Planning Board chairman Gary Gilbert said his board has begun that exploration, which will include hiring a consultant and visiting wind facilities. Gilbert has prepared a draft bylaw, but "the board is not ready to go through that yet because they want to learn about the general subject matter first," he said. "It's new to many people on the board." Board of Selectmen chairwoman Sue Thorne said she supports developing a comprehensive wind bylaw "as long as there are reasonable and sensible guidelines. By having a bylaw in place, it gives any applicant an opportunity to be aware of what the parameters are" for building a tower to harness wind energy.

Construction of Canada's biggest wind farm could start in Essex County in 2009 if all approvals fall into line, a company spokesman says. The $500-million Brookfield Power project is nearing the end of the environmental assessment approval process, and local planning approvals aren't that far behind. Brookfield operates what is now the country's largest wind farm just north of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. In an interview Friday, Ian Kerr, a Gatineau-based senior manager for Brookfield, said the Ontario Power Authority is scheduled to call for proposals on wind energy in mid-2008. Allowing three or four months for proposal preparation and approval, a construction start in 2009 is realistic, he said.

One of Britain's largest green energy companies has damned the MoD as being "biggest single obstacle to wind power in the UK" after it opposed a second Norfolk wind farm. The future of wind energy in the county was thrown into doubt last night after it emerged that the MoD has raised concerns over Ecotricity's plans for six turbines between Sporle and Swaffham. The MoD says that trials conducted in 2004 and 2005 on the effects of wind turbines on radar systems identified that even solitary turbines can significantly reduce operational effectiveness when in line of sight.

A plan to build a major wind farm on Lewis should be allowed to go ahead, but on a much smaller scale, Western Isles councillors decided yesterday. Scottish & Southern Energy had wanted to put up 125 turbines - each nearly 500ft tall - at Pairc in South Lochs, but later reduced this to 57 bigger and more powerful generators. However, yesterday the council's environment and protective services committee backed only 26 of these, saying the other 31 were in unsuitable sites. A spokesman for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - Western Isles Council - said: "We are not saying it has to be 26. If they could resite some of these turbines, the council was open to that."

report into the handling of a planning application to build Lincolnshire's biggest wind farm has been released. Planners at East Lindsey District Council made a catalogue of errors in dealing with the 20-turbine wind farm at Conisholme. It was first refused and then later approved by East Lindsey District planners in 2005.

Uncompromising evidence from an Aotea Harbour resident has forced the adjournment of a Resource Management Act hearing for the Te Uku wind farm until at least February. It remains to be seen whether sail design consultant and aerodynamicist Sean Cox has scuttled Wel Networks' plans to build a 28-turbine wind farm 3km south of Te Uku, but he has certainly blown the Ngaruawahia hearing off course for a few months. ...In a two-hour tour-de-force on Wednesday, Mr Cox set about debunking the economic case for the wind farm, its carbon emissions justification, the available wind resource at Te Uku, adverse noise and health effects, and challenged the expertise of some of Wel's consultants.

"The Ministry of Defence expresses its strongest possible opposition to this proposal. "The one and only basis of its opposition is that this proposal will have a serious adverse effect on the operation and effectiveness of the Air Defence Radar System of the United Kingdom through its effect upon the radar at Brizlee Wood." The Ministry of Defence also submitted a condition to the inquiry, that, should the wind farm proposal be approved by inspector Alan Novitzky, the ultimate decision on the erection of the wind farm should lie with the Air Officer of Battleship movement, who is described as the "person best capable of making the judgement as to the effect upon the efficacy on the air defence system caused by the proposed development".

The Hamlin Town Board will discuss proposed laws to regulate wind towers during a workshop meeting tonight at Town Hall. The draft legislation, prepared by attorneys from Hodgson Russ, was outlined to the board during a Nov. 14 meeting. "Our goal is to have laws in place regarding wind towers so we can retain local control if a project is proposed," said Supervisor Denny Roach. A wind power company is investigating whether Hamlin would be a good site for a wind farm, but hasn't made any formal proposals. Informally, the company has said such a farm could include numerous tall wind turbines, each nearly 400 feet high.

Being close to a windmill lowers the value of a property, says Derby's Board of Civil Authority (BCA). After inspecting property belonging to George and Doris Buzzell, the board decided to lower its appraised value by 10 percent from $242,300 to $227,600. ...According to the minutes of recent BCA meetings, the Buzzells objected to the recent revaluation of their property on Ridgehill Drive off Shattuck Hill Road. The couple was represented at meetings on October 29 and November 7 by Trevor Evans and Raymond Toolan. Mr. Toolan argued that noise and light from a windmill within 300 feet of the Buzzells' house lessens the home's value. The Buzzells say noises, vibrations and lights from the windmill, owned by Senator Vince Illuzzi and located on his property, interfere with the enjoyment of their home. Mr. Buzzell's "quality of living is far different today than when he purchased the property," Mr. Toolan said.

With hearings on a wind power case set to begin Monday in front of the Kansas Corporation Commission, a complication is developing. One of the three commissioners already has recused himself from the case, and now a watchdog group wants the other two recused, suggesting they may have been improperly influenced by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. The governor's office says she did no such thing but has no idea how the matter would proceed if there was nobody to hear it. ...But even if Moffet and/or Wright wished to recuse themselves at this point, they could not, according to the office of Attorney General Paul Morrison. Citing a legal principle known as the Rule of Necessity in Administrative Law, the office said that commissioner who may be subject to disqualification for "bias, prejudice or prejudgment of the issues" are not disqualified if their absence prevents a decision from being made.

County commissioners expressed support Tuesday for bringing wind turbines to Hutchinson Island, but were divided over whether to put them on public land. Florida Power & Light Co. has proposed up to nine turbines, which would be the first of their kind in the state, at several different locations on the island. Four would be on public land and the other five would be located at the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant, the first on the grounds of a nuclear plant site in the United States.

A PUBLIC meeting has been called to discuss controversial proposals to erect 13 wind turbines across a swathe of Fenland countryside. Peterborough City Council planning chiefs are currently assessing applications for two separate schemes on neighbouring strips of land abutting the Cambridgeshire border. ...Mr Potts said: "We respectfully ask that any application for wind turbines is taken after the findings of Defra's investigation. We do not want the Fens to become a dumping ground for these inefficient systems."

Councillor David Markinson put forward a motion to the council asking it to oppose any proposed wind farms in the district, because he claims there are doubts about the efficiency and environmental benefits. ...Mr Markinson's motion to the council said: "In light of the increasing doubts about the efficiency and environmental effects of onshore wind farms, this council resolves to oppose any further proposals in west Norfolk until further substantial evidence becomes available."

Residents are raging over plans for a huge wind farm. Around 10 turbines nearly as big as Blackpool Tower have been planned for a site near Marton. ...residents oppose the plans. They claim, ..."The desire to build wind farms is not based on local needs but is driven by the profit motives of the companies and by the greed and selfishness of the landowners involved.

As wind power continues to generate excitement for a "green" energy source in the future, developers are looking to Fillmore County as a potential source of the needed winds, especially in the southwestern part of the county. During its monthly meeting Nov. 15, the Fillmore County Planning Commission heard Minneapolis-based representatives of enXco present the second and third requests this year to put up meteorological towers to obtain information on winds.

THE final decision on whether a controversial wind farm near Brent Knoll will be given the go ahead is expected to be announced on Friday. After months of planning meetings and appeal inquiries the planning inspectorate will announce whether or not five wind turbines will be built at a farm off Stoddens Lane. ...The nearest village is Brent Knoll, which is 600m north-east of the proposed site. Several residents of the village were present throughout the entire appeal and the 40 stalwarts were personally thanked by Mr Brookes at the close of the inquiry.

After years of debate over the controversial wind farm and approval granted two years ago, construction has begun. It dominates the Louth Marsh landscape and the view from the Wolds. All 20 turbines are expected to be in place and operating early in the New Year. ...There were 137 letters of protest to the proposal and ELDC's Planning Committee initially refused the application. The controversial site was deemed hazardous to aircraft radar and military jets using RAF Donna Nook bombing range. Councillors also agreed that the visual impact on the Louth Marsh detracted from the spire of St James' Church, Louth.

For decades, coal-fired power stations have been among the biggest contributors to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Now, as climate change moves near the top of the world agenda, a sizeable investment opportunity is emerging for coal power equipment manufacturers and companies that build power plants and coal producers. This is one of many conclusions reached at AllianceBernstein after two years of research into the investment implications of climate change. Our analysts conducted more than 500 visits and interviews with companies, consultants, scientists and legislators. ...But renewable energy is not the cure for the world's addiction to fossil fuels, our research found. Wind power, solar energy and hydropower have compelling advantages, such as inexhaustible fuel supply and minimal emissions of CO2. But initial costs, reliability and transmission problems are severe disadvantages. We expect renewable energy, including hydropower, to gain market share, growing from 17% of global electric output this year to 19.5% in 2030. But wind power will supply only 5% of total world electricity in 2030, even after a 10-fold leap in global production.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' administration Thursday was in damage control mode over its decision to reject two massive coal-fired plants in western Kansas. In a speech to a Rotary Club in Topeka, Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson repeatedly emphasized development of alternative energy projects in western Kansas, and the accompanying economic activity. ..."I think they are trying to create a vision that things are all perfect," said Kreutzer, a plumbing and mechanical supply contractor. But, he said, denial of the coal-fired plants has chased off a lot of potential development in the region. And Sebelius' refusal to allow the plants to be constructed has produced a potential political standoff, he said.

A massive wind farm project in Gray County is on hold today because County Commissioners decided more information is needed. The wind farm is proposed by T. Boone Pickens, who would like Northern Gray County to be designated as a reinvestment zone so they can apply for a tax abatement. ..."So many people here that have built Gray County and they've paid their taxes, year, after year, after year. I just feel like Mr. Pickens and his wind farm machine, I think he ought to pay his fair share of taxes if he's going to come in here." said Kathleene Greene of Pampa.