News
Category:
Wisconsin
Much of Highway 33 in eastern Columbia County will become a de facto construction zone next spring, as 90 wind turbines start to rise into the skyline.
Before the We Energies turbines stand about 400 feet from ground to the highest blade tip, they'll take the form of components, moving into the county on trucks.
Also filed under [
General]
WPL is penalized for unclear information about wind-farm project
November 12, 2010 by Judy Newman in Wisconsin State Journal
November 12, 2010 by Judy Newman in Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin Power & Light got a slap on the wrist from state regulators for not making it clear that there will be problems getting electricity out to consumers from a major wind farm the Madison utility company is building in Minnesota.
Last April, WPL requested a $35.4 million rate boost for 2011, primarily to help pay for the Bent Tree wind farm near Albert Lea, Minn.
Also filed under [
Impact on Economy|
Transmission]
Agency cuts rate increase sought by Alliant Energy; PSC says utility was tardy with reports
November 12, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
November 12, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
Higley said concerns about the wind farm underscore the significance of the lawsuit that his group and the Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group filed last year after the commission approved the wind farm.
The commission didn't use its most exhaustive review process for the project because it was located outside Wisconsin, but Higley and Todd Stuart of WIEG said it's possible the transmission challenges would have become apparent earlier if the more detailed review process had been used.
Also filed under [
Impact on Economy]
Wind farm backers face a long, cold winter of discontent
November 11, 2010 by Jeff Alexander in WBAY-TVWatch
November 11, 2010 by Jeff Alexander in WBAY-TVWatch
The wind turbine debate has become so heated and divisive here in southern Brown County, the principal of Morrison Zion Lutheran School says staff recently imposed a moratorium on students discussing the topic during school.
Also filed under [
General]
"Basically, I think they're locking people in their homes here and people that want to get out, they're going to take a big loss. I think it's really sad," said Belinda Gagnon, who lives near the wind farm.
Also filed under [
Impact on Landscape|
Impact on People]
State's tallest wind turbines to begin operating near Green Bay
November 10, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
November 10, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
Towering above farm fields on the Niagara Escarpment south of Green Bay are some of the tallest wind turbines in the nation - rising nearly 500 feet from the ground to the tip of a blade, only about 100 feet shorter than Wisconsin's highest skyscraper, the U.S. Bank building in Milwaukee.
Also filed under [
General]
A new report by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance says the construction of new power plants in the state in recent years has driven up electrical rates, created excess capacity just when the recession was reducing demand, and eliminated the state's competitive edge as one of the nation's cheapest places to buy power.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy]
Renewable energy mandate may get new scrutiny
November 6, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
November 6, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
After the administration of Gov. Jim Doyle pursued an aggressive agenda pushing the expansion of renewable energy, Governor-elect Scott Walker and the new Republican-controlled Legislature will take a second look at the costs of going green.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy]
Kestell said he asked for the public hearing on new wind turbine siting standards in response to concerns from constituents ..."There are many questions and concerns about these rules from citizens statewide and I have personally heard from many constituents as there are existing wind turbines in my district."
Also filed under [
Energy Policy]
Wind turbine plan whips up a controversy in Forest
October 29, 2010 by Jeff Holmquist in New Richmond News
October 29, 2010 by Jeff Holmquist in New Richmond News
Forest resident Jaime Junker, spokesperson for "Forest Voice," said there was a "rush" to get the agreement signed and that the appropriate steps were not followed ...He said the town's planning commission never voted on a recommendation on the matter.
Also filed under [
General]
Opportunities and risks linked to development of wind energy were in the spotlight Wednesday in Milwaukee and Madison.
Also filed under [
Impact on People]
Potato-and-bean farmers would suffer devastating losses if high-tech windmills were allowed near their crops. That's what state senators were told yesterday, at a public hearing on new rules for locating wind energy farms.
Also filed under [
General]
Some farmers raise questions about wind farm sites
October 13, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentine
October 13, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentine
Developers are concerned that some of the restrictions may force them to develop wind projects out of state instead of here. And they left opponents of wind farms critical that the PSC didn't go far.
Also filed under [
General]
"My wife and I decided to file the lawsuit after the PSC adopted the rules in their current form without doing an environmental assessment on the rules or evaluating the adverse environmental impacts of wind energy projects." Stoddard said the commission violated the Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act and the state's smart growth law.
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Energy Policy]
The suit alleges the PSC did not make the proper environmental impact study before coming up with the rules, which were proposed in August.
Also filed under [
Impact on People]
Kelly and state Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, have taken the lead in bipartisan legislation to clarify Community Based Energy Development status, which Kelly says is being manipulated by large commercial projects. He didn't specifically refer to the massive Goodhue County project being developed by AWA Goodhue.
Also filed under [
General]
Residents voicing their concerns over wind turbine project in St. Croix County
October 5, 2010 in WQOW TV 18
October 5, 2010 in WQOW TV 18
The Town of Forest isn't zoned, which is why residents feel their community was targeted for the project. The state is working on coming up with unified rules to address wind turbines, but because the project is already approved the town would be exempt.
Also filed under [
General]
State says power supplies will be plentiful through 2016
October 5, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
October 5, 2010 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel
Thanks to new power plants, such as the We Energies coal-fired power plant in Oak Creek, Wisconsin will have at least 24% more electricity available than it needs to meet projected demand, the report says.
"Excess reserves may increase the opportunity for Wisconsin utilities to export power in the regional market," the report says.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy]
An official with Acciona, a global energy company, confirmed that it has decided not to develop the EcoMagnolia project.
"That's a case where I think ... it was not an adequate wind resource for us to commit our full development for the project area," said Chip Readling.
Also filed under [
General]
Wisconsin wind turbine rule can be revised, Public Service Commission member says
September 16, 2010 by Tony Walter in Greenbay Press Gazette
September 16, 2010 by Tony Walter in Greenbay Press Gazette
"While I support the overall rule because it will promote the development of wind in Wisconsin, the rule fails to provide a much-needed safety net for people whose health declines because of a wind turbine located near their home," Commissioner Lauren Azar wrote to legislative officials in an Aug. 31 letter.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy]
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