Better Plan, Wisconsin

NOTE FROM THE BPWI RESEARCH NERD:

Who are the 'anti-wind cranks'?

The organization mentioned in the following article, Civitas: The Institute for the Study of Civil Society was founded by David G. Green and Robert Whelan early in 2000 as an independent think tank. It is a British registered charity (No. 1085494^[1]), financed by private donations. It receives no government funding and has no affiliations with any political party. The think tank describes itself as "classical liberal" and "non-partisan". [From Wikipedia]

WIND POWER IS EXPENSIVE AND INEFFECTIVE AT CUTTING CO2 SAYS CIVITAS

By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent,

Via The Telegraph, www.telegraph.co.uk

January 9, 2012 

Wind power could actually produce more CO2 than gas and increase domestic fuel bills because of the need for “back up” power stations, a think tank has warned.

A study in the Netherlands found that turning back-up gas power stations on and off to cover spells when there is little wind actually produces more carbon than a steady supply of energy from an efficient modern gas station.

The research is cited in a new report by the Civitas think tank which warns that Britain is in danger of producing more carbon dioxide (CO2) than necessary if the grid relies too much on wind.

Wind turbines only produce energy around 30 per cent of the time. When the wind is not blowing – or even blowing too fast as in the recent storms – other sources of electricity have to be used, mostly gas and coal.

However it takes a surge of electricity to power up the fossil fuel stations every time they are needed, meaning more carbon emissions are released.

“You keep having to switch these gas fired power stations on and off, whereas if you just have highly efficient modern gas turbines and let it run all the time, it will use less gas,” said Ruth Lea, an economic adviser to Arbuthnot Banking Group and the author of the Civitas report.

“If you use less gas in a highly efficient gas turbine you use less carbon dioxide than having wind backed up by gas.”

The Dutch report, published at the end of last year by retired physicist Dr C le Pair, also points to the carbon emissions produced in building wind farms, that last a relatively short period of time compared to conventional power stations.

It concludes: “The wind projects do not fulfill ‘sustainable’ objectives. They cost more fuel than they save and they cause no CO2 saving, in the contrary they increase our environmental ‘foot print’.”

The UK Government want to build up to 32,000 wind turbines over the next 20 years, of which at least 6,000 could be onshore.

The report also found that wind is “horrendously expensive”, especially offshore wind, because of the cost of taking the turbines out to sea and installing the structures.

The fact that the power source always has to be backed up by fossil fuel stations also increases the cost.

Civitas cite official Government figures that warn green policies will add up to £400 to electricity bills over the next two decades.

The report concludes: “The most cost-effective technologies are nuclear and gas-fired. Onshore, and especially offshore, wind technologies are inordinately expensive.”

But Dr Gordon Edge, Director of policy at the lobby group RenewableUK, said much of the information was gathered from “anti-wind farm cranks”.

He explained that modern gas plants are not required to provide back-up for wind. Instead, wind is “integrated” into the existing system to act as a fuel saver, enabling the UK harness a free electricity source from the weather when it’s available. Some additional investment is required, but Dr Edge said “credible analysis” makes clear it will cost less for consumers than relying on fossil fuels, that are rising in price all the time.

“It is surprising that a think tank such as Civitas has published a report based on the work of anti-wind cranks, repeating the same discredited assertions. The UK’s energy policy over the next ten years will play a critical part in our economic success – offshore wind in particular has the potential to revitalise our manufacturing sector, with the promise of over 70,000 jobs,” he said. “This report, based on outdated and inaccurate information, does nothing to advance the debate.”

WIND TURBINE BILL INTRODUCED

by Beth Jones,

via FOX 11 News, www.fox11online.com

January 7, 2012

GREEN BAY – While the state continues to try to iron out uniform regulations when it comes to the use of wind energy, one area lawmaker is taking matters into his own hands.

But wind supporters feel it’ll ultimately cost the state jobs.

Large wind turbines are becoming a common sight across the nation, as communities turn to the renewable energy for power.

But projected wind farms in Wisconsin hit a bit of a snag early last year, when the state voted to suspend the Public Service Commission’s statewide rules, sending the commission back to the drawing board.

“We’re talking about putting up 40-story buildings and saying, eh, just put it up, and that’s not right,” said State Sen. Frank Lasee (R-De Pere).

Lasee is hoping to jump-start some new regulations.

Instead of statewide standards, Lasee’s proposal would give each individual community the power to create its own requirements for how close the turbines could be to buildings.

“This would be for local governments, so it goes back to a process of zoning for local governments, so they’d have to establish an ordinance and go through the proper hearing process, proper public input,” Lasee explained.

Sen. Lasee introduced the bill this week, but it has yet to be debated on the Senate floor.

But some already feel the bill would only deter potential companies from coming to Wisconsin.

“We would oppose any move to create a patch-work of different regulations throughout Wisconsin,” said Amber Smith with Clean Wisconsin. “We already know of several wind companies that have left Wisconsin and abandoned projects in Wisconsin because of the patch-work of regulations.”

Smith says a unified rule is what Wisconsin needs, and this would only make things more complicated.

“Having a statewide standard protects everyone, the health of everyone, the health of the environment and local regulations in and of themselves can’t necessarily do that,” Smith said.

And the legislature will soon decide whether that’s the case or not.

Lasee hopes to begin debating the bill before the end of the current session this Spring.

LEADING BIRD CONSERVATION GROUP RESPONDS TO PROPOSED EAGLE TAKE PERMIT

Via American Bird Conservancy (ABC), www.abcbirds.org

January 6, 2012 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently considering an application from West Butte Wind Power LLC for a permit under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The permit would allow for the incidental take of a limited number of Golden Eagles at their proposed facility in central Oregon. This application is the first of its kind for a wind project; historically, many industry developers have ignored permitting altogether and built wind farms at sites with little or no regard for the potential impacts on eagles, resulting in the deaths of possibly thousands of these birds in recent decades.

American Bird Conservancy – the nation’s leading bird conservation organization – is undertaking a careful, in-depth review of the proposed permit conditions.

“As with any permit to allow the unintentional take of birds, the devil is in the details. We need to make sure that all possible eagle deaths are avoided at this site, and that the government follows its own rules for issuing such a permit. In order to have time to do this review, we are asking the government to extend the 30 day comment period to 60 days,” said Kelly Fuller, ABC’s Wind Coordinator.

“Developers in all industry sectors, including wind energy, should be required to do everything possible to minimize their adverse effects on birds. But even with the best mitigation, their activities may result in unintentional, yet foreseeable impacts, including sometimes the deaths of eagles. A permitting system for this accidental take is critical because without it, the government is not in a position to deny the issuance of permits for the most damaging projects,” said George Fenwick, ABC’s President.

“A permitting system enables the government to fully assess each circumstance to ensure everything possible is being done to minimize bird deaths, and to require developers to compensate for any unavoidable bird impacts through the establishment of habitat or other conservation programs. Without such a permitting system, wind development will continue to be a free-for-all that kills hundreds of thousands of birds each year,” Fenwick said.

ABC supports bird-smart wind energy that is properly sited, constructed, and operated to minimize bird impacts, with appropriate compensatory mitigation for unavoidable losses. ABC leads a coalition of more than 60 groups promoting mandatory federal standards to protect birds, including Golden Eagles and their habitats, from wind energy development rather than the voluntary guidelines proposed by the federal government and backed by the wind industry.

Last month, ABC formally petitioned the federal government to regulate the wind industry’s impacts on migratory birds. ABC has also publicized the federal government’s double standard of prosecuting oil companies for killing legally protected birds but not prosecuting wind energy companies for doing the same.

The public can help protect birds at wind power projects by endorsing ABC’s petition to regulate the wind industry.

BILL ALLOWS COMMUNITIES MORE CONTROL OVER WIND TURBINE SETBACKS

By Trent Artus,

Via www.wqow.com

January 5 2012 

Rick Stadelman, Executive Director of Wisconsin Towns Association said: “Local governments are responsible for protecting the public health and welfare of their communities. Arbitrary state standards limiting setbacks and noise levels of wind turbines take away the authority of local officials to protect their community. One size does not fit all. This bill allows local officials to exercise local control to protect the interest of their community.”

Madison, WI – State Senator Frank Lasee (R) of De Pere, WI introduced a bill allowing local communities to create their own minimum setback requirements for wind turbines. Current law doesn’t allow local communities to establish distances from property or homes that 500 feet tall wind turbines can be located.

[download copy of the bill by clicking here]

“Local communities should be able to create their own rules for public safety,” Lasee said. “We shouldn’t leave it to bureaucrats in Madison to make these decisions that affect home values and people’s lives. Madisonites aren’t the ones living next to the turbines. Having a statewide standard for the setback of these 500 feet tall wind turbines doesn’t take into account the local landscape. Local elected officials are most familiar with their area to set the correct setback distances and best represent their local constituents.”

“Over the last several months, I have spoken with numerous Wisconsin residents who have complained about wind turbines,” Lasee added. “These complaints range from constant nausea, sleep loss, headaches, dizziness and vertigo. Some have said the value of their properties has dropped on account of the turbines.”

Representative Murtha (R) of Baldwin, WI adds: “There have been many concerns raised about wind farms all over the state of Wisconsin. This bill will finally give local communities the control they have been asking for when it comes to deciding what is right for their communities and families.”

Officials and spokespersons for local communities and organizations support Senator Lasee’s bill.

Rick Stadelman, Executive Director of Wisconsin Towns Association said: “Local governments are responsible for protecting the public health and welfare of their communities. Arbitrary state standards limiting setbacks and noise levels of wind turbines take away the authority of local officials to protect their community. One size does not fit all. This bill allows local officials to exercise local control to protect the interest of their community.”

Steve Deslauriers, spokesman for Wisconsin Citizens Coalition said: “In order for wind development to be good for Wisconsin, it must be done responsibly and not in a fashion that sacrifices the health of those families forced to live within these wind generation facilities. Good environmental policy starts with safeguarding Wisconsin residents and we thank Senator Lasee for submitting this bill.”

“Wind turbine siting must be done at the local level as the population varies greatly, county by county, township to township. It is our goal to protect families within our township. This bill gives us the authority to do that.” Tom Kruse, chairman of West Kewaunee Township said.

Dave Hartke, chairman of Carlton Township added: “Carlton Township supports LRB-2700 because it places the authority for wind turbine siting at the local level where it belongs. As town chairman, I am always concerned for the health and safety of our residents.”

“We applaud Senator Lasee for introducing this bill.” Erv Selk, representative of Coalition for Wisconsin Environmental Stewardship said. “We have long thought that the Public Service Commission setbacks were not adequate to protect the people that live near the Industrial Wind Turbines.”

Senator Lasee said, “It’s about time we as legislators return local control over this important issue to the elected officials that know their area best instead of un-elected bureaucrats in Madison.”

Second Feature

BILL GIVES LOCAL CONTROL FOR DETERMINING WIND TURBINE RULES

Via Wisconsin Ag Connection, www.wisconsinagconnection.com

January 6, 2012

A Wisconsin lawmaker is introducing legislation that allows local communities to create their own minimum setback requirements for wind turbines. According to Sen. Frank Lasee, current law doesn’t allow local officials to establish distances from property or homes that 500 feet tall wind turbines can be located.

“Local communities should be able to create their own rules for public safety,” Lasee said. “We shouldn’t leave it to bureaucrats in Madison to make these decisions that affect home values and people’s lives. Madisonites aren’t the ones living next to the turbines.”

The De Pere Republican says having a statewide standard for wind turbine setbacks does not take into account the local landscape. He says local people are most familiar with their own area to set the correct distances and best represent their local constituents.

“Over the last several months, I have spoken with numerous Wisconsin residents who have complained about wind turbines,” Lasee points out. “These complaints range from constant nausea, sleep loss, headaches, dizziness and vertigo. Some have said the value of their properties has dropped on account of the turbines.”

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Towns Association Director Rick Stadelman support the effort. He says local governments are responsible for protecting the public health and welfare of their communities, and says arbitrary state standards limiting setbacks and noise levels of wind turbines take away the authority of local officials to protect their community.

The bill comes nearly a year after a joint legislative panel voted to suspend the wind siting rule promulgated by the Public Service Commission in December 2010. Those policies would have put into place standard rules that all areas of the state would need to follow when determining regulations for wind turbines.

From the UK

WIND TURBINES RIPPED APART BY GALE FORCE WINDS IN HUDDERSFIELD

Via Huddersfield Daily Examiner, www.examiner.co.uk

January 6, 2012 

Huge turbine blades flew off three windmills as high winds lashed Huddersfield.

There were problems at Hepworth and at two farms in Upper Cumberworth.

But the Brighouse firm who made the damaged turbines has promised a full investigation.

A fourth windmill, in Holmfirth, has also been damaged in the gales of the past few days.

Concerned villagers in Hepworth warned: “Someone could have been killed,” after one of the blades was flung across a road.

Ryan Gill, of Brighouse-based manufacturers Evoco, told the Examiner it is not yet clear why the turbine malfunctioned and investigations are under way.

He blamed the exceptionally strong winds for the damage, adding that the wind turbines are certified under the industry Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

The Evoco website claims the 10kw turbine has been “specifically designed to reliably deliver high generation performance in harsh wind conditions”.

The windmill in Hepworth was ripped apart in the gale force winds on Wednesday night.

But villagers say the 15m high wind turbine at Upper Woodroyd Barn, off Hog Close Lane in Victoria, is particularly dangerous because it’s close to the road and a danger to the public.

The blades on the 12 metre mast are over two metres long and one flew across a road.

There were also problems with an identical turbine at Far Mount Farm, Intake Lane, Cumberworth.

And a turbine was also damaged at Drake Hill Farm in Cumberworth.

Frances Barnes, who has 10 acres of grazing land for horses close to the Hepworth turbine, said: “It is worrying.

“People objected to the plans when they first went in – not because it is a windmill but because it is so close to a busy road.

“It is frightening to think what may have happened had one of the blades flown into the road and hit a car, or indeed if the wind turbine had come down.”

Another local, who did not want to be named, said one of the turbine blades had ended up in a field at the other side of the road.

He said: “It’s very, very dangerous. There could have been a pedestrian or a car on the road and someone could have been killed.”

Another anonymous villager said: “A lot of complaints went in about that turbine when it was first planned.

“One of the main factors was that the blades of the turbine were horizontal to the road.

“It’s a terrible place to put one because it’s so near to the road.”

But farmer Peter Mitchell – who owns the turbine – told the Examiner he is confident engineers from suppliers Evoco will fix the problem.

He said: “I’m happy with how they’ve said they are going to rectify the problem and they are not going to pull out of any responsibility on this.

“They have always been very helpful and they are trying to sort it out.

“Obviously it’s not the ideal scenario but there was a fault with it.

“We’ve lived up here six years and this is the worst weather we’ve had. We’ve had slates blown off the roof.

“I’m obviously concerned but I’m confident the problem will be rectified.”

l London Fire Brigade attended a string of wind-related incidents across the capital, when gusts blew a wind turbine in Barking and scaffolding in Tavistock Square into “precarious positions”.

FIERCE gales peaked at 71.6mph in Huddersfield with the strongest gusts on record for 11 years.

And Examiner weatherman Paul Stevens said Wednesday was the wettest day the town has seen for the last 12 months, with 51mm of rainfall in just one day.

And he warned that the area will see more of the same storms over the next week.

Chaos was caused in the town, with trees crashing on top of caravans in Upper Cumberworth and sports pitches flooded.

Paul said: “The weather remains changeable and often unsettled for the next seven days – at least with something a little more settled for a time on Sunday before more rain comes in from the west.

“But at least there’s no indications of anything too cold or prolonged, except the odd hail and wintry shower mostly on the hills.”

Nationally, in Hertfordshire a woman and a 10-year-old boy were taken to hospital after a tree crashed on to their car as strong winds returned to sweep the country.

Gusts reaching highs of 87mph were recorded at Capel Curig in Wales at 2am.

In Huddersfield the gale force wind brought trees crashing down – one on top of a caravan at the junction of Dearne Dike Lane and Haddingley Lane, Upper Cumberworth. In Newsome, a tree smashed through a garden wall near the junction of Newsome Road and Dawson Road, while a large branch obstructed the pavement on Birkby Hall Road.

Birchencliffe Petrol Station on Halifax Road had to be cordoned off because of fears the storm-damaged canopy would cave in.

Meanwhile, football and rugby matches on council-managed pitches in Kirklees this weekend have been postponed after consultation with local leagues.

The pitches are saturated following heavy rain over the last few days and the pitches are in an unplayable condition and the decision has been taken to call off all matches.

Safety inspections will be made of the ground conditions by grounds maintenance staff and there will be an extra effort to prepare the pitches for future fixtures.

Next Feature

From Scotland

CONTROVERSIAL WIND TURBINE'S BLADE CRASHES TO GROUND

The Northern Times,  via www.northern-times.co.uk

January 6, 2012

Engineers have been urgently summoned to find out why a small wind turbine at a remote north-west Sutherland village hall dramatically lost one of its two blades on New Year’s Eve.

The mangled remains of the fibreglass blade were found lying some 18m from the 6kw wind turbine sited 90m to the south-east of Rhue Stoer Community Hall, Assynt.

It is thought to have flown off overnight on Hogmanay, leaving the structure in a fragile state with its hub cap hanging down and its tail fin pointing upwards.

As the Northern Times went to press yesterday (Thursday) it was reported that the remaining blade had also fallen to the ground.

The 15m high Eoltec Scirocco turbine, manufactured by French firm Eoltec SAS, was given the go-ahead by planners in November 2010 and erected amid huge controversy some six months ago.

Four members of the Rhue Stoer Community Hall Association are understood to have resigned in a row over the turbine.

And East Sutherland and Edderton ward councillor George Farlow, who supported the development, found himself reported to the Public Standards Commissioner for Scotland for allegedly contravening the Councillors’ Code of Conduct by providing planners with inaccurate information and not revealing objections to the turbine that he had received.

The commissioner, in a judgement issued in August this year, exonerated Councillor Farlow from any wrongdoing.

The turbine has since been the subject of a noise complaint which is still under investigation by Highland Council environmental health officials.

Opponents this week said that the latest incident demonstrated that their concerns about the turbine were “fully justified.”

Embarrassed hall managers have now cancelled a planned ceremony tomorrow (Saturday) to mark the erection of the turbine.

Councillor Farlow had been due to unveil a display board in the hall showing the amount of energy generated by the turbine.

But he has now been told that the ceremony will not be taking place, although the community association’s annual New Year Open Afternoon is still expected to go ahead.

Secretary of the Rhue Stoer Community Hall Association, Bob Cook, said he had no idea what had caused the turbine to shed its blade, but vandalism had not been ruled out.

“We don’t know why this blade has come off. It could be a component failure or a failure in the assembly of the turbine or vandalism,” he said.

“We are waiting for engineers to come and lower the turbine and find out exactly what happened and until we get their report, there is no point in speculating.”

However, the high winds which hit the North over the festive period are not thought to have been a factor in the turbine failure.

Mr Cook explained: “We deliberately chose this turbine for its ability to stand up to salt and high winds.

“We did have wind speeds of between 80 and 90mph, but it is built to withstand speeds of up to 140mph so we don’t believe the weather to be a factor.

“A similar turbine is situated near a lighthouse off the coast of Orkney and has been there for well over a year with no problems at all and you cannot get a much rougher location than there.”

Mr Cook said he had been very “taken aback” when he learned about the malfunction.

“It is embarrassing,” he conceded. “And the worst thing about it is that the objectors will be laughing their socks off. I am not worried. Hopefully, it will just be a case of replacing the blades and off it will go again.”

He denied that there had been any risk to passers-by from the flying blade.

“It isn’t next door to a building so the chances of the blade hitting anyone were pretty slim. Maybe if you had been a sheep standing underneath it, then you might have been bonked on the head,” he said.

He added that the turbine, for which the association received a grant aid, had been running smoothly since it was put up.

“It’s been working fantastically well and has generated 10,400 kilowatt hours in the six months that it has been up – that is many thousands of pounds worth in income,” he said.

A local resident, who objected to the turbine and did not want to be named, commented: “We expected this to happen because of the weather here. The village is surrounded by hills so you get a buffeting effect from the wind – it is not the smooth, steady blow a turbine needs to perform well.”

The resident dismissed the suggestion that the turbine could have been vandalised, but said she was not surprised that the suggestion had been made.

She said: “The turbine is the subject of a noise complaint and it has been making some very strange noises lately. The irony is that it was only taken down for servicing on October 18th so it does seems odd that it has suddenly fallen apart.”

Councillor Farlow commented: “This is just one of these things that happens and it can be put right. I have no doubt they will repair it. I also doubt very much that there was any potential for danger.”

He continued: “It was a very controversial planning application and there was a bit of a stushie about the consultation process but it has made folk interested and involved.

“In general terms, there are issues about the neighbourhood planning consultation process but I think that has been sorted out. I have been working with the community council to ensure they are kept as up-to-date as possible about planning applications.”

NEXT FEATURE

VESTAS TO REVIEW U.S. OPERATIONS IF PTC EXPIRES: CEO

by Ole Mikkelsen

Reuters, www.reuters.com

January 4, 2012

Danish wind turbine maker Vestas will review its manufacturing in the United States in the fourth quarter if the U.S. production tax credit (PTC) is not extended, the group’s chief executive said on Wednesday.

CEO Ditlev Engel also told Reuters that he did not expect to see the same development cost problems with the company’s new 7-megawatt turbine as it has had with the industrialization of its V112-3.0 MW turbine.

“If one looks at the other development in Vestas, then things have gone quite reasonably,” Engel said.

Engel’s remarks followed Vestas’ downgrade of its full-year 2011 guidance on Tuesday due to higher-than-expected costs and delayed revenue.

“In the fourth quarter, we probably must decide what we will do if the PTC is not extended,” Engel said.