Industrial Wind Energy 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 are the products of the organizations or individuals noted.
Democracy from the ground up; Fighting city hall is always an uphill battle, but grassroots movements are still possible
Something happens — a company wants to extract aggregate next to an asparagus farm, a mother of two is killed on a section of highway known for deer crossing, a community realizes it needs a new fire hall — and there is reaction. “I should write a letter,” someone might say. “I should call the newspaper,” says someone else. “This needs to be addressed for the sake of our community,” neighbours decide. “What can we do?”
Most of us barely muster . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Wind farm plan stirs up concerns; Proposed Amherst Island project could near size of Wolfe Island facility
The wind farm proposed for Amherst Island could approach the size of one of the largest such facilities in Canada, now under construction on Wolfe Island.
Kingston-based Gaia Power Inc. is developing the Amherst Island wind-power project, called Windlectric, in conjunction with Oakville-based Algonquin Power Management Inc.
The project is expected to produce a maximum of 200 megawatts, or enough to power roughly 75,000 homes.
The Wolfe Island project, slated for 198 megawatts, includes 86 turbines. . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Wind opponents file lawsuit
Opponents of a proposed wind farm southwest of Hays filed a lawsuit in Ellis County District Court on Tuesday seeking to reverse the decision to issue a conditional-use permit.
The lawsuit did not, however, ask for any type of restraining order.
The case was filed by Wichita attorney Patrick Hughes on behalf of 44 plaintiffs — a virtual who’s who of residents living in the area surrounding the proposed wind farm — against the Ellis County Commission. . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Opposition slams Great Ocean Road turbine farm
The State Opposition has slammed the State Government for allowing a 15-turbine wind farm on the “doorstep” of the Twelve Apostles.
Opposition planning spokesman Matthew Guy said yesterday the Liberal Nationals Coalition would protect the state’s greatest natural assets from wind farms.
“The State Government’s emphatic promise to defend our iconic natural assets from wind facilities is in tatters with the revelation that Acciona Energy has been allowed to build a $50 million 15-turbine wind farm on the . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Wind power surge challenges grid operator
Can there be too much of a good thing when it comes to wind power? The Bonneville Power Administration is confronting that question this summer. The regional grid operator has a pile of new connection requests from wind farm developers. There wouldn’t be much of a story if you could schedule the wind minute–by–minute. But correspondent Tom Banse reports a fickle energy source like this makes life in the control room more interesting.
WHEN YOU FLIP A LIGHT SWITCH, . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Wind farms and landslides
Landslides like that at Maghanknockane, Co Kerry will happen again and again unless local authorities and An Bord Pleanála appreciate the process by which wind farm construction can cause such damage.
The boglands on the hills take thousands of years to form and once they slide away they are irreplaceable. What happens is as follows:
1. The bogs on the hills are formed by rotting heather over thousands of years, but they are finely held together by the . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Cheeky to mention us in their newsletter
Your article in the Evening Mail last week (August 20) highlights the anger of local councillors at being used by the wind farm company Infinergy to suggest they are supportive of their plans for turbine development in Furness.
The company distributed a newsletter to local residents which included statements which are untrue and misleading.
Other parish councils mentioned in the newsletter have now written to Infinergy about the inaccurate contents of the newsletter.
I am writing on . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Bats hang out at wind farms?
Ground-breaking research is underway across Western Canada into how wind turbines affect migratory bats, and how to save the furry mammals from being hurt as they fly around the Prairies.
This week, a University of Calgary research team revealed that many dead bats found at a wind farm in Pincher Creek, Alta., had severe internal injuries consistent with a sudden drop in air pressure near wind turbine blades.
One of the authors of the study said the bats, which usually fly . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Cottage country studies wind power
Madawaska Valley Councillors will go on “a tour” to investigate how wind turbine operations affect communities.
A controversy is flaring in the area over proposals to erect several wind turbine farms. One of the proposals would see six of the massive turbines built in the hills outside Wilno, Ont. and it has spawned a well-organized opposition movement called SOS, or Save Our Skyline.
Mayor John Hildebrandt, who has spoken in support of wind power, said the tour would likely take place in . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
Wind plan another green boondoggle
Those who think T. Boone Pickens’ energy plan (substitute wind electricity for natural gas electricity and natural gas for gasoline) is the holy grail for kissing off domestic drilling or consuming coal and oil, should think again.
Natural gas replenishment still requires drilling, frequently in oil rich terrain, such as off shore and Alaska.
Wind fluctuates. Power grids require a tight match between power demand and supply to avoid disastrous blackouts. As wind power contributions increase so do . . .
Complete story (plus email and print links) »
