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.
Holland wind turbine project officially over
Gov. Phil Scott vowed in his first campaign for governor to fight any new ridgeline wind projects that faced steep community pushback. Blittersdorf said he feels the commission “ran out the clock” on the project. “It became obvious that I was pounding my head against a brick wall on this, and so I had to cut my losses,” he said, estimating his losses at millions of dollars. Blittersdorf added that he ended up repurposing five wind turbines originally destined for Vermont projects to a wind farm in Massachusetts. Complete story »
Developer of Palehua Wind farm in Waianae withdraws its bid
Palehua Wind, a 46.8-megawatt wind farm proposed for Waianae on Oahu has been scrapped after four years of planning, according to Eurus Energy America, the company that was developing it. In a statement posted to the project’s website, Eurus said it had withdrawn its bid. “After dedicating four years to develop the Palehua Wind project in West Oahu, Eurus Energy America has decided to withdraw its bid,” said Eurus in its statement. “After much consideration, the risk factors associated with . . . Complete story »
Commission dismisses last wind project in Vermont
HOLLAND – State utility regulators have thrown out the application for permission to raise a single industrial-grade wind turbine on a farm field in Holland – ending the last active petition for a major wind project in Vermont. The Vermont Public Utilities Commission issued an order to dismiss with prejudice the petition by Dairy Air Wind developer David Blittersdorf. Complete story »
Berne, Knox, and Rensselaerville prohibit commercial wind turbines
After Shell WindEnergy in 2008 contacted local landowners about leasing property on the crest of the Helderbergs for fifty 380-foot wind turbines, the towns involved scrambled to put ordinances in place. At that time, New Scotland and all four Hilltowns were devoid of zoning related to wind farms. Berne, Knox, and Rensselaerville followed through with zoning laws; New Scotland did not, and Westerlo never undertook the task. Knox In 2008, Knox had zoning in place that prohibited industrial-sized wind turbines . . . Complete story »
Lack of public support kills pumped storage hydropower project planned for Grant County
The project also would have made it possible for wind power operations in the area, such as the nearby NedPower and New Creek wind farms, to send power to the Ulysses PSP when weather accommodated power generation. When winds become slack, the Ulysses project would have had the ability to discharge water from the upper reservoir through the penstock to generate power equivalent to the amount “stored” earlier by wind farms, avoiding power curtailments to customers while providing them with 100 percent renewable energy. Complete story »
County commissioners ban commercial wind energy
The Buchanan County Commission approved and adopted a recommendation from the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission to incorporate a total commercial wind energy ban Thursday. The Planning and Zoning Commission held a work session on Feb. 19 and recommended the total ban by a vote of 8-4. The commissioners stated five notes in the order. The notes are as follows: 1Not a single member of the public testified at the public hearings in favor of allowing commercial wind-energy projects within . . . Complete story »
Controversial plans for giant wind farm in the Rhinns of Kells in New Galloway scrapped
Controversial plans to build a giant wind farm in the Rhinns of Kells have been scrapped. Torrs Hill Wind Farm Ltd had lodged an outline bid for 12 turbines below the scenic mountain range. But this week parent company Fred Olsen Ltd opted to pull the plug on the project. The company said a “complex” wind resource meant the project was not feasible. Thomas Jebsen, FOL lead for the development, said: “Local opinion was taken into account in the latest . . . Complete story »
Holland hopeful Dairy Air Wind is ‘dead’
HOLLAND – The developer of a proposed single large wind turbine for a farm field in Holland has asked state regulators to dismiss the petition without any chance to resubmit it in the future. That is what the town of Holland is seeking. Holland voters raised the issue at Tuesday’s town meeting. When asked if that means the town won’t incur any more costs to fight the wind project, Holland Select Board Chairman Norm Fortin crossed his fingers. Selectman Tim Sykes . . . Complete story »
PSC rejects permit for wind farm over lighting issues
State regulators rejected a permit Wednesday for a proposed wind farm in Ward and McLean counties that faced difficulties complying with a 2017 state law requiring new technology to stop turbine-topping lights from blinking bright red all night. The Public Service Commission, in a 1-2 vote, failed to approve Southern Power’s Ruso Wind project, though commissioners left open the option of reconsidering it down the road. The company did not immediately respond to a Tribune request for comment. Wednesday’s vote . . . Complete story »
PSC rejects siting permit for the Ruso Wind Project
On a 2 to 1 vote, the North Dakota Public Service Commission failed to approve the siting application for a wind farm in Ward and McLean Counties. The issue for the proposed Ruso Wind Project was the so called “Aircraft Detection Lighting System.” It was permitted after June 6th, 2016 – and that means it would have to have a system that didn’t have the constant, blinking red lights on the turbine towers, but would turn on lights when it . . . Complete story »
