Wind Power News: General News
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.
Fires at wind farms ‘underreported over fears of reputational damage’
Industry-wide underreporting of fires at wind farms has led to poor risk mitigation and damage prevention strategies, a report from a fire suppression firm has found. Firetrace International’s report, called In the Line of Fire, looks at the threat of wind farm fires amid changes in turbine technology and the climate. It draws insights from wind industry fire experts about how manufacturers, operators and investors can respond to an evolving threat of fire. The fire specialist says that because of a . . . Complete story »
Big Oil, meet Big Green
“Supermajor” has long been the term used to describe the world’s largest oil companies. Increasingly, it is coming to define the globe’s biggest producers of wind and solar power. Large-scale renewable energy developers now boast valuations greater than the behemoths of the oil and gas industry. NextEra Energy Inc., a Florida-based power company and the world’s largest generator of wind and solar electricity, is now worth $138 billion. That’s more than the likes of Royal Dutch Shell PLC ($112 billion), . . . Complete story »
Black turbine blade ‘can cut bird deaths’
Painting one blade of a wind turbine black could cut bird strikes at wind farms by up to 70%, a study suggests. Birds colliding with the structures has long been considered to be one of the main negative impacts of onshore wind farms, the authors observed. The RSPB welcomed the research but said the priority remained avoiding placing wind farms where there was a risk to wildlife, such as birds. The findings have been published in the Ecology and Evolution . . . Complete story »
Lightning strike blade damages push Vestas into fresh quarterly loss
Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has posted another quarterly loss, due to extraordinary warranty on a “considerable number of blades”, and re-introduced a guidance for all of 2020, expecting a lower profitability than seen earlier this year. Earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) and special items plunged to €34m ($40m), from €128m in the second quarter of 2019. The decrease was driven by increased cost levels derived from warranty provisions as well as logistical challenges and supply-chain bottlenecks, amplified by . . . Complete story »
Michael Moore–produced ‘Planet of the Humans’ doc pulled from YouTube, director cries ‘censorship’
The Michael Moore–produced documentary “Planet of the Humans” was pulled from YouTube overnight due to a “copyright claim by a third party” – prompting writer-director Jeff Gibbs to denounced the removal as a “blatant act of censorship.” “It is a misuse of copyright law to shutdown a film that has opened a serious conversation about how parts of the environmental movement have gotten into bed with Wall Street and so-called ‘green capitalists,’” Gibbs said in a statement Monday. “There is absolutely . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine factories struggle for parts in virus lockdown
Wind turbine makers are finding it increasingly difficult to get parts they need to build their machines, snarling progress on a global shift toward renewables at precisely the time scientists say it needs to speed up.Manufacturers including Vestas Wind Systems and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy are wrestling with their own factory shutdowns and disruptions to suppliers after lockdowns related to the coronavirus spread worldwide. Delays at major ports, airports and border crossings have snagged deliveries of raw materials including steel . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine noise associated with worse self-reported sleep
(Reuters Health) – People who are exposed to wind turbine noise may have longer REM sleep latency and worse self-reported sleep than their counterparts who don’t have this exposure, a laboratory sleep study suggests. The study included 24 participants who lived close to wind turbines, and a reference group of 26 individuals who didn’t live near wind turbines, who spent three consecutive nights in a sleep laboratory. The first night was for habituation, then participants were randomized to a quiet . . . Complete story »
Climate change: Green energy plant threat to wilderness areas
Wind, solar and hydro power installations pose a growing threat to key conservation areas, say researchers. Researchers found that over 2,200 green energy plants have been built within the boundaries of the Earth’s remaining wilderness. They say that around 17% of renewable facilities globally are located in protected regions. A further 900 plants are now being developed in key areas of biodiversity. The amount of renewable energy facilities in use around the world has essentially tripled over the last 20 . . . Complete story »
Coronavirus disrupts renewable energy’s global supply chain
The coronavirus hasn’t just upended oil markets. The virus is also casting a shadow over renewable energy markets as solar and wind developers face an uncertain global supply chain. The uncertainty, especially if neither the Trump administration nor Congress offers policy clarity, has the industry worried about project delays, which could then prompt missed opportunities to take advantage of federal tax credits. “Renewable energy relies on a global supply chain,” said Greg Wetstone, CEO of the American Council on Renewable . . . Complete story »
Is it possible to build wildlife-friendly windfarms?
One of my fondest memories from my first visit to Prince Edward Island in Canada was driving with friends through the eastern part of the island, admiring the bucolic scenery and the mesmerising wildlife. Travelling in a car of “tree huggers”, we were pleasantly surprised at the sight of statuesque wind turbines peppered between patches of woodland. It was exciting to see this small corner of eastern Canada going “green”. At the time it didn’t occur to me that here . . . Complete story »
