Wind Power News: Press releases
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.
Offshore wind farms expected to reduce clam fishery revenue, study finds
An important East Coast shellfish industry is projected to suffer revenue losses as offshore wind energy develops along the U.S. Northeast and Mid-Atlantic coasts, according to two Rutgers studies. The studies, which appear in the ICES Journal of Marine Science (here and here), examined how offshore wind farms planned for the eastern United States could disrupt fishing of the Atlantic surfclam, a major economic driver from Virginia to Massachusetts that generates more than $30 million in direct annual revenue. Total . . . Complete story »
New offshore windfarms must do more to help protect Kittiwakes and other seabirds
Wind farm developers are being urged to factor local seabird population trends into plans to avoid contributing to species decline, says new ZSL-led study. Offshore windfarm developments could avoid adding to the plight of wild birds such as the black-legged kittiwake, by ensuring that the most recent data on local populations is considered when planning, says new study from ZSL (Zoological Society London). Research published today in Conservation Science and Practice shows that although the UK has some of the . . . Complete story »
Pollution which may result from wind farm development: EIR release
FOI reference: FOI/202200276512 Date received: 28 Jan 2022 Date responded: 24 Feb 2022 Information requested 1. When and specifically, how microplastic pollution issues will be addressed by the Scottish Government. In particular, on leading edge erosion aspects, assessment of Bisphenol A (BNA) and other pollutants found in water and water sources near industrial wind turbines in Scotland. 2. Copies of plans to measure the pollution levels of BNA and microplastics in ground water and water sources around Scottish wind power . . . Complete story »
ALCT: Reject Robbins Is Wind Farm
Media release – Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania, 1 March 2022 ROBBINS ISLAND WIND FARM SHOULD BE REJECTED ON ABORIGINAL HERITAGE GROUNDS The Robbins Island wind farm should be rejected because of its impacts on an Aboriginal Cultural Landscape and, given the Aboriginal Heritage Act (1975) is acknowledged as deficient and Government has committed to new legislation, the upcoming assessment will be a test of the current Act and its interpretation by the Minister, according to the Aboriginal Land Council . . . Complete story »
BLM issues decision on proposed wind testing facility
ST. GEORGE, Utah—The Bureau of Land Management Arizona Strip Field Office issued a decision that would allow wind testing facilities to move forward on public lands located near Yellowstone Mesa, southeast of Colorado City, Arizona, on the Arizona Strip. “This decision supports the administration’s priorities, including identifying steps to accelerate responsible development of renewable energy on public lands and waters,” said Arizona Strip Field Manager Lorraine Christian. “This project also meets the administration’s goal of supporting the rapid development of . . . Complete story »
KLA members approve policy resolutions
Members approved amendments to the property rights and wind energy resolution. The revisions support legislation to protect the property rights of landowners adjoining, but not participating in, wind farm developments; and the requirement that wind developments have financially sufficient decommissioning plans that protect the property owner at the end of the life of the infrastructure. Members also support legislation to require wind power facilities to pay local property taxes immediately. Current law exempts such facilities from paying property taxes for the first 10 years. Complete story »
Epuron Exposed?
Yesterday the Legislative Council Government Business Scrutiny Committee exposed potentially misleading conduct of wind farm developer Epuron. Epuron, a Sydney based renewables developer, is known for getting wind farm developments approved, then on-selling development approvals. Epuron has come under increasing pressure from the communities of Stanley and St Patricks Plains in the Central Highlands. These communities speak of poor community engagement and insensitive and inappropriate choice of location. They say Epuron ignores biodiversity, scenic landscapes and proximity to Stanley, as . . . Complete story »
Court says Sanford Town Board failed to support its own local law
The latest setback in the fight by residents against industrial wind turbines on the steep hills of Deposit and Windsor can be laid unequivocally at the doorstep of the Sanford Town Board. That is not our verdict but the words of the New York State Appellate Court in their decision rejecting the case brought by local campaigners. The Court said that the Town Board had failed to follow up on a law which would have forced Bluestone Wind to increase . . . Complete story »
Bureau of Land Management extends public scoping period on proposed wind energy project
SHOSHONE – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input on a commercial-scale wind energy facility that is proposed to be constructed on BLM-managed public land in southern Idaho, approximately 25 miles northeast of Twin Falls. Magic Valley Energy LLC, an affiliate of LS Power, is seeking authorization to construct the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project on 73,000 acres of public land in Jerome, Lincoln and Minidoka counties. The project has the potential to generate 1,000 megawatts of wind energy. . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine night noise
With wind generation one of the fastest-growing renewable energy sectors in the world, Flinders University experts are using machine learning and other signal processing techniques to characterize annoying noise features from wind farms. Two new publications from the ongoing Wind Farm Noise Study take another step towards improving wind turbine noise assessment methods, guidelines and wind turbine design to make wind energy more acceptable to surrounding communities. The new studies find that night-time ‘swoosh’ sound—technical referred to as ‘amplitude modulation’ . . . Complete story »
