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Wind Power News: Editorials
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort 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.
Tri-Cities and other Eastern WA towns need control over where to put wind turbines
Considering the community outcry last year over the massive Horse Heaven Hills wind farm proposal, we imagine many Tri-Citians are upset by news that the project is a step closer to reality. The Washington state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) decided this week that Scout Clean Energy’s application to build the wind farm cleared its first hurdle and can move forward. Council members had to determine whether the application was consistent with Benton County’s land use plans at the . . . Complete story »
There’s hidden costs with renewables
Debate over Rep. Kathy Rapp’s legislation to require proper bonding and reclamation of solar and wind energy facilities last week in the state House of Representatives Environmental Resources and Energy became contentious. In his zeal to discredit Rapp, Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware, actually made Rapp’s point for her. Rapp wants to have any alternative energy agreement include a decommissioning plan and proof of financing from a banking institution to pay to remove the solar panels and turbines. The plan would . . . Complete story »
Ball Hill Wind project mistake casts doubts on feasibility of freshwater turbines
The hills of Chautauqua County were alive with the sounds of, well, blasting, late last week. Such noise was necessary because the Ball Hill Wind project in Hanover and Villenova was created on defective foundations that have to be broken up and replaced. The project is a 100-megawatt wind energy project consisting of 25 turbines now faces as much as $15 million in remedial work while serving as an object lesson for wind power advocates. Of course, the Ball Hill . . . Complete story »
State’s green energy goals come home to roost in your BPU bills
The cost of New York’s clean energy program continues to go up for Board of Public Utilities users – though the state is doing its best to make sure customers don’t know it. The cost of renewable energy credits and zero emission credits has increased from $1.6 million in 2019 to $2.6 million in 2022, a 62.5% increase. And that cost is only going to keep going up each year as the state works to reach the levels included in . . . Complete story »
Treatment of wind farm neighbours a disgrace
It’s been like watching a train wreck in slow motion from day one. From the time that the host-landowners, the authorities and the developers of the Bald Hills Wind Farm first unveiled their proposal, you could see it was going to create problems for uninvolved, neighbouring landowners. It stands to reason. The proposal trampled all over the unwritten code for farming neighbours, the time-honoured system of cooperation, co-existence and reciprocity whereby you don’t do something to them that you wouldn’t . . . Complete story »
Tribune editorial: PSC decision a victory for landowners
The North Dakota Public Service Commission sent a message this week that landowners’ rights do matter. The commission unanimously voted to order Minnesota Power to remove or relocate a wind turbine. The three-member commission gave Minnesota Power six months to complete the action. The company can either move the turbine farther away from an Oliver County home or leave it down. The Kessler family filed a complaint with the PSC last year arguing the turbine is within 1,125 feet of . . . Complete story »
Green technologies cause massive waste and pollution
Electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines result in a massive amount of waste and pollution. China is responsible for half of the total electric vehicles in the world—a number that is growing rapidly. About half of its retired batteries are not disposed in an environmentally sound way, causing significant waste and pollution problems detailed below. Batteries can be recycled but the cost is high, as it is with solar panels, which can contain hazardous materials. Most solar panels . . . Complete story »
Cuomo big-foots in the name of reducing NY’s carbon footprint
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s plans for siting renewable energy facilities, such as solar farms and windmills, are meeting righteous resistance from upstate locals. The intrusive facilities are key to the gov’s $26 billion “clean energy, clean economy” initiative, which Cuomo pretends will boost New York’s post-COVID-19 economy. The pressure is on his administration to replace the 2000 megawatts of clean energy lost when the Indian Point nuclear plant – which accounted for 30 percent of the state’s carbon-free power production – shut down . . . Complete story »
The California and Texas Greenouts
Electric grid operators in Texas and California are again urging residents to conserve power amid a sweltering heat wave to avoid blackouts. Keeping your thermostat at 78 degrees during the summer may be the green new normal. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (Ercot) warned this week that a large number of unexpected power plant outages combined with surging demand is straining the grid. Meantime, California’s Independent System Operator forecast that electricity demand might exceed supply several days this week. . . . Complete story »
Environment: Keeping watch of wind work
It’s good to know the state DEC is overseeing cleanup of a “frac-out” in Cherry Creek at the site of the Cassadaga Wind LLC wind turbine project. A “frac-out” can occur as a result of directional boring in the area that can release drilling fluids into the surface environment. A frac-out is when drilling mud is released through fractured bedrock into surrounding rock and sand and then toward the surface. We’re not sure if it’s a good thing or a . . . Complete story »
