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Wind Watch: Industrial Wind Energy News
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These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission 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. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
Ocean City lawsuit to block offshore wind farm clears hurdle
Ocean City’s lawsuit seeking to block an offshore wind farm cleared a procedural hurdle last week, as a federal judge declined to dismiss most of the plaintiffs’ claims. Ocean City and nearly three dozen co-defendants sued the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in October after BOEM gave final approval for US Wind to build more than 100 turbines off the coast of Maryland and Delaware. The plaintiffs – which also include Worcester County; Fenwick . . . Complete story »
Four wind turbines forced open and copper cable worth ‘tens of thousands’ stolen
An investigation has been launched after four wind turbines were forced open and copper cables stolen in Aberdeenshire. Wind farms in Laurencekirk and Stonehaven were broken into between July 3 and 4. Tullo Wind Farm in Easter Tulloch was targeted between 11am and 4am and three wind turbines were forced open and robbed of copper. Between 4pm and 8am on the same dates, a turbine at Meikle Carewe Wind Farm in Stonehaven was broken into. The value of copper stolen . . . Complete story »
Proposed wind farm in Lincoln raises local concerns
The proposal for a wind farm 5 miles north of Lincoln is in the very early stages of study and is years away if it happens at all, the development manager for the proposal said Thursday. “We can’t do this without local support, and wouldn’t do it without that,” said Madalyn Farquhar, development manager for RES, a global energy company with U.S. operations based in Denver. The company is talking with local landowners to see if enough support exists to . . . Complete story »
Glyndebourne abandons show after wind turbine fails to keep lights on
“While in the windier winter months it generates an excess to our needs, daily supply does not meet demand at the height of summer.” Complete story »
Worker dies at central Queensland wind farm
A worker has died on a central Queensland wind farm after an incident on Wednesday, halting operations as investigations are launched. Police were called about 11.35am to the Clarke Creek Wind Farm site in Mount Gardiner, about 120km north-west of Rockhampton, to find a 27-year-old had died at the worksite. Officers deemed the death non-suspicious, but assisted Workplace Health and Safety Queensland in launching an investigation into the incident. Renewable energy giant Squadron Energy – which owns the 87-turbine wind . . . Complete story »
Massive wind turbine blade jumps median, blocks traffic on I-70 in Washington County
Traffic along Interstate 70 was backed up for several miles after a wind turbine blade on the back of a tractor-trailer fell across the highway Monday morning. The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) said around 5:30 a.m., a tractor trailer heading westbound near I-70 and I-81 “was pulling a wind turbine blade that struck the guardrail, that caused the blade to go partially into the eastbound lanes, when the blade was then clipped by a tractor . . . Complete story »
Tweedsmuir: Scottish Borders Council objects to wind farm plan
Scottish Borders councillors in Monday, June 26, unanimously agreed to object to a new wind farm which would lead to turbines “towering over” villagers. Oliver Forest Wind Farm is earmarked for land north of Menzion Farm at Tweedsmuir. The application for the project, known as a Section 36 application, has been submitted to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit. The proposal submitted consists of seven turbines up to 200m to blade tip height. To maximise the use of green energy . . . Complete story »
Rural Columbus residents organize to battle Alliant Energy Wind Farm project
Columbus residents are calling for the town board to tighten restrictions on wind turbines, in light of a sizeable wind farm Alliant Energy is proposing for 48,000 acres in the southeast corner of the county. A special meeting was held in the town of Columbus on Wednesday at the request of residents who want address concerns over a planned Alliant Energy Wind Farm project. The purpose of the meeting was to set up a date to discuss a petition to . . . Complete story »
Skye windfarm inquiry reveals almost ‘no long-term jobs’
“We found out that there’s only 1.4 jobs involved once the farm is finished construction.” An inquiry into an onshore windfarm on Skye revealed “no specific commitment to community benefit”, almost “no long-term jobs” and “a lack of oversight” from government, said a campaigner who attended the hearings. Over the past week, the Scottish Government’s reporter has held a local inquiry on Skye into an application for the extension of the Ben Aketil windfarm which would see twelve 120m turbines . . . Complete story »
County extends wind energy moratorium
The Clinton County Board of Supervisors on Monday again extended a moratorium that wind energy proponents say has effectively frozen development. Despite saying they want the year-long zoning ordinance revision process to end as soon as possible, Supervisors Erin George and Jim Irwin voted to add three more months to the moratorium on zoning change requests for utility-scale wind energy installations, with the option for three more. “I am committed to getting this done prior to that,” George said. “Absolutely,” . . . Complete story »