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 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.
County to proceed with further wind energy research
Buchanan County leaders have opted to continued proceeding with inquiries that could lead to the eventual location of a wind turbine farm. That decision follows a nearly 1 1/2-session last week with representatives of Black & Veatch, an engineering firm which the county is using as an independent consultant to assist with the research. A draft presentation of a wind energy ordinance was reviewed section-by-section last Wednesday night by Black & Veatch and county officials at the courthouse. The Buchanan . . . Complete story »
Sources: Vineyard Wind decision delayed until December 2020
Final approval for the Vineyard Wind Project will likely not happen for at least another 18 months, according to information received from multiple sources by The Public’s Radio. This means the country’s first large scale offshore wind farm won’t begin construction in time to take advantage of a lucrative federal tax credit that expires at the end of the year. The Department of the Interior will decide on whether to approve construction of the Vineyard Wind project in December 2020, . . . Complete story »
Wind farm talks to continue at Era ISD
Possible action relating to Wildcat Creek Wind Farm LLC is on the agenda for the Era Independent School District Board of Trustees on Monday, Aug. 19. Superintendent Jeremy Thompson said board members are to consider at the Monday meeting applying for a 313 agreement with Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s Office for the wind farm. According to the meeting’s agenda, if the board takes action to accept the wind farm’s application for the 313 agreement, that would allow Thompson to review . . . Complete story »
Wind, solar developers say transmission line key to achieving Tony Evers’ clean energy goal
Wind and solar energy developers and electrical workers are calling on Wisconsin regulators to approve a controversial power line that they say will be critical to meeting the governor’s clean energy goals. A joint venture of American Transmission Co., ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative, the line would run from Dubuque, Iowa, to Middleton and cost between $474 million and $560 million. Those costs would be passed on to ratepayers in 12 states, with about 15 percent falling to Wisconsin. . . . Complete story »
Gov. Tony Evers: Wisconsin will be carbon neutral by 2050
Wisconsin will be carbon neutral by 2050 under a plan unveiled Friday by Gov. Tony Evers. Evers set the goal in an executive order that also created a state office dedicated to clean energy and sustainability. The order tasks the new Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy with achieving carbon neutrality within about 30 years, which means shifting the state away from electricity generated by fossil fuels in favor of things like solar and wind power. “For far too long, . . . Complete story »
DEQ approves construction of Roundhouse Wind Energy Project
CHEYENNE – The state Department of Environmental Quality announced Thursday that the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council has granted a permit for construction of the Roundhouse Wind Energy Project nine miles west of Cheyenne. Roundhouse Renewable Energy LLC plans to build a wind energy facility with capacity to produce up to 300 megawatts of energy. The project components include up to 120 turbines, up to two substations, an operations-and-maintenance building, turbine access roads, an above and underground electrical collection system, and . . . Complete story »
Wind farm, county officials face lawsuit
Over the past several months Wildcat Creek Wind Farm LLC has been under discussion within many area governmental entities. And now, it’s facing a lawsuit. On Thursday, Aug. 15, a lawsuit was filed with the Cooke County District Clerk’s office against the wind farm, Cooke County, Cooke County Commissioners’ Court and Precinct 3 Commissioner John Klement. “We are aware of the pending legal matter and are reviewing it internally,” said Liz McCrory, communications analyst with EDP Renewables in response to . . . Complete story »
‘Tilt-fell’ wind tower removal gets new life
PRINCETON – Bureau County Board on Tuesday reconsidered last month’s vote that prevented Big Sky Wind from using the tilt/fell method for decommissioning wind turbines approved in 2006. The board had voted down an addendum to the project’s decommissioning and restoration plan last month, which would have allowed BSW DevCo LLC (the company that owns Big Sky Wind) to use tilt/fell method over the crane method during the current repowering project. Big Sky is in the process of updating its turbines . . . Complete story »
Another Voice: Wind turbine farms do not belong in Lake Erie
In April, I attended a meeting with Diamond Wind where the company presented a proposal to place 50 wind turbines in Lake Erie, from Buffalo to Dunkirk. By the end of their presentation every person in attendance was opposed to the plan. I believe if people would take the time to weigh the pros and cons of this proposal, most would come to the same conclusion that I did: Wind turbines do not belong in Lake Erie or in any . . . Complete story »
Clean energy jobs are big in Minnesota. But they often go to people from out of state
The fastest growing jobs in the country are solar panel installers and wind turbine service technicians, a fact that clean energy advocates use as evidence of a growing sector and the economic upside of transitioning away from fossil fuels. But in Minnesota, the rise of clean energy isn’t always resulting in new jobs for Minnesotans – at least when it comes to building wind projects. A report released Thursday by the Minnesota and North Dakota chapter of the Laborers’ International Union . . . Complete story »
