http://www.windaction.org/ facts, analysis, exposure of wind energy's real impacts en-us Windaction hourly 1 http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.windaction.org/articles/4182 Thu, 27 Jul 2006 12:18:32 GMT The City of Traverse City installed a wind generator in June 1995 on a hill west of the city. In this photo shot Thursday, July 27, 2006, the unit stands on a 160-foot tower with a blade diameter of 144 feet. The huge wind turbine was the largest in the United States when installed. http://www.windaction.org/articles/4182 http://www.windaction.org/articles/38687 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:47:46 GMT Xcel's legal filing claims New Era agreed to pay delay damages if it did not meet various milestone dates. That language was approved by the PUC in 2010 for two 39-megawatt contracts. Additionally, Xcel's lawsuit claims that New Era was required to establish a security fund totaling $5.85 million ...the fund was never created. http://www.windaction.org/articles/38687 http://www.windaction.org/articles/38570 Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:58:30 GMT It was a full house at Wednesday night's Huron County Planning Commission meeting. So full, in fact, that they moved it to a different house - the district courthouse. A crowd of more than 50 saw planners approve a site plan review for NextEra's Pheasant Run Wind Project, 6-1. http://www.windaction.org/articles/38570 http://www.windaction.org/articles/38443 Thu, 23 May 2013 15:57:18 GMT All seats were filled and residents lined the walls at the Paris Township Hall Monday night as the board held a second public hearing seeking input regarding a zoning ordinance that some argue is too restrictive and others say will be fair to all. http://www.windaction.org/articles/38443 http://www.windaction.org/articles/38019 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 22:52:58 GMT The developer of a proposed 39-tower, $120 million wind energy project is suing to prevent three Clinton County townships from enforcing special ordinances that restrict turbines' height, noise, setbacks and shadow flicker beyond the terms specified in the county's zoning ordinance. http://www.windaction.org/articles/38019 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37756 Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:27:32 GMT A wind turbine plant has closed just months after announcing a $2.5 million expansion and plans to add 90 workers. Ron McNees, co-owner of the plant's parent company, blamed the closing on the ongoing struggles with green energy. It joins a list of other faltering or failed green projects. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37756 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37769 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:31:37 GMT For now, wind power will stay out of Reading Township. That was the decision of residents of Reading, a township 11 miles southwest of Hillsdale, in a referendum on Feb. 26, the vote followed a long, fierce debate over Duke Energy's proposed Hillsdale Windpower Project. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37769 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37709 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:36:31 GMT The power purchase agreement with the MPPA for 16.8 MW of wind generation will start out at less than 4.5 cents per kwh and escalate at 2.5 percent per year over the course of 20 years. The HBPW anticipates Holland will start receiving energy through this contract by August 2014. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37709 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37307 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:34:00 GMT The university consulted with wind experts, and the subsequent studies in recent years show that it would take 27 years in energy cost savings to make back the money spent on a turbine-not factoring in the monetary cost of the maintenance the turbine would need during those years. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37307 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37188 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:58:49 GMT Ken Wieber, a farmer who has fought the project at every step, compared the approval process to watching a traffic crash develop in slow motion over several years. He challenged commissioners to recognize what he said was growing evidence of adverse health effects related to wind turbines. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37188 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37184 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:27:45 GMT "Mr. Baldwin wants to interconnect a 100-kilowatt wind generator to the Alger Delta system. Mr. Baldwin's wind generator is 10 to 50 times larger than other renewable generation projects on our system. Mr. Baldwin's generator can create unsafe backfeed conditions on our system and/or create voltage problems that could damage other member-consumers electronics, equipment, and appliances." http://www.windaction.org/articles/37184 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37016 Sat, 12 Jan 2013 16:27:08 GMT The windmill was considered unique when Traverse City Light & Power erected it in 1996 along M-72 in Leelanau County's Elmwood Township. But the utility still hasn't recovered the $785,000 cost, and the turbine recently was down for four months while officials hunted for a $38,000 part. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37016 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37026 Fri, 11 Jan 2013 20:05:11 GMT The wind turbine constructed in 1996 by Traverse City Light & Power on M-72 in Elmwood Township hasn't worked properly for over four months. The turbine initially broke down Aug. 28. It took four months to find and obtain a replacement part at a cost of almost $38,000. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37026 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36872 Wed, 26 Dec 2012 00:01:37 GMT And while 2013 is likely to see a decision on the $123 million project that dates to 2008, approval by the Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners still would not initiate construction. Years of litigation might be a more accurate forecast. http://www.windaction.org/articles/36872 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36772 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 02:29:55 GMT In a huge victory for wind-turbine heavy Huron County, Michigan lawmakers have approved language protecting revenue from local wind developments to a Senate Bill. ...Green said this assures personal property tax on new wind developments will not be eliminated. http://www.windaction.org/articles/36772 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36738 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 23:14:57 GMT The Mason County Board of Commissioners Tuesday agreed to halt new wind energy development in the county for one year - to Dec. 11, 2013 - or until there is resolution to issues raised by Commissioner Susan Boes. http://www.windaction.org/articles/36738 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36711 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:41:16 GMT A 5-0 vote by the Bengal Township board to adopt a more restrictive wind-turbine ordinance than the one passed earlier this year by Clinton County has not stopped Forest Hill Energy, LLC from pursuing is proposal to create and 40-tower project in the county. Bengal joins Dallas and Essex townships in approving the more restrictive ordinances. http://www.windaction.org/articles/36711 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36657 Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:13:43 GMT The Huron County Board of Commissioners is still hoping for a legislative solution to its dispute over the taxation of wind turbines. Commissioner Steve Vaughan talked at Tuesday's meeting about a conference he had on Monday, discussing state Rep. Kurt Damrow's House Bills 5278 and 5279. http://www.windaction.org/articles/36657 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36531 Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:49:41 GMT "With the instability, uncertainty and lack of direction related to the issues pertaining to wind energy throughout the State, the Huron County Board of Commissioners will not schedule any additional wind turbine action on the Board's agenda until there is resolution to these issues," the letter stated. The decision will not affect any ongoing wind turbine projects. http://www.windaction.org/articles/36531 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36537 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:01:11 GMT The Department of Environmental Quality has decided not to repair the wind turbine, which began malfunctioning last year, that once stood at the agency's Bay City office. Kevin King, chief of field operations facilities for the DEQ, said that the department donated the turbine to Kalamazoo Valley Community College due to the prohibitive cost of repairs. http://www.windaction.org/articles/36537