Documents
Comments on the draft biological opinion for the proposed Shaffer Mountain wind project
February 9, 2011
by William S. Eubanks II and Eric R. Glitzenstein
This important letter details the inadequacy of the draft biological opinion prepared by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in reference to the proposed Shaffer Mountain Wind facility. An excerpt of the letter is provided below. The full document can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.
Also filed under [
Impact on Wildlife|
Pennsylvania]
The New Zealand Ministry for the Environment Board of Inquiry released this draft report and decision on the proposed Turitea wind energy facility. The project initially consisted of 122 turbines but later reduced to include a maximum of 104 – 2.3MW turbines or 96 – 3MW turbines with an installed capacity of up to 288MW. The draft decision further reduces the turbine count to 61 towers. An excerpt from the executive summary is provided below. The full report can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.
Also filed under [
General|
Australia / New Zealand]
Dr. Daniel Shepherd was invited by the Ohariu Preservation Society in New Zealand to provide an evaluation of the impact of turbine noise on health and well-being. The report specifically references the proposed Mill Creek wind energy facility proposed to be built on rural land northwest of Wellington, New Zealand in the Makara and Ohariu valleys. His full report can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page. The conclusions of his report are shown below.
Rhode Island memorandum of law on net metering
February 2, 2011
by Advocacy Section of the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers
The following is a memorandum of law prepared by the Advocacy Section of the Rhode Island division of public utilities and carriers. The memo relates to a complaint filed by Rhode Island resident Benjamin Riggs involving a wind turbine installed and operated by the Town of Portsmouth.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Rhode Island]
The economic impact of Montana’s renewable portfolio standard
January 31, 2011
by American Tradition Institute
The report, prepared by economists at the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University in Boston, found that Montanans will likely pay $225 million more for power in 2015 because of the state's RPS, and it could cost them as much as $348 million more. Meanwhile there will be negligible environmental benefit, as it is unclear whether use of renewables such as wind and solar actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
Montana]
Decision denying a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the Manzana wind project
December 21, 2010
by Administrative Law Judge Maryam Ebke
PG&E Corp. ended its bid to buy a 246 MW wind farm project from Iberdrola for $900 million after an administrative law judge recommended that California regulators reject the proposal. The summary of the law judge's recommendation can be read below. The proposed decision submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission can be accessed by clicking the link(s) below.
Also filed under [
California]
The problems with ‘Noise Numbers’ for wind farm noise assessment
September, 2010
by Dr. Robert Thorne
Dr. Robert Thorne presented this paper at the annual symposium on turbine noise held by the Society for Wind Vigilance. The evidence documented in his paper show "there is the potential for adverse health effects for individuals due to wind farm activity while living in their residences and while working on their farms within 3500 metres of large-scale turbines". Dr. Thorne's complete paper can be downloaded by clicking on one of the links at the bottom of this page.
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Noise]
On January 10, 2011, at 1057 Pacific standard time, a Rockwell International S-2R, impacted a meteorological tower (met tower) during an aerial application on Webb Tract Island,
Oakley, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the pilot was killed. The met tower was erected for the purposes of planning a wind energy facility. The preliminary NTSB report can accessed at the link(s) below.
Also filed under [
Safety|
California]
Jonathan Lesser explores how high-cost subsidized renewable resources risk destroying jobs and hurting consumers.
False claims that “wind farms” provide large economic and job benefits
January 3, 2011
by Glenn R. Schleede
Energy expert Glenn Schleede details key flaws found in the Jobs and Economic Development Impact model (JEDI) used by the DOE's National Renewable Energy "Laboratory" (NREL) to the forecast economic benefits of wind energy development.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
USA]