Wind Power News: Victories
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.
Wind-farm developer ‘moving on to more receptive pastures’
PAXTON – The restrictiveness of proposed new regulations for wind farms in Ford County has led to at least one wind-farm developer pulling its project from the county and looking to build elsewhere, according to Randy Ferguson, chairman of the county board’s zoning committee. Houston-based Pattern Energy Group, developer of the proposed Heritage Prairie Wind Farm in the Roberts and Piper City area, recently removed its two wind-measuring towers from the project area, Ferguson said. “They moved them to a more . . . Complete story »
County reaches settlement in lawsuit; Wind developer plans to build solar park instead
Montgomery County has reached a settlement with Sugar Creek Wind LLC in a federal lawsuit involving allegations that the county tried to kill a wind farm project years after agreements were signed with the developers. In an agreement the Board of Commissioners approved Monday, the case will be dismissed and the company will pay the county $15,000 “as partial reimbursement” for attorneys’ fees. “The commissioners fought long and hard to defend the interests of citizens who overwhelmingly opposed wind energy . . . Complete story »
Locals rejoice as council rejects Granard wind turbine plan
A decision by local authority planning officials to turn down attempts to erect an industrial wind turbine in north Longford has been greeted with relief locally. The Leader revealed last Wednesday how Longford County Council had rejected plans by Granard based firm Kiernan Milling for the proposed construction of a 169 metre high turbine at Granardkill, just off the main Ballinalee Road. Details of the application were met with strong opposition from nearby residents and saw several objections being lodged . . . Complete story »
Tower removal confirms demise of Somerset wind project, supervisor says
Apex Clean Energy last week removed its last meteorological tower on Lower Lake Road in Somerset, which Supervisor Jeffrey M. Dewart said is further evidence that the Lighthouse Wind project is dead. In a news release Wednesday, Dewart urged the company to make it official by removing the project from the state’s approval process. An Apex spokesman said the project is still in development. Dewart’s predecessor, Daniel M. Engert, declared in April 2019 that the project was dead after Apex . . . Complete story »
Residents’ group relieved permission declined for Granard wind turbine
The decision by Longford County Council to refuse planning permission to the proposed Kiernan Milling Industrial Wind Turbine in the Granard area has been welcomed by a local residents’ group. The local authority planning department received over 30 submissions on the application during the planning process. The proposed site of the 169m industrial wind turbine was in close proximity to a flagship tourism development for the town. A spokesperson for Granardkille Local Residents Group welcomed the decision: “We would like . . . Complete story »
Invenergy abandons wind turbine plan in Barry County
Invenergy, the renewable energy company exploring a wind turbine project in northern Barry County, has opted against pursuing further development. “Invenergy has decided to change course in Barry County,” said Meredith Jeffrey, manager of renewable development for Invenergy, in a statement to The Times. The Monett Times first revealed the company’s plans in April 2019. For nearly three years, the Chicago-based firm has pursued land lease contracts exploring the potential for building approximately 100 wind turbines between Cassville and Monett. . . . Complete story »
Environment minister rejects Queensland wind farm project to save old-growth forest
The environment minister, Sussan Ley, has rejected a $100m wind farm proposal in central Queensland on the grounds it would clear old-growth forest important to vulnerable and threatened species, including the koala and greater glider. Ley ruled the Lotus Creek wind farm, nearly 200km north-west of Rockhampton, was “clearly unacceptable” under national environment laws, in part because the site was home to species that were badly affected in other parts of the country during last summer’s catastrophic bushfires. The Australian . . . Complete story »
Atlantic Wind’s turbine appeal denied
Carbon County Court of Common Pleas Judge Steven R. Serfass has denied a land use appeal filed by Atlantic Wind LLC and the Bethlehem Authority, seeking to erect a wind turbine project in Penn Forest Township. This was the second of two proposed wind turbine projects to be decided before the court. In April, Serfass granted the appeal of two Penn Forest Township property owners who sought to stop the construction of 37 525-foot-tall wind turbines in the township. The second . . . Complete story »
Application to extend Thanet Offshore Wind Farm rejected
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, has rejected a Development Consent Order application submitted by Vattenfall to extend the Thanet Offshore Wind Farm. The decision, which had been due yesterday (June 1) has now been announced. The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) accepted the proposed project for examination in 2018 following 18-months of consultation with residents and businesses by Vattenfall. The Examining Authority issued a Recommendation Report to the Secretary of State on September 11, 2019. . . . Complete story »
Case Dismissed: Wind farm drops judicial review request
With little fanfare, Big Blue River Wind Farm LLC has agreed to dismiss its case against the Henry County Board of Zoning Appeals. The wind farm company had asked a local judge to review the BZA’s November vote to uphold a decision by the Henry County Planning Commission to deny Big Blue River Wind Farm’s permit request. The original commission approved use (CAU) request was to build 38 turbines in northwestern Henry County. The planning commission was locked in a . . . Complete story »
