Wind Power News: Blogs
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Massachusetts offshore wind farm forecasts incredibly low rates
A proposed wind farm off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts has indicated that it can produce electricity starting at 7.4 cents per kilowatt hour. This will purportedly save Massachusetts customers $1.4 billion dollars over 20 years and reduce monthly bills by between 0.1 percent and 1.5 percent. Whether they can fulfill that pledge is questionable, but to even attempt to do so requires huge subsidies from the government paid for by the American taxpayer. Federal tax credits and . . . Complete story »
Missouri to allow state’s third largest regulated utility to move aggressively toward wind power
The Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) has given initial approval for the state’s third-largest regulated utility, Empire District, to build a major wind farm to generate power. In a statement, the PSC said, “the Commission has granted Empire certain accounting and depreciation treatment related to the CSP (Empire’s proposal known as it’s “Customer Savings Plan”)as well as a variance from the Commission’s affiliate transaction rule.” Joplin based Empire will have to make another presentation before the commission before being granted . . . Complete story »
Wind turbines coming to R.I. classrooms this fall
NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. – New programs launched with local high schools, tech schools, and colleges and universities are aimed at riding the wave of offshore wind energy jobs expected in southern New England. The “Wind Win RI” program begins this fall with classes at North Kingston High School and Rocky Hill School in East Greenwich. Urban school districts such as Pawtucket are expected to participate this school year or next. The New England Institute of Technology and the Community College of . . . Complete story »
Renewable energy subsidies are wrong for Texas
It’s 2018, and the days of warm, evening sun setting on scenic Texas plains are gone for some rural areas like Comanche County. Folks accustomed to unencumbered views will have to look elsewhere. Now, those views are pierced by the sharp teeth of a wind turbine. Summer breezes have transformed into the cyclical swooshing—and occasionally loud creaking—of nearby machinery. Yet the summer heat remains, reminding us that Texas is facing a tight energy supply—with less reliable energy sources. Three coal . . . Complete story »
A sharp slap of reality
Maple Ridge wind farm, owned by Spanish firm Iberdrola, is still a long way from its 20th year of operation, which will arrive in 2026. However, its payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement expires in 2021. And Avangrid, owned by Iberdrola, has initiated discussions with the county and the towns harboring towers to create a new PILOT that will take over in 2021 and, presumably, carry through another 15 years – to 2036. Iberdrola, owner of Avangrid in the U.S. which owns the Maple Ridge . . . Complete story »
Deepwater Wind offers offshore information, fishermen want compensation
Deepwater Wind is trying to keep fishermen happy while it builds more offshore wind facilities. The latest effort aims to protect commercial fishing gear, but fishermen and their advocacy groups want broader protections for the fishing grounds and their livelihood. The Providence-based company recently announced a program to inform fishermen of where and when construction and other work occurs at the site of three wind facilities and their electric cables. The offshore wind developer hired liaisons to offer dockside information . . . Complete story »
In North Carolina, it’s still ‘wait and see’ for wind farm ban’s expiration
Clean energy advocates breathed a sigh of relief late last month when the North Carolina legislature adjourned without extending a ban on new wind farms set to expire Jan. 1. It’s unclear, though, whether a powerful lawmaker will yet seize on a new state study to try to cement the wind moratorium – in part because the analysis isn’t public, and just one civilian has been authorized to see its results. Sen. Majority Leader Harry Brown, who last year pushed for . . . Complete story »
Michigan’s local wind farm opposition may drive new developments to Iowa
Consumers Energy, one of Michigan’s two big regional utility monopolies, suggests in a recent report that it may focus its efforts outside the state when it comes to building more wind power developments, in part due to public opposition in the Michigan Thumb region. The idea is expressed in a June 15 planning document the the company filed with the Michigan Public Service Commission. The document also laid out the company’s plan to expand solar-powered generation capacity by 5,000 megawatts . . . Complete story »
Mojave Road experience in jeopardy
A quintessential rite of passage for Mojave explorers will no longer offer the same journey into unconfined and wild desert that generations of travelers have shared if a Sweden-based company gets its way. A document released by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under a Freedom of Information Act request indicates that towering wind turbines of the proposed Crescent Peak Wind project would be visible from a majority of the Mojave Road in the eastern Mojave desert. The Mojave Road . . . Complete story »
Wind farm nuisance matter resolved – Buy the homeowners out!
Overview Wind “farms” can present land-use conflict issues for nearby landowners by creating nuisance-related issues associated with turbine noise, eyesore from flicker effects, broken blades, ice-throws, and collapsing towers, for example. Courts have a great deal of flexibility in fashioning a remedy to deal with nuisance issues. A recent order by a public regulatory commission is an illustration of this point. Wind Farm Nuisance Litigation Nuisance litigation involving large-scale “wind farms” is in its early stages, but there have been . . . Complete story »
