Wind Watch: 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 and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Toluca-area wind farm project resurfaces
LACON – An effort to resurrect a wind farm project that has lain dormant for several years has surfaced in the southeast corner of Marshall County. Minonk Stewardship Wind LLC narrowly won tentative approval from the Marshall County Zoning Board of Appeals last week for a preliminary step toward constructing up to 40 wind turbines on farmland in Bennington Township southeast of Toluca. The ZBA voted 3-2 Thursday to recommend granting a special use permit for a new 198-foot meteorological tower . . . Complete story »
Wind group buying ads in support of 15 candidates
An advocacy group for the wind industry reported spending $178,693 in support of state legislative candidates. Most of the 15 candidates are on primary election ballots Tuesday. American Wind Action (AWA) spent the money June 14 on radio and digital ads independent of the candidates’ efforts, its expense report shows. The majority of the money went to help state representatives and senators who have been supportive of the wind industry. The rest went to help candidates running for open seats. . . . Complete story »
Homeowners prepare to battle wind park proposal in Branch County
Homeowners in Branch County are fighting back against a group looking to build a giant wind park near their homes. DTE Energy has secured lease agreements with landowners for more than 30,000 acres of land in the county as of Thursday night, according to DTE Energy spokesperson Cindy Hecht. Dozens of people against the plans packed the St. Mary’s School gym in Bronson. They voiced concerns to the Matteson Township Planning Commission. “These things are huge,” Jennifer Milligan, a Branch . . . Complete story »
Wind-power system off Fukushima performs poorly: sources
Japan’s largest offshore wind-power generation facility, located off Fukushima Prefecture, hardly ever reaches its output capacity of 7,000 kilowatts, sources have said. The turbine operates in an experimental offshore power-generation project run by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry that was launched in fiscal 2011, soon after the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in the prefecture. The ministry plans to continue the project until the end of fiscal . . . Complete story »
Gone with the wind
June 15, this paper published a letter to the editor from Katherine Meyers. I am taking this opportunity to correct some misconceptions in her letter. The first is that Ms. Meyers wrote that “no one … in Seneca County has a guarantee there couldn’t be a hog or cattle barn” or another noxious thing “built near them.” I have a guarantee, as do others living where I do. The second is that Ms. Meyers repeatedly refers to windmills. That picture . . . Complete story »
Don’t ignore facts
Why are the facts about wind turbines being ignored? Fact: They are being put up by a Canadian company. The money to put them up is coming from the taxpayer. The rush to get many of them up as soon as they can is so they can get the production tax credit from the federal government which is our tax dollar. Fact: Wind turbines are not efficient; studies say 40 percent at best. Fact: Ohio has poor wind compared to . . . Complete story »
Too close for comfort
How many of you who are in favor of the wind turbines are slated to be living close to one? And by close, I am talking within a quarter mile, or even less, because that is what is being proposed for many people living in this area. There are people from all over the world complaining about these things being placed too close to their homes. Do you really think they are all lying? Why would our elected officials decide . . . Complete story »
Sheppard AFB, SMAC team to halt wind farms in one North Texas area
Sheppard Air Force Base and the military community is celebrating a win this week as a wind farm company decides to not build near the base. The base announced that Innergex, a renewable energy company, was considering building wind farms near Byers and Bluegrove. After information campaigns from the base and Sheppard Military Affairs Committee (SMAC) about how the developments would negatively impact Sheppard’s training routes, the company removing themselves from the permitting process – meaning their interest in the . . . Complete story »
Niagara County aids Somerset with legal fees in wind power fight
The Town of Somerset has incurred more than $260,000 in legal fees since 2015 in fighting a proposed wind power project, and the Niagara County Legislature voted Tuesday to help. The county will give Somerset $15,000 to help with the cost of trying to stop the Lighthouse Wind project, which would bring as many as 70 turbines, each up to 620 feet tall, to Somerset and neighboring Yates. “It’s been a substantial burden on the town,” Supervisor Daniel M. Engert . . . Complete story »
Madison County wind regulations still up in the air
Members of the Madison County Joint Planning Commission have been given some homework – Study the county’s proposed wind energy regulations and visit a wind farm. While it appeared Thursday evening that many members already had done so, commissioners were reminded that they probably could never read and review all of the information available pertinent to the proposed regulations. On April 3, the Madison County commissioners voted to establish a six-month moratorium on accepting wind farm applications to allow time to . . . Complete story »
