A proposal to place a meteorological tower on Antrim's Tuttle Hill to study whether the spot is ideal for wind turbines to generate electricity has ruffled some feathers. The debate in Antrim is just one example of the controversy blowing across the country over the placement of wind farms as the focus on renewable energy sources grows. Last month, the Antrim zoning board gave Antrim Wind Energy LLC permission to place a temporary 196-foot tower on privately owned property off Route 9.

Windfarm operators say new guidelines could jeopardise extension plans for their project near Fintry - and massive cash boosts for local villages along with it. Falck Renewables is looking to extend the Earlsburn windfarm and an application for a further nine turbines is currently with Stirling Council. The new proposal would broaden the community benefits package ...But the company says moves by Stirling Council to update its windfarm policy could prove too restrictive.

Back in July, DDC wrote to the Government asking for guidance on how it should deal with a proliferation of ‘speculative' proposals for wind farms in the local area. ...Replying to the council, the Rt Hon Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, Minister of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, said: "You make the point that clearer leadership is required on the issue of sustainable energy and what installations are actually needed ...I agree we need to show clear leadership in this area, and while I agree there is more to do, I think we are going in the right direction."

Wind turbines are a permitted use in town, but there's hardly anything on the books to regulate the devices, according to town officials. Article 2, Question 2, on the November referendum would change all that. "People are talking about (wind turbines) so we should have something out there to guide it," said Code Enforcement Officer Jodine Adams, who noted two turbines are already up and running in town. The Wells municipal code minimally addresses wind turbines, she said, but the proposed ordinance would establish a slew of guidelines that aren't yet addressed in town law.

A newly activated subcommittee of the Macon County Board voted 6-0 Tuesday evening to pass along two revised ordinances to the board's Environmental, Health, Education and Welfare Committee. The Siting, Rules and Ordinance Subcommittee first approved changes to an ordinance governing the siting and construction of wind energy conversion systems.

Two utility-scale wind projects on hold in Berkshire County, with a combined 45 megawatts of capacity, would expand wind generated electricity in the state by about 500 percent and power the equivalent of 15,000 homes, according to local and state officials. But both are tied up in litigation filed by local property owners, and one of the projects has been delayed for more than five years. A bill pending in the Legislature might cut the time needed for permitting, eliminating much of the litigation-generated delays.

After months of information gathering, Ellis County commissioners revisited proposed changes to the county's zoning regulations during Monday's meeting. However, they still took no action on the changes. Specifically, commissioners discussed proposed changes to setback requirements and noise standards in the regulations. Commissioner Glenn Diehl said he wants to protect platted, multiple-lot developments in the county the most. He proposed a 1.5-mile setback for wind turbine location from those areas.

Jim and Merlene Stiles, owners of Super Fresh Produce in Austin, are interested in building a wind turbine on their property. But as of now, they can't - a local moratorium is in place on turbine construction as the city is without a specific ordinance regulating their construction. That could change, however, as city officials go forward with a draft ordinance that would layout the dos and don'ts of wind turbine growth within city limits.

Mayoral candidates James Shanley and Donna Holaday were open and honest when asked during a debate last week if the city should allow for more wind turbines to go up in Newburyport. "We blew it; we really blew it as a city on this," Holaday said. Saying city officials were "excited" at the chance to move forward and see alternative energy resources in the city when faced with the proposal by Mark Richey Woodworking, Holaday admitted they didn't have the research and data they needed to properly site it.

Fayette County commissioners took no action following a hearing to make revisions to an ordinance that permits commercial and residential windmills and wind turbines as a permitted use, rather than by special exception, in areas zoned agricultural, light industrial or heavy industrial. Commissioners had approved the ordinance in June, but attorney Richard Bower, representing Iberdrola Renewables of Portland, Ore., said the ordinance required some minor revisions.

As wind energy sweeps through the county, Sheridan officials are looking to adopt legislation to regulate potential wind energy conversion system (WECS) projects within the town. ...Due to the topography of Sheridan - no vast open spaces or rolling hills, but a busy airport - Farnham explained the township is unique, making their focus on small, private WECS projects rather than commercial prospects.

The rolling ridges of the countryside aren't the only pieces of Northwest Missouri real estate ripe for wind power development. With its hills and tall buildings, St. Joseph holds potential for residents or businesses interested in generating their own electricity. The problem: The city does not have a set of rules available to grant a permit for or regulate where wind turbines may go. Not yet, at least.

The Winnebago County Board overwhelmingly passed an ordinance Thursday night that will allow the location of wind farms in the county. The 27-1 vote was the culmination of six months of work that began when officials from Minnesota-based Navitas Energy started looking at a potential wind farm site near Seward and discovered that Winnebago County had no ordinance to allow wind turbine construction.

As has been the case for more than six months, the issue involving wind turbines again dominated the Butler Township supervisors meeting Tuesday evening. The township municipal building was again filled to standing-room only with township residents and others who oppose the proposed project planned by Broad Mountain Development Co. LLC, a Rich family company. Broad Mountain has a proposed locating 27 wind turbines in the Fountain Springs area, a plan strongly opposed by local residents.

A resident's petition asking the town to approve a 180-day moratorium on wind power development was found sufficient by selectmen Tuesday night. There were 115 valid signatures on the petition. The decision on whether to hold a referendum at the polls or a special town meeting to vote on the issue was tabled until all members of the Board of Selectmen are present. James Parker's petition says that the full impact of wind turbines has not been fully explored.

New jobs and noise - both seen as byproducts of wind farms - were discussed Tuesday as a hearing on a proposed, 333-turbine project in eastern McLean County continued for a second day. Horizon Wind Energy LLC is seeking a special-use permit from McLean County for Black Prairie Wind Farm, which would be built north of Illinois 9. Horizon owns the 240-turbine Twin Groves Wind Farm, which is across Illinois 9 from the Black Prairie site.

A request for a new wind farm that would be larger than the existing Twin Groves Wind Farm is under review by the McLean County Zoning Board of Appeals. The hearing began Monday night at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts and will continue at 6 p.m. today at the BCPA, 600 N. East St. Horizon Wind Energy LLC is seeking a special-use permit to build its Black Prairie Wind Farm.

Clearfield County Planning Commission listened to a pair of concerned citizens at its meeting last night who shared information about a proposed wind energy project. Brady Township resident Gary Swope shared information about the 43-turbine project projected for Brady, Bloom and Penn townships by Iberdrola Renewables. Swope reported the project area would contain industrial-sized wind turbines measuring 300 feet across its blades and 400 feet from the ground to its highest point.

Arran-Elderslie is likely to impose a one-year moratorium, with a possible one-year extension, on construction of large wind turbines. Council is expected to pass an interim control bylaw Oct. 26 despite being told by the provincial government such bylaws are not allowed. "There are a lot of people with some real concerns about these turbines," Elderslie ward Coun. Mark Davis told council.

Winnebago County Board members are set to put an end to what turned into several months of intense lobbying by unions, environmental groups and others when they vote Thursday night on an ordinance to allow wind farms in the county. Most of the details - such has how far back a wind turbine should be from a property line - have been worked out and agreed upon by most everyone involved.