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/38242 Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:49:19 GMT "We are VERY unappreciative of this symbol being used by the USPS for Earth Day," Marie McNamara recently emailed postal officials in Washington. "Thanks for putting us on record as strongly objecting to the symbol of industrial wind turbines as a postmark. Thanks for putting us on record as wanting to see the postmark go away immediately." http://www.windaction.org/articles/38242 http://www.windaction.org/articles/37047 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:19:10 GMT United States Fish and Wildlife Service predicts that between 8 and 14 American bald eagles could be killed annually if New Era Wind Farm is built as currently designed. The outcome of USFWS's eagle mortality models are dramatically higher than one eagle every-other-year as predicted by New Era's consultant Westwood Professional Services. http://www.windaction.org/articles/37047 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36982 Mon, 07 Jan 2013 16:46:16 GMT The company has not made any final decision about its future with AWEA but is exploring options that would focus its Washington, D.C., lobbying efforts more on securing benefits for customers. It remains to be seen what the company will decide or whether it will seek to establish a splinter group of like-minded companies. http://www.windaction.org/articles/36982 http://www.windaction.org/articles/36983 Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:12:25 GMT The report highlights an ongoing debate throughout the region for setback distances. Minnesota has a minimum setback of 500 feet of turbines from occupied dwellings. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency also states that turbines must create less than 50 decibels of noise to minimize impacts, which typically forces larger setbacks. However, the MPCA does not measure wind turbines for LFN impacts. http://www.windaction.org/articles/36983 http://www.windaction.org/articles/35639 Sat, 28 Jul 2012 10:04:37 GMT Critics contend that the industry has been propped up by tax dollars for two decades and should now either stand or fall on its own merits. One projection says an extension would come with a bill of $4.1 billion over the next 10 years. Regardless of the outcome, wind industry officials are predicting a rough year in 2013. http://www.windaction.org/articles/35639 http://www.windaction.org/articles/35339 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 23:10:28 GMT Roughly 24 hours after winning a legal challenge that could kick-start construction of the AWA Goodhue wind project, the project was mentioned in a lawsuit filed by the American Bird Conservancy against the federal government. http://www.windaction.org/articles/35339 http://www.windaction.org/articles/34149 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:27:52 GMT A controversial wind farm proposed near Red Wing plans to ask for federal permission to legally kill eagles, making it one of the first in the nation to participate in a new federal strategy aimed at managing the often-lethal conflict between birds and turbine blades. http://www.windaction.org/articles/34149 http://www.windaction.org/articles/33814 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:18:41 GMT An initiative led by Congressman John Kline (MN-R) would do more than terminate the federal stimulus renewable energy program that funded the bankrupt $535 million notorious Solyndra solar power project. If successful, it would also knock the wind out of a key funding source for one of the nation's most controversial wind projects -T. Boone Pickens' proposed $180 million AWA Goodhue Wind farm in Kline's congressional district. http://www.windaction.org/articles/33814 http://www.windaction.org/articles/30804 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:52:48 GMT The report describes problems including financing, assessing the long-term competitiveness of wind energy, finding locations and dealing with complaints from neighbors as inhibiting development of wind farms. "I'm less worried about the long-term competitiveness of wind," Mastic said. http://www.windaction.org/articles/30804 http://www.windaction.org/articles/30420 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:46:37 GMT Federal authorities on Thursday approved a plan that could make it easier to deliver wind energy from Minnesota and the Dakotas to the eastern United States. The proposal boosts the chances that a $725 million high-voltage power line proposed from Brookings, S.D., to Hampton in Dakota County will be built. http://www.windaction.org/articles/30420 http://www.windaction.org/articles/29742 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:24:21 GMT The CEO of the American Wind Energy Association Denise Bode said Congress failed to mandate renewable energy use. She said as a result, utilities are building more coal fired power plants and buying less electricity from wind producers. http://www.windaction.org/articles/29742 http://www.windaction.org/articles/29718 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:41:53 GMT Suzlon Group's Pipestone factory, which once employed 500 people, will lay off most of its remaining workers as U.S. demand for wind power sits becalmed for now. ...The U.S. wind-power industry expects to install about half as much generating capacity as it did last year, a trade group reported Friday. http://www.windaction.org/articles/29718 http://www.windaction.org/articles/25475 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:07:17 GMT For those who suspect residents in places like Minnesota of embellishment when it comes to their tales of bitterly cold winter weather, consider this: even some wind turbines, it seems, cannot bear it. Turbines, more than 100 feet tall, were installed last year in 11 Minnesota cities to provide power, and also to serve as educational symbols in a state that has mandated that a quarter of its electricity come from renewable resources by 2025. http://www.windaction.org/articles/25475 http://www.windaction.org/articles/23716 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:48:02 GMT Wind energy production nationwide increased by 1,649 megawatts during the third quarter, but you'd never know it by looking at wind installation in Iowa and Minnesota, the largest wind energy states in the Midwest. Both states recorded no gain in installed wind energy, although they have a total of seven wind projects under construction as the fourth quarter began. http://www.windaction.org/articles/23716 http://www.windaction.org/articles/23414 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:06:33 GMT As 37-mile-per-hour gusts blasted downtown Minneapolis on Thursday, hundreds of wind-energy executives were inside the Minneapolis Hilton, discussing the challenges their industry still faces. Chief among those challenges: weather-related down times and - perhaps more surprisingly - utilities unwilling to accept energy from wind farms because their high-voltage transmission lines can't accept any more power. http://www.windaction.org/articles/23414 http://www.windaction.org/articles/20147 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:15:35 GMT Across the Great Plains the wind blows incessantly, while in the remote Nevada desert the sun bears down without relief. Each holds the potential of a vast new energy resource. While wind turbine and solar projects are ready to capture this new, eco-friendly energy source, where are the transmission lines to get the power to where it is needed? http://www.windaction.org/articles/20147 http://www.windaction.org/articles/18755 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:35:09 GMT While the focus on renewable energy may be good for the environment and the local economy, the turbines themselves can be a traffic nightmare for those who must figure out how to move the massive parts across the country. Some also say they pose a safety risk. ...Lisa Linowes, executive director of the Industrial Wind Action Group, cited problems caused by large wind loads ..."Under the pressure to get construction done, corners get cut," Linowes said. http://www.windaction.org/articles/18755 http://www.windaction.org/articles/17676 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:51:12 GMT How big a deal is two cents? Well, it's a big deal if you're trying to produce wind energy. A federal production tax credit of 1.9 cents per kilowatt hour is set to expire at the end of the year. Wind energy producers generally expect lawmakers to renew the credit, but Congress has yet to act. With time running out, the wind power industry is scrambling. ...Xcel's Frank Prager said the end of the tax credit on December 31, is rippling through the wind industry. He said many U.S. companies are rushing to finish projects before the deadline. http://www.windaction.org/articles/17676 http://www.windaction.org/articles/13523 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:58:22 GMT Wind energy companies are hoping for quick action on a tax credit affecting their industry when congress resumes work later this month. The credit is set to expire at the end of this year. The organizer of a wind project in western Minnesota says that is creating uncertainty which could slow development of Minnesota's growing wind production. ...Most people in the wind industry expect Congress will act soon to extend the tax credit past the end of the year. Brent Olson of Big Stone Wind says that should happen in the next few months. If it does not happen, he and others will scramble to decide how that decision affects their corner of the wind energy world. http://www.windaction.org/articles/13523 http://www.windaction.org/articles/13518 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:53:37 GMT The largest wind turbine manufactured in the United States is running into some technical difficulty. Clipper Windpower Inc.'s 2.5-MW Liberty wind turbines at the 20-MW Steel Winds facility in Lackawanna, N.Y., are malfunctioning due to faulty gear sets. "At first, we were receiving great performance from the turbines," said Michael Alvarez, executive vice president and COO of UPC Wind Partners LLC, which co-owns the facility with BQ Energy LLC. "Over the summer, a gear-timing issue in the drive train's secondary stage was detected in some of Clipper Windpower's Liberty wind turbines at the Steel Winds site. The cause was found to be a supplier quality deficiency in the drive train attributable to the suppliers' manufacturing process. As part of Clipper's warranty, upgraded drive trains will be installed into all eight turbines at the Steel Winds site. Currently, two turbines are in operation." http://www.windaction.org/articles/13518