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DOE study says wind farms don't hurt property value - Business | Tri-City Herald : Mid-Columbia news
Wind farms have no measurable effect on nearby property values, according to a government report published Wednesday.
In the latest study, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory spent three years examining nearly 7,500 sales of homes in 10 communities near two dozen wind farms in nine states.
The findings, however, are unlikely to cool the debate over the placement of massive wind turbines which to some represent progress, but to others an intrusion.
Questions about the integrity of the $500,000 Berkeley study were aired even before the report was released.
Department of Energy - Secretary Chu Announces $45 Million to Support Next Generation of Wind Turbine Designs
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the selection of Clemson University to receive up to $45 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for a wind energy test facility that will enhance the performance, durability, and reliability of utility-scale wind turbines. This investment will support jobs and strengthen American leadership in wind energy technology by supporting the testing of next-generation wind turbine designs.
“Wind power holds tremendous potential to help create new jobs and reduce carbon pollution,” said Secretary Chu. “We are at the beginning of a new Industrial Revolution when it comes to clean energy and projects like these will help us get there faster.”
Business Journal of Milwaukee: A lot of wind over Lake Michigan
A Michigan public university plans to test a floating wind turbine platform to demonstrate how wind energy could work on Lake Michigan.
Grand Valley State University’s Michigan Alternative & Renewable Energy Center received $1.4 million in federal funding to conduct the study. The university plans to have the platform installed by the fall of 2010.
Meanwhile, We Energies plans to issue a request for proposals in early November that will be the start of a $3 million study sanctioned by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to determine the feasibility of wind turbines on Lake Michigan.
We Energies spokesman Brian Manthey said the energy utility is not involved in the Michigan study, but will collaborate with Grand Valley State to share information
Clean-Energy Quest Splits France - washingtonpost.com
It's Carbon vs. Countryside in Environmental Battle Over Plan for Windmills Near Coastal Shrine
MONT-SAINT-MICHEL, France -- Over the centuries, this iconic shrine on the Normandy coast has seen more than its share of battles. The latest skirmish involves not knights in shining armor, but opposing camps of environmentalists, jousting over the wisdom of installing windmill farms on nearby hillsides to turn sea breezes into clean energy.
Five metro cities erecting wind-power turbines | StarTribune.com
Despite some naysayers, wind power turbines are being erected in five cities in the metro area; Anoka's is near the high school.
Wind power turbines are going up in five metro cities, with Anoka set to get one on Monday, as a multi-city consortium moves forward with plans to use recycled windmills to generate renewable energy.
Md. turning to offshore wind energy -- baltimoresun.com
The state began its pursuit of offshore wind generation Tuesday, a move that could lead to building 400-foot-tall turbines off Ocean City.
The Maryland Energy Administration asked wind developers to express their interest in building industrial-size windmills a dozen or more miles off the state's 31-mile Atlantic coastline. At the same time, the energy agency said it is launching a study to gauge the economic viability and environmental impact of such a project.
Sea Power: Germany's First Offshore Wind Park Goes Online - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International
Germany's first offshore wind farm has gone online off the North Sea island of Borkum. A year late and 50 million euros over budget, it's still the best hope proponents of green energy have for meeting the country's ambitious emissions reductions targets.
Electricity generated by Germany's first offshore wind energy park began streaming into the national network on Wednesday as three wind turbines located 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of the North Sea island of Borkum went online.
The three wind turbines are massive. Each towers more than 100 meters (328 feet) above the waves, with blades spanning more than 116 meters. Individually, the wind turbines are capable of generating 5 megawatts of energy per year. The initial trio will be joined later this year by nine more wind turbines. When all 12 go online later this year, the installation is expected to provide enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.
Raising Wind Turbine Output With Longer Blades - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com
A basic problem for wind turbines is that the wind often dies down. As a result, they produce far less electricity than if the wind blew constantly, at full speed.
A good wind machine, therefore, may harvest just 30 percent of its maximum potential energy. By contrast, a nuclear reactor with a similar energy rating might reach 90 percent of its maximum potential, because it is running virtually nonstop.
Wind Power in Texas Actually Lowering Electricity Prices | Green Business | Reuters
When the Wall Street Journal praises wind power for lowering electricity prices, you know we've reached a benchmark in renewable energy.
A recent report from Bernstein Research, cited by a startled Journal blog post, concludes that in Texas, wind power may actually lower prices at certain times of day, by obviating the need to switch on costly natural-gas fired generators.
Wind farms a better option than nuclear reactors - Belleville Intelligencer - Ontario, CA
Re: Wind farm foes should look to Wolfe Island
Several years ago, while en route to Nova Scotia, my wife and I toured a wind farm near Matane, Que. Having read horror stories about the noise and bird deaths caused by these giant windmills we were both greatly surprised by what we found.
Not only were the windmills not noisy, they were nearly silent. The only sound to be heard was a gentle 'swoosh' as the blades went around.
The structures were actually quite elegant and I had a notion that these were among mankind's better ideas.
As for bird deaths, I believe the numbers have been greatly exaggerated. The blades are allowed to rotate to a maximum of 22 revolutions per minute.
Number of wind turbines to quadruple under Renewable Energy Strategy - Times Online
The number of wind turbines is set to quadruple over the next decade under government plans to force through wind farm planning applications.
Ministers have put wind power at the heart of a Renewable Energy Strategy, which is due to be released on Wednesday. It will outline how Britain is to meet its target of a 34 per cent cut in CO2 emissions by 2020.
Future of clean energy is written on the wind -- Shanghai Daily | 上海日报 -- English Window to China New
SHANGHAI is rich in clean green wind power and the city is constructing more and more windmills as part of a sustainable energy plan. Zhang Qian flips the switch. The sails of hundred-meter-high windmills rotate in the wind in the mudflats of suburban Shanghai. Row upon row of turbines with huge vanes are generating new clean electricity.
Shanghai is rich in sustainable wind resources and is increasing its wind energy capacity as part of an overall plan to reduce pollution and develop clean energy.
Offshore wind farms could meet a quarter of the UK's electricity needs | Environment | guardian.co.uk
The UK's seas could provide enough extra wind energy to power the equivalent of 19m homes, according to an assessment by the government.
The government's strategic environmental assessment (Sea) confirmed projections that an extra 25GW of electricity generation capacity could be accommodated in UK waters.
This would be in addition to the 8GW of wind power already built or planned offshore, bringing the potential total electricity capacity of offshore wind to 33GW – enough to power every household in the UK.
WindFarm Estinnes Takes Wind Power to a New Scale - Renewable Energy World
At the end of May, Renewable Energy World's Eize de Vries was invited to Belgium to view the construction of a wind farm that may be providing a view of the future.
And a genuine wind industry innovation, Eize de Vries reports, is that the advanced E-126 built-in power electronics will actively contribute towards stabilizing the transmission grid voltage within the entire region.
WindFarm Estinnes S.A. is an onshore wind farm that will comprise eleven of the latest generation of Enercon's E-126 direct drive wind turbines, a machine currently rated at 6 megawatts. Each E-126 has a 127-metre rotor diameter — combined with the 135-metre the turbine has a total 198.5 metre installation height. WindVision's Estinnes is expected to generate at least 187,000 MWh per year. And a genuine wind industry innovation, Eize de Vries reports, is that the advanced E-126 built-in power electronics will actively contribute towards stabilizing the transmission grid voltage within the entire region.
Mass. looks to landfills, military for wind power - BostonHerald.com
Massachusetts is searching for every blustery nook and cranny it can find to boost wind energy production, from the tops of former dumps to a vast military reservation.
Gov. Deval Patrick has set a state goal of generating 2,000 megawatts of wind power by the year 2020 — an effort that may require up to 3,000 wind turbines.
So far, the state boasts a mere 11 commercial-scale turbines and dozens of smaller ones.
ENN - Small Wind Beginning to Make a Big Difference
The U.S. market for small wind turbines grew 78% last year, highlighting heightened interest in, demand for, and use of distributed alternative and renewable power systems. A total 17.3 megawatts worth of new small wind turbines--defined as wind turbines with generation capacities of 100 kilowatts and less--was installed in 2009, according to a report by the American Wind Energy Association released May 28.
"Consumers are looking for affordable ways to improve their energy security and reduce their personal carbon footprint," said Ron Stimmel, AWEA's Small Wind Advocate. "Small wind technology can be an answer to that search. As government policies have caught up with consumer interest, we’re seeing people all across the U.S. take advantage of this abundant, domestic natural resource and U.S. manufacturers have been able to meet this increasing demand."
BBC NEWS | Floating wind turbine launched
The world's first floating wind turbine is to be towed out to sea this weekend.
Statoil's Alexandra Beck Gjorv told the BBC the technology, the Hywind, to be put off Norway's coast - "should help move offshore wind farms out of sight".
And it could lead to offshore wind farms eventually being located many miles offshore, away from areas where they cause disruption, Ms Gjorv added.
This would benefit military radar operations, the shipping industry, fisheries, bird life and tourism.
AFP: China plans 440-bln dlr stimulus for green energy
China is planning a stimulus package worth 440 billion dollars to expand its renewable energy use, state media said, as the country aims to rely more on cleaner ways to power its growth.
The three trillion yuan (439.7 billion dollars) investment will see part of the focus on wind power, the Beijing Morning Post said, citing Liang Zhipeng, a State Energy Administration official.
The government has collected opinions from local economic planning agencies and relevant companies about a draft plan, Liang said, according to the report.
Under the plan, China's wind power capacity will reach over 100 gigawatts by 2020, the report said, more than triple a goal of 30 gigawatts announced in 2007 in a renewable energy development plan.
Europe's Largest Onshore Wind Farm Switched on in Scotland
Renewable Energy World has a report on a new Scottish wind farm - Europe's Largest Onshore Wind Farm Is Switched on in Scotland.
Today, the final phase of Europe's largest onshore wind farm is being turned on in Scotland. The 322-megawatt (MW), 140-turbine Whitelee wind farm was built by ScottishPower Renewables, which is part of the Spanish power business Iberdrola.
In Spain and internationally, the Iberdrola Group, is the world’s largest developer of wind power, with nearly 9700 MW of installed capacity. The wind farm uses Siemens 2.3-MW machines.
Positioned 370 meters (1200 feet) above sea level, 15 kilometers (9 miles) outside of Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, the new wind farm has over half a million people living within a 30-km radius of it. It’s one of the first large-scale wind farms to be constructed close to a large population center. The first phase of the wind farm started feeding power into the grid in January 2008.
Global Wind Installations Up 29% in 2008 - Renewable Energy World
Global wind capacity increased an estimated 27,051 megawatts in 2008, with cumulative installations up almost 29 percent. The United States led in new installations, surpassing Germany to rank first in wind energy cumulative capacity and electricity generation.
Nearly 400,000 people are employed by the wind industry worldwide, though this number could slide in the near term due to project financing difficulties, particularly in the United States.
A new snapshot of wind energy trends from Worldwatch Institute analyzes data since 1980 and reveals that for the first time last year, wind power represented Europe’s leading source of new electric capacity (with 8,877 megawatts added), well ahead of natural gas at 6,939 MW and coal at 763 MW.
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