A wind farm company was 'counter-productive' in misleading people living in north Northumberland over the height of turbines planned near to their homes, the Government's energy minister has said. ...E.ON fell foul of the Advertising Standards Agency after promotional photomontages for the proposed West Ancroft installation showed turbines only 43 metres tall. Two complaints against the company were upheld, that the images were misleading and breached rules on truthfulness.

Rows of wind turbines are unlikely to be spinning atop mountain ridges anytime soon. A Senate committee on Wednesday rejected a proposal that would have paved the way for large-scale wind energy production in the mountains. Large wind turbines are banned under the state's interpretation of a law restricting ridge development. The Agriculture Committee advanced a proposal that would keep it that way, changing the ridge law to cement the ban.

The man whose research drew attention to public unease about more wind farm development in Manawatu says he is not surprised his work has attracted stinging attacks. Social impact assessment specialist James Baines said a contentious issue raised by his research cumulative visual effects was always going to attract attention. According to Mr Baines' research, public support for wind farms in Manawatu remained strong, but that support was at a "tipping point".

If windmills go up on properties lining Kachemak Bay, they could destroy the view, two people testified at the Homer City Council meeting Monday night. An ordinance introduced at the meeting outlines guidelines for those who want to set up wind generation towers. At issue is whether, and under what specifications, the city will allow them. The measure is up for public testimony Aug. 10 and 24.

Tasmania prides itself on being clean and green, but controversy is never too far away. A plan to create clean power by building wind turbines on a Hobart office block has been knocked back by the local council. In a fiery meeting last night, Hobart City aldermen said the installation of wind turbines would block the view of Mount Wellington and could even pose a risk to sky divers.

Could the proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm become obsolete before it is even built? ...technological advances in recent years are allowing developers elsewhere to consider building wind turbines farther from shore, where they would be less visible. ...If these and similar projects prove viable, some wind energy specialists and developers say, they could leapfrog closer-to-shore projects like Cape Wind.

The installation of three further turbines at a wind farm in west Wales has been rejected after an inspector concluded that their visual impact on users of a nearby road would be unacceptable.

A proposed change to North Carolina's ridge protection law unveiled Tuesday would prevent large-scale wind energy production in the mountains. At the urging of some mountain senators, the state Senate Finance Committee added the restrictions to a bill moving through the General Assembly that will shape where windmills are allowed to be built statewide.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) like the Lake District national park could be the sites of new energy infrastructure including wind farms, Ed Miliband has suggested. Asked if wind farms could be considered in AONBs, Mr Miliband said: "In exceptional circumstances, it may be possible for some limited development to take place without unacceptable impacts on these important sites."

A wind turbine proposed for a countryside location at Hooksway would damage an area of outstanding natural beauty and the setting of a listed building, district councillors ruled. The northern area development control committee voted 6-4 to refuse planning permission for the turbine, at Hooksway Lane.

At 20.6 metres, the tower, with its distinctive black bands on the three sides facing the water, is the tallest structure along the coast. It is, however, dwarfed by the 80-metre towers in the nearby West Cape wind farm. This wind farm is still growing; some of the towers haven't been completed.

Campaigners fighting plans for a wind farm near the Naseby battlefield site say new proposals to move the turbines further east will make no difference to their visual impact for villagers. ...the latest plans place the turbines on lower ground further east, still south of the A14 but closer to Kelmarsh Hall. Eon says this will create less visual impact on the villages of Naseby and Haselbech.

Derek Woolerton, a chartered landscape architect, and expert witness for Northumberland County Council, was cross-examined by the appellants yesterday. When questioned by Elizabeth Dunn, advocate for Moorsyde Wind Farm Ltd, he said some photomontages produced in support of the Moorsyde application were 'highly unsatisfactory and quite unhelpful.'

The state plans to protect over 700 acres of ridge line in the Hoosac Mountain range from any future development, including wind turbines, as the Berkshire Natural Resources Council continues to create a corridor of land connecting the Florida and Savoy Mountain state forests. Part of the plan calls for a major hiking trail for North Berkshire.

Balloon tests performed this week in Westfield gave residents their first real feel of the height of the proposed Ripley-Westfield wind farm. Babcock and Brown performed the test as part of their environmental impact study required by the state. "The balloon testing is performed in support of the visual impact assessment to be included in the DEIS," said Peter Gross of Babcock and Brown.

Planning commissioners have given approval for the construction of Meridian Energy's Mill Creek wind farm west of Wellington - but with 29 wind turbines instead of the 31 proposed by Meridian. The visual impact of two of the 111-metre tall turbines, at the southern end of the site, on nearby farms and properties was the principal reason why the commissioners turned them down. The 200-page decision report by independent commissioners David Hill (Chair), David McMahon and Pamela Peters has been released today.

Up to 276 turbines on the Mahinerangi and Project Hayes wind farms would be the main feature of landscape in Central Otago and Clutha, an Environment Court appeal hearing for the latter project heard in Queenstown yesterday. Wanaka landscape architect Anne Steven was called to give evidence by appellant party the Maniototo Environmental Society.

Storey County could block a 69-windmill project planned for mountains north of Carson City and west of Virginia City under a new ordinance. The proposed rule would ban windmills visible from historic areas including Virginia City. The Storey County planning commission will talk about ordinances regulating windmills, hillside building and night lighting at its meeting Thursday.

Commenting on the map, which was produced by a witness last week, Mr Whitney maintained it showed significant adverse cumulative effects would result from the Mahinerangi and Project Hayes developments. He considered the adverse effect Project Hayes would have, regardless of other wind farms being built, as being at the upper end of the scale.

Plans for 276 large wind turbines in Central Otago would not "turbinise" the Lammermoor Range in Central Otago, a Meridian expert said. Landscape expert Peter Rough said while the landscape would be changed by wind turbines, its rural character would remain. "It's still fundamentally a rural landscape with an element of energy product," he said in the Environment Court in Queenstown yesterday.