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.
Wales accused of spoiling countryside with wind farms to spite the English
The Welsh government has been accused of spoiling the Welsh countryside with wind farms to spite the English. Cardiff is pressing ahead with onshore wind farm developments when it could explore more offshore projects because it does not want to send fees to the Crown Estate or share control of projects with the UK Government, campaigners have warned. Fay Jones, Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, criticised the Welsh government for taking a nationalist policy stance on green energy. She . . . Complete story »
Court asked to quash licence for investigating offshore site for proposed wind farm
A fisherman has asked the High Court to quash a licence allowing a renewable energy firm to investigate sites off the coast of Dublin and Wicklow in connection with a proposed €1.5 billion offshore wind farm. On Friday, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys gave permission for Ivan Toole, of Ashford, Co Wicklow, and his company Golden Venture Fishing Limited, of the same address, to bring their action against the Minister of State with responsibility for planning and local government over his . . . Complete story »
Wind farm concerns over marine wildlife
They appear like majestic matchsticks on the horizon, 10km from the shoreline on the Arklow Bank. These wind turbines are the first, and still the only, operational offshore windfarm in Ireland. Now four more projects, three off the east coast and one off the coast of Galway, have been given the go-ahead to apply for planning permission. Together, if approved, they would produce enough green energy to power a third of Ireland’s demands. The announcement brings Ireland a step closer . . . Complete story »
Four new offshore wind farms get approval from Irish government
Yesterday, the government announced the success of four out of six offshore wind farm applications to the State’s first wind auction under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme. They are Sceirde Rocks off Galway’s coast, Dublin Array, Codling Wind Park off Wicklow and the North Irish Sea Array off the coast of Dublin, Meath and Louth. Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan welcomed the “competitive” wholesale cost secured during the ORESS 1 auction – an average of €86.05per . . . Complete story »
Ryan’s much-heralded wind energy would be world’s most expensive at first auction
Last year, to great razzmatazz, Minister Eamon Ryan announced that opportunities to generate energy from Ireland’s wind was going to go to auction in 2023. Going to auction means that a route to market would be established for an energy provider – typically in relation to renewable energy which is produced or largely subsidised by the state. Potential bidders will compete against each other to provide renewable energy, with the government looking at the cost per megawatt hour proposed, and . . . Complete story »
This sounds like a problem
A new report has revealed wind farms were the biggest source of electricity in Britain for the first time in the first three months of this year, after hundreds of new turbines started turning. It is a significant milestone. But, with thousands of structures all over the country – and many more planned – is it something we should be celebrating or just a bit of spin? A review of noise caused by onshore wind turbines carried out for the . . . Complete story »
Vindkraftverk i lågor utanför Ystad – får brinna ner
[During the night hours of Thursday morning, a wind turbine outside Ystad started to burn. Three blades plummeted down. The emergency services extinguished the ground fire but let the rest of the wind turbine burn down.] Ett vindkraftverk utanför Ystad började brinna på natten mot torsdag. Tre vingar började brinna så kraftigt att de störtade ner på marken. Räddningstjänsten larmades till platsen och påbörjade släckning av markbranden nedanför vindkraftverket som vingarna hade orsakat. – Man ska absolut inte gå nära, . . . Complete story »
The wind and solar power myth has finally been exposed
Many governments in the Western world have committed to “net zero” emissions of carbon in the near future. The US and UK both say they will deliver by 2050. It’s widely believed that wind and solar power can achieve this. This belief has led the US and British governments, among others, to promote and heavily subsidise wind and solar. These plans have a single, fatal flaw: they are reliant on the pipe-dream that there is some affordable way to store . . . Complete story »
Woodland versus wind turbine: Identifying drivers of forest clearances in Switzerland
Special permission is required to clear forest in Switzerland. Until now, the system has worked well. However, plans to increase wind and solar electricity generation could increase conflicts. Around 185 hectares of forest—equivalent to 260 football pitches—are cleared in Switzerland each year. This is not due to felling or storm damage, but to create space for roads, mobile phone masts, drinking water catchment installations, gravel pits and other infrastructure. And even more forest is expected to be sacrificed as renewable . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine tower collapses at Enefit Green’s wind farm in Lithuania
No one was injured when a turbine tower collapsed on an Enefit Green wind farm under construction in Akmene, Lithuania, on Tuesday afternoon, Enefit Green said. The management board was notified of the incident at 4:26 p.m. One of the turbine towers, with a General Electric GE 158-5.X turbine, collapsed. There are no human casualties nor injuries, the company said. “Enefit Green representatives together with representatives of turbine supplier General Electric and construction company Merko Statyba will work together to . . . Complete story »
