Windpower: Environmentalists vs. Environmentalists (NIMBYism, precautionary principle vs. industrial wind)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- June 8, 2011 6 Comments

“The Municipality of Central Huron requests that the Province of Ontario declare a moratorium on all current and future projects for on-shore and off-shore development of wind-energy facilities until it has commissioned properly-designed independent third-party scientific research into the long-term effects, released the findings for public comment, and has incorporated those comments to enact science-based maximums for wind-facility emissions, and for electrical emission from all related electrical facilities, and can therefore guarantee to Council’s satisfaction that the health and well-being of the Municipality’s human and animal populations are protected from the direct and indirect negative effects of being in proximity to those IWT facilities.”

– Central Huron Council Resolution, adopted June 6, 2011

Two days ago, the Central Huron Council passed a resolution against wind-turbine business-as-usual, a victory for local advocacy groups such as Toronto Wind Action, Great Lakes Wind Truth (see their Facebook page), and Central Huron Against Wind Turbines.…

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Dear Sierra Club (Canada): I Resign Over Your Anti-Environmental Wind Support

By Jen Gilbert -- June 7, 2011 10 Comments

Editor Note: This post is indicative of growing grassroot opposition to industrial wind development from traditional left-of-center environmentalists. Note how economics and affordability is part of the argument; indeed, protecting the wallet of the little guy and gal was once a core principle of those who would otherwise call themselves traditional environmentalists.

I once believed in the Sierra Club, until the CLUB ( an insular bunch of activists who aren’t looking at the entire picture but only at their own agendas) started fully supporting the Green Energy Act (Canada).

The Green Energy Act and the PM government is placing turbines everywhere and anywhere. This includes in pristine areas, in and around fresh lakes, on mountains, on ridges, on the Niagara Escarpment, near communities. Such activity is blasting, drilling, destroying the environment, and it has stripped away the rights of municipalities and the proper consultation of the public.…

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Overestimating Wind Power Generation: From the UK to New York State

By -- June 6, 2011 9 Comments

Wind generation as an intermittent power source adds to the total variability of a regional grid system. A number of studies have been completed that model and analyze wind profiles by region with the intent of better understanding how high penetrations of wind energy might impact system reliability and what steps could be taken to minimize the impacts.

In most cases, these studies are based on available wind data (speed, direction, timing) collected over many years–the type data used by developers forecasting project performance prior to construction. These wind studies are also used by legislators and regulators when evaluating policies that mandate renewable energy development.

Growing evidence from both sides of the Atlantic indicates that performance models based on wind data often promise levels of generation substantially above actual wind power output.

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Energy Subsidies and Big Wind: Sen. Alexander Sets the Record Straight (renewables 50x that of fossil fuels)

By administrator -- May 23, 2011 13 Comments

Editor note: The full text of the May 18 floor remarks of Senator Lamar Alexander (R. Tenn.) as reprinted in the Congressional Record last week. Subtitles have been added.

“So I ask the question: If wind has all these drawbacks, is a mature technology, and receives subsidies greater than any other form of energy per unit of actual energy produced, why are we subsidizing it with billions of dollars and not including it in [the energy subsidy] debate? Why are we talking about Big Oil and not talking about Big Wind?”

“We have been debating tax subsidies to the big oil companies. The bill proposed by the senator from New Jersey would have limited it to just the big five oil companies even though many of the tax breaks or tax credits or deductions they receive are the same tax credits that every other company may take– Starbucks, Microsoft, Caterpillar, Google, and Hollywood film producers, for example.…

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Wind Turbines Offshore North Carolina: Look Before You Dive (Part I)

By -- May 19, 2011 4 Comments Continue Reading

Wind's Political Trouble in Ontario (Secretive Samsung deal, power rates at issue)

By Sherri Lange -- May 11, 2011 18 Comments Continue Reading

Early Wind Technology

By Sonal Patel -- May 10, 2011 2 Comments Continue Reading

Joe Romm: "It is clear that solar and wind are competitive in many situations right now" (Where have we heard this before?)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- April 27, 2011 8 Comments Continue Reading

Dust in the Wind? (Eagle Claw Oklahoma project is government-dependent, iffy)

By Mike Riley -- April 14, 2011 1 Comment Continue Reading

Spanish Wind, Revisited

By Robert Peltier -- April 13, 2011 8 Comments Continue Reading