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Wind Power News: Complaints
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission to provide information about industrial wind energy development to readers seeking such information. 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. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
New PPI report warns New York’s climate strategy is failing as energy costs surge
Today, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) released a new report warning that New York is entering a climate and energy cost crisis as the state falls far behind its statutory decarbonization mandates. The report, “New York’s Climate Crossroads: Assuring Affordable Energy,” finds that New York’s current energy strategy is driving up costs for families, constraining reliable supply, and jeopardizing the political viability of the state’s climate agenda. PPI produced the analysis to help lawmakers, regulators, and stakeholders chart a practical . . . Complete story »
Third renewable energy company discovers asbestos in wind farm turbine lifts
Asbestos discovered in lift brake pads at a third Australian wind farm has prompted calls for greater border scrutiny by anti-asbestos advocates. Beijing Jingeng Energy International (Australia) has become the third company to confirm the presence of asbestos in its wind turbine lift brake pads, which are supplied by Chinese company 3S Industry. It comes after revelations from Goldwind Australia and Vestas that their turbines were similarly affected. The ABC understands Chinese supplier 3S Industry provides lift brake pads to . . . Complete story »
Second company confirms asbestos present in imported lift brake pads at wind farm
A second company has confirmed the presence of white asbestos in wind turbine lift brake pads imported from Chinese company 3S Industry. International renewable energy company Vestas, which has 44 wind farms across the country, recorded a positive test for asbestos in brake pads at its Golden Plains wind farm in regional Victoria, about 130 kilometres west of Melbourne. It was previously revealed energy company Goldwind Australia, responsible for about 5 per cent of the country’s renewable energy, had found . . . Complete story »
Asbestos found in wind farm lift brake pads prompts safety response
The discovery of asbestos-ridden lift brake pads has sparked an urgent safety response at wind farms across the country. WorkSafe Victoria and renewable energy company Goldwind Australia, a subsidiary of Chinese firm Goldwind Science and Technology Co. Ltd, said white asbestos was found in brake pads used in wind turbine lifts at its facilities. The brake pads were supplied by 3S Industry, a major Chinese-based supplier to Australia. 3S Industry is one of a few brake pad suppliers to Australia, . . . Complete story »
Bank rejects another tree-changer mortgage, citing wind farm caveat over property
Banking and insurance giant Suncorp has become embroiled in another controversy around mortgages for wind farm-related properties, with news that it has refused to lend to property owned by a new neighbour of the Moorabool wind farm in Victoria. Two years ago, Nicole Fagan and her husband were surprised and frustrated when the bank refused to lend against their rural NSW property, citing a caveat connected to the Iberdrola’s Flyers Creek wind project. A caveat is a legal notice that . . . Complete story »
A well of frustration
Christine Burke says the Ford government has reneged on its promise to test the sediment in North Kent’s fouled water wells. Her comments came following a recent letter from the Ministry of Health, asking residents in North Kent to test their wells for E. coli and coliforms. A resident who received the letter passed it on to Burke. But it looks like the government isn’t looking to test the bio-accessibility of sediment found in the aquifer’s black shale – something . . . Complete story »
Swellendam illegally providing town’s potable water to windpower facility, say residents
The Swellendam municipality in the Western Cape, where the biggest wind farm in South Africa is being built, appears to be deceiving both town residents and the project developers about the source of the water it is supplying for the R13bn facility. The municipality says it is providing non-potable water to Power Construction, the company that is erecting the 63 wind turbines and associated infrastructure for renewable energy company Red Rocket. But evidence unearthed by concerned Swellendam residents, and a . . . Complete story »
Four people awarded €300,000 for wind farm nuisance in landmark case
Four people who took High Court actions against a wind farm operator have been awarded a combined sum of more than €300,000 in damages arising from nuisance caused by the wind farm. In a significant judgment delivered last year, Ms Justice Emily Egan held that noise levels from the two-turbine Ballyduff Wind Farm at Kilcomb, near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, amounted to an “unreasonable interference” with the enjoyment of two properties. The challenges, taken against Meenacloghspar (Wind) Limited, of Stillorgan Road, . . . Complete story »
Four people awarded over €300k in total for damages arising from wind farm nuisance
Four people who took High Court actions against a wind farm operator have been awarded a combined sum of over €300,000 in damages arising from nuisance caused by the wind farm. Ms Justice Emily Egan held that noise levels from the two-turbine Ballyduff Windfarm at Kilcomb, near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, amounted to an “unreasonable interference” with the enjoyment of two properties. The challenges, taken against Meenacloghspar (Wind) Limited, of Stillorgan Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, were the first private nuisance claims . . . Complete story »
Homeowners who sued over Wexford wind farm noise awarded six-figure damages
Four people who took High Court actions against a wind farm operator have been awarded a combined sum of over €300,000 in damages arising from nuisance caused by the farm. In a significant judgment delivered last year, Ms Justice Emily Egan held that noise levels from the two-turbine Ballyduff Windfarm at Kilcomb, near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, amounted to an “unreasonable interference” with the enjoyment of two properties. The challenges, taken against Meenacloghspar (Wind) Limited, of Stillorgan Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, . . . Complete story »
