Electrical energy from Wind. 94 WindPower 2010-09-02T21:02:49 Ecologick Allysound barry.david.adams@googlemail.com National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:42:58

EASTBROOK, Maine — As town officials work on language for an ordinance that would regulate how wind farms can be built and operated, First Wind is considering heading east to Township 16 to get its proposed project under way. David Fowler, senior land manager for First Wind, said Monday that the company hopes to have enough turbines eventually in Eastbrook and neighboring Township 16 for an 80-megawatt capacity wind farm. The turbines would be located on Little Bull Hill in . . .

dec6469bd010542c0232185594841184 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:42:52

An additional 200 objections have been made to the proposed Galetech windfarm, in the wake of the firm’s submission of further information, and revised plans, to Westmeath County Council. The closing date for submissions on the proposed nine-turbine windfarm to go in the Gaybrook/Gainstown area, fell on Wednesday of last week, and at that stage, a total of over 500 submissions/objections were lodged with the Council, approximately 200 of those having been submitted since Galetech lodged its further information details. . . .

fb29e932ed1f66b8df32fe427fc44af8 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:42:22

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho — Ridgeline Energy is appealing a decision made by the Bonneville County Planning and Zoning Commission after their proposal was shot down last week. The appeal was submitted Wednesday afternoon at the Bonneville County Courthouse. Ridgeline Energy Project Manager Randy Gardner said the merit of the application stands strong and they are taking it to the commissioners to have a second look. “As we reviewed what happened at the Planning and Zoning meeting, we feel confident they . . .

f7f959ec11dd6ebbf1a43cc61df14ae9 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:41:59

A wind energy company, accused of using dirty tricks to gain support for a wind farm near Truro, has lost an appeal over its plans. Cornwall Council’s strategic planning committee had to decide an appeal by London-based Coronation Power over the council’s failure to decide on its application to build seven 120m turbines at Truthan Barton, near St Erme, within the standard decision time period and despite an extension of time to process it. The committee resolved to refuse the . . .

211bc5d8e229ce418c6151f1ca26a369 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:41:37

Life in Ceres and surrounding settlements would be disrupted if massive wind turbines were built on Clatto Hill, a community council has claimed. The possible creation of two wind farms on the hill between Kettlebridge and Kennoway would see 10 turbines built — some towering 100 metres and some 120 metres. Ceres and District Community Council is fighting the plans by West Coast Energy and farmer Douglas Rennie, claiming they would have a significant negative impact on the setting of . . .

cf8de41f3983320a573a0e98ce180508 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:40:55

TOWNSHIP 16 — First Wind, a wind energy facility company, plans to build a wind farm in Township 16, which is just east of the town of Eastbrook. First Wind Project Manager Dave Fowler said he would be moving forward with the project this fall but has yet to file an application for the development. Since Township 16 is an unincorporated part of Hancock County and has no planning board or board of selectmen, the project will be reviewed by . . .

18c482dd1dcf3fefba6abb17820816e1 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:40:34

Scottish Government ministers now have the reporter’s recommendation on whether or not to approve the 48 turbine wind farm at Fallago Rig on the western edge of the Lammermuir hills. It took the Government over 18 months to make public the findings of the first public inquiry held in 2008, the reporter recommending refusal on the grounds of objections made by the Ministry of Defence. However, before her findings were made public the Ministry of Defence withdrew their objections and . . .

e96d66d570014fb872ac2f27356d9cd3 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:40:31

CLIFTON, Maine — A group of residents has petitioned for changes to the wind turbine portion of the recently enacted land use ordinance and requested a secret ballot vote on those changes in November. Selectmen rejected the residents’ request at their last meeting, saying, “they didn’t want it on the ballot and sent it to the planning board,” Eric Johns, chairman of the planning board, said on Tuesday. The town attorney says portions of the proposed changes are illegal, but . . .

eabebfcb42dbcd2526a78682c58edefa National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:39:00

FLORIDA — In just 20 minutes on Wednesday night, voters approved a $162,000-per-year payment in lieu of taxes agreement with the company behind the Hoosac Wind project to put 20 wind turbines on the Hoosac range. The special town meeting at the town office building on Route 2 saw roughly 40 people quickly vote on all three warrant articles involving the New England Wind LLC project. The project calls for 12 wind turbines in Florida on Bakke Mountain and an . . .

d7fdb816a0b4acad15651ca90e0a50bd National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:38:56

As the number of wind farms increases in Ontario, so does the controversy that surrounds them. It seems people either love them or hate them. If all goes to plan for Samsung CT, the company will build and operate a wind and solar cluster in South Cayuga. The Grand Renewable Energy Park is one of 184 planned renewable energy projects for Ontario. It will include a wind facility with 63 wind turbines and a 700 acre facility. William Colterman, a . . .

a6a31f27f35fca03c79971ce48e378b3 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:38:09

The president of the Tilba District Chamber of Commerce on the New South Wales far south coast says he’s looking forward to today’s visit from the State Heritage Council. Sol Romana-Clark says the Chamber hopes to make the Council aware of the potential impact on heritage values of domestic wind turbines. The Council will spend the next two days in the Eurobodalla, visiting shire centres and meeting local communities. Mr Romana-Clark says the Chamber wants more open discussion on the . . .

53e1acdecd1a6d7f2daf413eb3a5de49 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:38:06

On Tulare County’s fertile agricultural swaths, solar panels are sprouting in place of citrus-bearing trees and dry grass grown to feed for livestock. Energy developers are harnessing the sun’s rays, adding a new public benefit in the form of alternative energy, and they want to receive property tax breaks traditionally given to farmers and ranchers while doing it. On Tuesday, after months of debate and consideration given to the opinions of agricultural advisory groups, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors . . .

03b4d91c1580da525d3509d13a03c2f9 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:37:59

State regulators yesterday approved a $13.5 million transmission line upgrade to connect a wind farm in Roxbury to the grid. The Maine Public Utilities Commission granted conditional approval to Central Maine Power Co. to replace an existing 34.5-kilovolt line from Rumford to Roxbury with a larger, 115-kV line to support Record Hill Wind LLC’s 22-turbine wind farm in western Maine, according to a press release from the PUC. The project will be primarily funded by Record Hill, which is a . . .

bf6aac892375653a673a186c6005013f National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:37:25

DENNIS — The Old King’s Highway Historic District Committee approved on a 3-2 vote Aquacultural Research Corporation’s application to build a 243-foot, 600-kilowatt wind turbine on its property at 99 Chapin Beach Road. Committee member Frank Ciambriello and Chairman Peter Lomenzo cast the negative votes Aug. 25 at Dennis Town Hall. Ciambriello maintained that the applicants had failed to file an application to demolish three quanset huts, which he insisted must be done before a certificate of appropriateness could be . . .

66d7b85bccb0ba93de2ddd96814a41a2 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:37:19

The Shade Creek Watershed Association (SCWA) is very concerned that the Army Corps of Engineers may still be considering granting a permit for an industrial corridor on Shaffer Mountain. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has designated this area as an Exceptional Value (EV) watershed. A DEP study in 2000 determined that less than 2 percent of all waters in Pa. rank as EV. Most likely the percentage is even less now and the industry continues to sacrifice water quality . . .

da47195f201b0a9ef9d325753a94e61b National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:36:16

Plans for two new wind farms in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway have been revealed. E.ON Climate and Renewables wants to build up to 21 turbines on Corsbie Moor between Gordon and Lauder. RES has announced plans for an 11-turbine wind farm between New Luce, Kirkcowan and Glenluce, in Dumfries and Galloway. Both companies intend to stage a series of public consultation events over their proposals.

ff74ff5c63eaecd8e68ea2bf321e86d5 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:36:10

HALIFAX – Canada’s recently departed Consul General to New England says Atlantic Canada’s premiers are working hard to tap the American energy market. But Neil LeBlanc says a number of major hurdles must still be cleared before large quantities of renewable energy are flowing from eastern Canada to the New England states. In an interview Monday, LeBlanc said the premiers have done well in selling their energy message in New England. “But it’s not as simple as saying, ‘We’re here. . . .

00c2782152bee640cdcc6667302a1939 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:36:04

LOCKPORT — Two representatives from the State Power Authority will make a presentation on the Great Lakes wind turbine project at the Sept. 21 meeting of the Niagara County Legislature, Legislator Renae Kimble disclosed Tuesday. Kimble, D-Niagara Falls, told the Legislature’s special committee on wind power that she had lined up an appearance by Sharon Laudisi, business development manager from the Power Authority’s headquarters, and Lou Paonessa, its local spokesman. Legislature Chairman William L. Ross, C-Wheatfield, said it will be . . .

cbb44e6d8ead93e23ff4de501eca9be2 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-02T11:35:51

North Dorset MP Bob Walter joined a rally of campaigners fighting renewed proposals to erect giant wind turbines on farmland at Silton near Gillingham. Mr Walter told the Save Our Silton campaigners he has received nearly 1,000 letters objecting to Ecotricity’s proposal to build four 120-metre high turbines. Last July the Gloucestershire-based company’s bid to build six turbines was rejected unanimously by North Dorset District Council’s planning committee but they now have a new proposal.

334c5f60f63aa1c62afd78ac666079f0 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T16:45:58

One blade of an Invenergy LLC wind turbine in a cornfield east of Grand Ridge in LaSalle County split and buckled apparently as a result of strong winds that blew up suddenly during the weekend of July 24-25. A spokesman said the turbines are designed to come to rest with one blade pointing down and parallel to the base of the tower in the event of high winds, but the winds came so quickly the safety mechanism didn’t have time . . .

513296c25bd2b374e6e46aeaade2ae4e National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T12:36:36

EARL PARK — In the middle of nowhere on U.S. 41, Stan’s Tap pops out of the middle of cornfields. It’s the only thing around, besides corn and soybeans. Bryan Berry walks inside and a couple of local men call him by name. Berry tells them he’ll be back later and heads out in his white pickup. As he pulls out of the parking lot, over the top of the corn-covered ridge across County Road 500 West, a huge blade . . .

576e4af15c11da7dbd79abd992881c23 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:53:11

State-owned energy firm Dong Energy has given up building more wind farms on Danish land, following protests from residents complaining about the noise the turbines make. It had been Dong and the government’s plan that 500 large turbines be built on land over the coming 10 years, as part of a large-scale national energy plan. This plan has hit a serious stumbling block, though, due to many protests, and the firm has now given up building any more wind farms . . .

28a81f337b3646e6633505e099da55ba National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:53:03

The world’s third largest maker of wind turbines, Suzlon Energy Ltd., stands accused again of cheating tribal people off their land in order to set up wind farms in India, highlighting the dark side of a new industry that harvests profits from green energy and carbon offsets through projects in developing countries. In an April cover story, The Christian Science Monitor reported how Suzlon built wind turbines on tribal lands in Maharashtra state, resulting in local unrest. Investors in the . . .

42c45c512a90a92ae16a65c8cd6420d5 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:52:49

There is enormous wisdom coming out of the Supreme Judicial Court in yesterday’s Cape Wind ruling. Sad to say that wisdom was found in the dissenting opinion offered by Chief Justice Margaret Marshall and will, therefore, be little more than a footnote in the long and tortured history of this project. Project opponents had challenged a decision of the state Energy Facilities Siting Board that granted the project permission to run power transmission lines through state waters – permission essential . . .

a23cf761684ccafbe94c77e3afea811e National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:51:58

REGINA — Some landowners in southeastern Saskatchewan have turned to the courts to press for significant changes to a $60-million wind farm project. “We think we’re going to be successful in preventing them from building this close to people’s houses,” said Brad Jamieson, the Saskatoon lawyer representing area residents who recently filed a class-action lawsuit. His clients are concerned by the proximity of the turbines to be erected under the Red Lily Wind Farm Project. The 25-megawatt wind farm will . . .

b21e3db5d2467b387777eb4ced9a7aa7 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:51:47

With its sharp talons, powerful beak and 7-foot wingspan, the golden eagle is one of Arizona’s fiercest and most imposing birds of prey. It’s no match, however, for the rotating blades of turbines in wind farms. Carcasses of eagles and other raptors are a common sight at wind farms across the country. According to a California Energy Commission study, over 1,000 birds of prey are killed every year by turbines at one wind farm, the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area . . .

864b469065ea7bd767ae448d5fa2ce65 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:51:24

Developers of mountaintop industrial wind are touting many promised benefits – from reduced greenhouse gas emissions, decreased dependence on fossil fuels, to a huge economic renaissance. These are all false promises spun to enhance public acceptance. In recent months, as I have studied the economic and ecological impacts of mountaintop industrial wind, I have been amazed at the distortions and misrepresentations of the wind developers who, unfortunately, have been accepted without question by many in the media. As an environmentalist, . . .

c99d7231ecf628a712ca8d474e49cc24 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:50:47

More details have emerged about a west-Clare based company’s plan to build the Midwest’s largest ever windfarm project at Shragh and Mountrivers in Doonbeg. Each turbine will be 122m (400ft) high and the overall investment cost is about €100 million. The proposal by Clare Coastal Wind Power Ltd for the west-Clare area is also set to be Clare’s first “strategic infrastructure” development case, thereby by-passing Clare County Council’s planning department. Instead, the company is hoping that the planning application will . . .

80385b8d03c0d4ad964b3135b499a654 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:50:31

The state Attorney General’s office has launched an investigation into possible misconduct by Cape Vincent officials for wind turbine farms proposed by Acciona Energia and British Petroleum. In an Aug, 13 letter, the state ordered all documents from the town council and planning board related to wind development be turned over. Two out of five town board members and three out of five planning board members either personally have agreements to lease their land to wind developers or have relatives . . .

cf8dbafe2af80853abed889112f55827 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:49:51

The Niagara County Legislature’s special committee on offshore windpower was challenged Tuesday to quickly assess the pros and cons of a local Lake Ontario wind project. Committee chairman Clyde Burmaster, R-Ransomville, assigned four “areas of concern” to individual legislators and asked them to bring back their best answers to questions in two weeks. The committee’s task is to assess whether the county should be for or against possible siting of an up-to-166 turbine wind farm in Lake Ontario, in the . . .

13473c9fbdd4c9f3be654c25257b64c3 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:49:48

Pulaski County has enacted what may be the first ordinance in Virginia to regulate the construction, operation and decommissioning of large wind energy facilities. Kevin Byrd, executive director of New River Valley Planning District Commission, told members of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors the county already has an ordinance to regulate small wind energy facilities. However, he said the new Wind Energy Facility Ordinance for larger facilities is possibly the first one in the state. The purpose of the . . .

e58032eed2021c6d3e8d649c39609ec6 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:49:18

Environmentalists were thrown on the defensive yesterday after the chief justice of the Masachusetts Supreme Judicial Court warned that a pro-Cape Wind ruling opens the door for future nuclear power plants and oil rigs along the state’s shoreline. The state’s high court, in a 4-2 ruling, upheld the power of the state’s Energy Facilities Siting Board to overrule local opposition to transmission lines coming in from the planned offshore Cape Wind project on Nantucket Sound. The ruling was seen as . . .

26d3a46e99c4f28968d47a6681dcf61c National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:48:34

Members of the Heart Mountain Irrigation District Board of Commissioners should pay out of their own pockets for four wind anemometers they purchased with district funds, a Powell couple says. That is because the board did not research the legality of wind development properly prior to buying instruments, which measure wind speed, Fred and Buffy Burris said Friday. The also want a $150 newly-approved annual maintenance charge reduced. The Burrises, who live on four acres off Lane 11H, west of . . .

1ed414bb0e8cc19893f82c3806c0e04c National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:48:00

Huron-Kinloss Twp. Council is hoping wind turbine developers will follow their setback guidelines despite the Ontario Green Energy Act. “They’re here to stay, whether we like it or not so we need to find a way to work with these wind turbine developers,” said Mayor Mitch Twolan, at the township council meeting on Aug. 23. Council agreed to a setback for wind turbines of 1,000 metres from residences and a two kilometre setback from any town, including Ripley, Lucknow and . . .

c32d3f9247d5e22a952a1853662488ea National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:47:49

A divided Supreme Judicial Court ruled yesterday that a state board had the power to sidestep community opposition to grant the controversial Cape Wind energy project local and state permits it needs to start construction in the waters off Cape Cod. The long-awaited 4-2 decision removes a potential obstacle to the wind farm as its developers prepare to start building 130 turbines in Nantucket Sound within the year. If the court had sided with opponents, the project would probably have . . .

c1c995305fb11c6f50aa2a293d542164 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:47:23

BOURNE — The developers of a proposed seven-turbine wind project in Bournedale made their first presentation to the Cape Cod Commission Monday night in front of a crowd that included both supporters and neighbors with concerns over the proposal. “We feel that it went very well … and (we) had an opportunity to detail the project and its benefits,” said Greg O’Brien, president of Stony Brook Group of Brewster, which is handling publicity for the project. New Generation Wind, which . . .

64d2a54e7cd6459ea8be2df71757a6e0 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:47:12

North Ridge Wind Farm appeared on the state Independent System Operator’s list for interconnection requests into the state power grid. The request lists a 100-megawatt project to interconnect at National Grid’s Nicholville-Parishville substation. Atlantic Wind LLC, a subsidiary of PPM Energy of Portland, Ore., is the developer of the project. PPM is part of Iberdrola Renewables Inc., a Spanish power company. Iberdrola Communications Manager Paul N. Copleman said in an e-mail that the company is “evaluating met tower options in . . .

1f149c1f1eb8272cfb1522e1641c0a1f National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:46:47

HOLMDEL — Monmouth County Freeholders plan to ask the state to consider placing a moratorium on a controversial 380-foot-tall industrial wind turbine planned for construction within 1,000 feet of a Union Beach neighborhood. At a meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders at Holmdel Town Hall on Aug. 26, Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry said Gov. Chris Christie signed bill S-763 into law on Aug. 18, which authorizes the directors of boards of freeholders to exercise veto power over proposed . . .

6e0b090eb6f5fe881334a067d5e8d91c National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:46:35

Talk early, talk often. That was the message during Tuesday’s public meeting in Melrose to discuss the findings and recommendations of a joint land use study. The $140,000 federally funded study is geared at preventing incompatible land uses between entities, such as Curry County and Cannon Air Force Base, according to Rudy Bauer, who supervised the study. “The study is an effort to have Cannon Air Force Base and the surrounding jurisdictions to live together harmoniously,” Bauer said. Bauer said . . .

d4d4ec0ebca5858b8093463ab1b5e94a National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:45:47

BOSTON — In a 4-2 ruling that could degrade local control over Cape Cod energy projects, the state’s highest court yesterday rejected a challenge to a so-called “super permit” for the proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm. The potentially precedent-setting decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the approval last year of nine local and state permits by the state Energy Facilities Siting Board for cables connecting the wind farm to the electric grid. The majority opinion found the siting . . .

862044b5f3d31759502404d6ee7199cd National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:45:42

If the term “wind power” evokes images of picturesque Dutch windmills amidst a landscape of tulips, take a drive on I-65 north of Lafayette. A wind farm in an Indiana cornfield looks more like the setting for a sci-fi film than for a 17th-century Flemish painting. Hundreds of turbines loom over the adjacent countryside. Rotary blades of 100 feet or more top massive towers and sweep a vertical airspace of just under an acre apiece. Advertisement “It is surreal, very . . .

c8d9b2e7b43e44ad3a179c362766609b National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:45:21

The rules of the game are set, according to Ellis County Commission Chairman Perry Henman. He, along with Commissioner Glenn Diehl, voted in favor of approving the rules — a revised zoning code for commercial wind energy systems — Monday night. On a 2-1 vote, changes to the regulations that have been talked about for years were approved and will be implemented upon publication of the resolution commissioners signed Monday. The new rules call for increased setbacks in commercial wind . . .

26952a8a15d84510979f7f6dcd89a239 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:44:29

In the guise of green energy production, large-scale land transactions are taking place in Attappady, a backward tribal area in Kerala’s Palakkad district. On August 8, district collector K V Mohan ordered the village administration in all six villages of Attappady to submit details of the land deals since January 2006. Earlier, in a report submitted to the state government in July end, the district collector had recommended a detailed investigation of the land deals by Sarjan Realities, a Pune . . .

640286b739d51ef99558440186a8f2c7 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:44:11

The fight to have controversial windfarm plans nipped in the bud will be stepped up next week. An action group to spearhead the campaign against the “turbine too far” offshore development in Wigtown Bay will be finalised on Wednesday night. Keep Wigtown Bay Natural already has a website up and running. The Wigtown County Buildings venue is expected to be packed out for a meeting that will finalise the composition of the group. A petition against the development is circulating . . .

3db60202e9e48ffd84849cd15b57d337 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:43:55

BOSTON — The controversial Cape Wind project has proven to be such a divisive issue, even the state’s highest court can’t agree on it. The Supreme Judicial Court sided with developer Cape Wind Associates on Tuesday by rejecting an appeal of a permit the state granted for transmission lines needed to run the proposed 130-turbine wind farm. But the two justices on the SJC who dissented in the 4-2 vote said the ruling could have a widespread negative impact on . . .

bfa6a153989e115028b00b533de0ce24 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:43:25

On September 14 next a public consultation will take place at the Percy French Hotel, Strokestown, from 4pm to 9pm. The consultation is being organised by forestry and renewable energy company, Coillte and aims to address local concerns with regard to the proposed wind farm at Sliabh Ban. The company has also recently met with members of the Sliabh Ban Community Group, of which Mike de Jong is a member. “Four of us met with three of their representatives recently,” . . .

2562adfb9b87f1adb32fbc2d829435e4 National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:43:15

Maine utility regulators have approved a plan to upgrade a power line that will carry electricity produced at a wind-power facility under construction near Rumford. The Public Utilities Commission voted Tuesday to grant conditional approval to Central Maine Power to upgrade its line near Roxbury. The $13.5 million upgrade is needed to connect the proposed Record Hill wind farm to CMP’s electric transmission system. The PUC’s conditions include a requirement that Record Hill Wind LLC make a three-month prepayment to . . .

40aaf19a9b900ca6917c679093531c6f National Wind Watch: News Watch 2010-09-01T11:42:41

REGINA — Landowners in southeastern Saskatchewan have turned to the courts to press for significant changes to a $60-million wind farm project. “We think we’re going to be successful in preventing them from building this close to people’s houses,” said Brad Jamieson, the Saskatoon lawyer representing some area residents who recently filed a class-action lawsuit. His clients are concerned by the proximity of the turbines to be erected under the Red Lily Wind Farm Project, a 25-megawatt wind farm that . . .

a61daaa8a3156e9abe7d62fe25aba788 Wind Blog 2010-08-20T16:32:50

The refurbishment of New Brunswick’s 680 MW Candu reactor, it’s only one, is in trouble. There are three things that we can count on. Death, taxes, and nuclear cost overruns. The project started in March of 2008, and was scheduled to take 18 months. That was 29 months ago, and Atomic Energy of [...]

9af37fe8ca85a1023ad879c74dee3d51 Wind Blog 2010-08-12T21:29:49

The smoke has finally cleared from Moscow, after days of smog caused by forest and peat fires from their record hot summer. Air pollution during the crisis has been at 3 times higher than the acceptable level. And the death rate has doubled. The city’s morgues are close to full. If [...]

41f5291501495ea879b460d950cbcc6e A Musing Environment 2010-07-27T21:49:17

Reading Ian McEwen’s excellent Solar, I ran across some numbers and checked them with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. From Working Group 2, chapter 8 (pdf, go to document to see sources) 8.2.10 Ultraviolet radiation and health Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure causes a range of health impacts. Globally, excessive solar UVR exposure has caused [...]

cc2d2783d4f75a2d87f31cdc3d4ca1de Wind Blog 2010-07-16T15:26:28

Our electricity generating plants are old. The coal and nuclear plants were built between the late 60’s and the 1980’s. Some of them need replacing, as the cost to keep them operating is becoming too high. So, what are our options to replace old plants? The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) provides [...]

9ef362ad0d38ce54303aecb03f0d0e03 Wind Blog 2010-07-07T01:03:25

Wind turbines sometimes come under criticism for killing birds. While it is true that wind turbines kill some birds, the average turbine kills about 2 birds per year. This number needs to be kept in perspective. For ecologists, it isn’t the death of an individuals that matters – all living things will [...]

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