated: “Councils can play a central role in creating sustainable . . . Complete story »
Developer defends decision to submit new plans for rejected wind farm
The prospective developer of a wind farm in the north-west tip of Caithness has defended its decision to submit new plans after its previous scheme was knocked back. Drum Hollistan Renewables LLP’s proposed 17-turbine venture on grazing land on Sandside Estate, near Reay was in June refused planning consent by Scottish Ministers following a public local inquiry. Yesterday, the firm’s partners Muirburn Energy held a drop-in session in the village hall to unveil rejigged plans to erect seven 4.2 megawatt . . . Complete story »
Mayo town centre shut down by huge wind turbine blades
Castlebar town centre was shut down to traffic earlier today to accommodate the transportation of gigantic wind turbines blades to a local wind farm. In a major operation coordinated by the Garda Traffic Division, the operation set out from Galway Port at 2 a.m. this morning. Involving a number of specially-designed transportation trucks, the convoy passed through a number of Mayo towns, including Ballindine, Claremorris and Balla before arriving at Breaffy Road in Castlebar shortly after 4 a.m. Accompanied by . . . Complete story »
US couple’s French chateau dream blown by wind turbine
A project to install four giant wind turbines near a village has driven a wealthy American couple away from the chateau they spent €6million restoring. Their departure has shaken the budding tourist industry of Bourg-d’Iré, in Maine-et-Loire. The chateau is now for sale and an offer to leave it to the village is unlikely to happen. Property developer millionaires David and William O’Neil saw the 17th century 100-room Château de Falloux on the edge of the village when it was . . . Complete story »
Plan to increase height of contentious wind turbine proposed on Gwent Levels
Plans have been lodged to increase the height of a proposed wind turbine on the Gwent Levels near Newport, which has already been described as the “tallest manmade structure” in the area. Newport council’s planning committee approved plans for the 130 metre tall turbine on a field off Rush Wall Lane near Redwick by a single vote in January, despite the application drawing objections from residents, councillors and environmental agencies who claimed it would adversely impact the landscape. But now . . . Complete story »
The Germans fighting wind farms close to their homes
When Rudi Frischmuth stands on his balcony, he overlooks a vast field, a forest shimmering in fall colors – and three wind turbines peeking behind a row of pine trees. The wind farm, situated about 560 meters (620 yards) from his house, has troubled him since it was built in 1998. It all started with the noise. The turbines in the small municipality of Langerwehe in western Germany are barely perceptible if they spin slowly. But when strong winds push the . . . Complete story »
