After receiving support from the business community, public and school districts, the plan to create an Enhanced Enterprise Zone (EEZ) in Adair County will move forward. This step will clear the way for Trade Wind Energy to proceed in developing and installing a wind turbine farm on parts of Adair and Sullivan counties. The application for the EEZ must now be approved by the County Commission and then the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

As a proposal for a 300-megawatt wind farm in northern Benton County continues to gain support from local farmers, a state environmental group has expressed concerns about the potential impact on wildlife habitat the operation could have in the area. About 50 farmers and landowners in northern Benton County agreed this month to pursue the development of a 300-megawatt wind farm that would install between 100 and 125 wind turbines on their properties.

A heated national debate is now occurring over whether renewable energy projects, such as wind farms, create a substantial number of jobs for Americans. A controversial analysis recently undertaken by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University alleged that stimulus money intended to bolster the renewable energy industry continues to flow overseas. The analysis also claimed that "while some construction jobs are created when a wind farm is built, they last, on average, nine months."

NextEra Energy Resources is considering developing a 200-megawatt wind farm project spreading across DeKalb and Clinton counties. “It is an area we are very interested in,” said Steve Stengel, spokesman for NextEra Energy Resources. “We have been talking to potential landowners about the project.”

A wind farm's proposal to pay fees to DeKalb County in lieu of taxes found rejection Monday. "This was just the opening round in negotiations with Wind Capital" ...Wind Capital's proposed distribution of PILOT (payment of lieu of taxes) fees upset several school districts and other tax entities in DeKalb County.

Charlie Porter has farmed north of King City for years, but it's the new farm next door he says is robbing his family. Talking about the Wind Capital facility nearby, Porter explains, "These windmills have stole our peace and quiet." The massive wind energy farm was built around his ranch a few years ago, changing the look and "sound" of things.

Proposals in Congress to rein in carbon dioxide emissions believed to be contributing to man-made global climate change have brought any plans to build or invest in new coal-burning power plants to a halt. "Looking 20 years out, it gets very difficult to do that in today's environment," Hartman said. "It's an uncertain future on coal and it takes a few years to build (a plant)."

Barbara Ashbee-Lormand traveled from central Ontario to central Vermont in late October to a discussion of an industrial wind turbine development proposed for the town of Ira, organized by Vermonters for a Clean Environment. She's a rare figure in the debate over the effects big wind towers have on people. She's one of only two homeowners that a major wind company, Canadian Hydro Developers, has conceded it bought out because of their complaints that the huge gadgets proved to be impossible to live with.

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.

Land in northern Jasper County near a site once eyed for a landfill now is being evaluated as a possible wind farm location. Representatives of Iberdrola Renewables met Thursday at Carthage Memorial Hall with about 200 landowners about potential property leases. "We are looking at Jasper County and meeting with interested landowners," said Paul Copleman, communications manager with the company. "But, it's very early in the process."

It took a St. Clair County jury less than an hour last month to find Wetzel guilty on four counts of forgery for falsifying a building permit on a 120-foot wind turbine he wanted to construct at his business, which sits near Illinois Route 157 and Interstate 64. Village attorney Duane Clarke, who did not prosecute the case, said each of the forgery charges resulted when Wetzel presented a demolition permit to the police and zoning departments to make it appear he also had permission to build the structure.

Average wind speeds in Missouri are lower than reported on a state-produced wind map, said a University of Missouri atmospheric scientist. This finding may affect utilities and private investors planning to build wind turbines to provide clean, renewable energy. Lower-than-predicted wind speeds also may make it harder to meet goals set in 2008 by Missouri Proposition C ...to obtain a gradually increasing percentage of their energy from renewable sources.

After last week's meeting between the Adair County Commission and Trade Wind Energy, it was apparent more discussion would need to be made to bring wind energy to the county. Over the last six months, Project Manager Rob Northway has been developing a plan to build a 14-mile long wind farm that could cost up to $300 million and accommodate nearly 500 megawatts. The only problem is funding.

Zoltek Cos. Inc. posted a loss in its fiscal third quarter as wind farm developers delay projects to see how they can cash in on the federal stimulus package. The company lost $1.4 million in the quarter ended June 30, compared with a profit of $2.3 million a year ago.

A long-running campaign to build a wind turbine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn has been dealt another blow by councillors. The latest application to build an 80m turbine in the hospital grounds has been refused by West Norfolk's development control board ...This is the second planning application for the turbine which has been turned down.

Some Missouri residents who power their homes with wind turbines or solar panels won't need extra insurance. The Missouri Public Service Commission on Thursday said it has changed course on requiring homeowners to buy liability insurance if they generate their own power and want to feed excess electricity back into the power grid.

Resident Charlie Porter is suing over the noise. His 20-acre farm north of King City is surrounded by the giant wind turbines. "On a bad day, what does it sound like?" KMBC's Kris Ketz asked Porter. "It sounds like a helicopter, or a train coming that never arrives," Porter said.

Wind turbines located too close to homes and humans can pose a health hazard, a Mars Hill area resident warned New Denmark homeowners during a REACT (Reacts Efforts Against Construction of Turbines in New Denmark) sponsored meeting held in the community recently. ...Todd said if wind turbines setbacks were increased, the negative effects on nearby landowners would be greatly reduced, if not eliminated.

The two sides are scheduled to meet Tuesday night at the company headquarters to discuss the company's 120-foot wind turbine. It was installed in April "to help Aldridge Electric offset their retail rate electricity," according to a company news release. Since then, neighbors have complained of noise levels, light from the turbine's reflective surface, and the "flicker effect" created by the rotating fan blade.

The company has a detailed complaint resolution process which it made available Thursday to The Daily News. It also has a 24-hour telephone hotline for reporting turbine issues. "We encourage people if they have a concern that they should call that number, and we check it daily," said Project Manager Eric Miller. "We keep a log of who calls."