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Altamont Pass turbines kill fewer birds
January 29, 2013 by David R. Baker in San Francisco Chronicle
January 29, 2013 by David R. Baker in San Francisco Chronicle
The tall, grassy hills, raked by stiff winds in spring and summer, offer prime hunting territory for owls, hawks and eagles. Focused on spotting prey, many birds soar straight into the spinning blades of turbines.
But efforts to curb the bloodshed may be starting to work.
The turbine has not undergone the level of scrutiny required for a smaller proposed turbine that stirred up controversy on adjacent property at Camp Perry.
That project, a proposed 198-foot high, 500 to 600-kilowatt, federally funded turbine, triggered reviews by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Also filed under [
Impact on Wildlife|
Ohio]
New western Maryland wind energy project in works
January 27, 2013 by Timothy B. Wheeler in The Baltimore Sun
January 27, 2013 by Timothy B. Wheeler in The Baltimore Sun
The proposal is renewing concerns raised by some western Maryland resident about the state's first two wind projects, in particular the towering windmills' proximity to homes and their potential to kill birds and bats, including one listed as endangered in Maryland. Some also worry that construction of this project could clear a large swath of forest and harm the nearby Savage River, one of Maryland's premier trout streams.
Bat threatens a $500m Victorian wind farm project
January 26, 2013 by Matt Johnston in Sunday Herald
January 26, 2013 by Matt Johnston in Sunday Herald
A $500 million Victorian wind farm is at the mercy of a bat found throughout northern Australia and listed as of "least concern" on a threatened species scale.
The yellow-bellied sheathtail bat has contributed to a ruling to delay the 89-turbine Dundonnell project, in the state's southwest, until a detailed environmental study is done.
Also filed under [
Impact on Wildlife|
Australia / New Zealand]
Massive protest planned at Allen Gardens/Maple Leaf Gardens in Ontario, Jan 26
January 25, 2013 by Sherri Lange and Lorrie Gillis in Canada Free Press
January 25, 2013 by Sherri Lange and Lorrie Gillis in Canada Free Press
Groups across Ontario are demanding that: Wind turbines that are offending must be removed, democracy must be returned, and an immediate moratorium must be placed on new projects, permitted and planned. Despite obvious and substantiated evidence that the Ministry knew of serious health complaints back to 2006, they continued to permit.
AWEA reveals insight into wind energy PTC implementation rules
January 25, 2013 by Laura DiMugno in North American Windpower
January 25, 2013 by Laura DiMugno in North American Windpower
Under the old PTC rules, beginning construction meant starting work "of a significant nature," which could include steps like building access roads and foundations. ...However, the previous guidance was less clear about whether construction had to be continuous in order for the project to qualify for the PTC. ...the same changes were not made to the requirements for bonus depreciation.
Also filed under [
Tax Breaks & Subsidies|
USA]
"[Duke Energy] has been committed to supporting research and study of wind energy generation, and we continue to believe there is good wind off the North Carolina coast, but we also recognize that any development in wind off the coast of the state has to make sense for our customers, the coastal communities and the company as a whole."
Fourmile project on state's ‘sensitive areas'
January 22, 2013 by Elaine Blaisdell in Cumberland Times-News
January 22, 2013 by Elaine Blaisdell in Cumberland Times-News
A major portion - 75 percent - of the proposed Fourmile Ridge wind project in eastern Garrett County is in the state's designated "sensitive areas" as having rare, threatened and endangered species, according to Jim Torrington, chief of the Garrett County Permits and Inspections Division.
Despite dawn of a new term, forecast cloudy for energy and enviro issues
January 22, 2013 by Nick Juliano, Jean Chemnick and Phil Taylor in E&E News
January 22, 2013 by Nick Juliano, Jean Chemnick and Phil Taylor in E&E News
Fresh off their successful push to extend a key tax break in the PTC, wind industry lobbyists are beginning to prepare for the tax reform fight. But the push for some longer-term certainty will proceed without at least one key ally in Congress.
Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) says the one-year extension and expansion of the PTC that were included in this month's "fiscal cliff" legislation should be sufficient for the industry.
Wind power still in limbo despite renewed tax break
January 21, 2013 by Kyung M. Song in Seattle Times
January 21, 2013 by Kyung M. Song in Seattle Times
But the public subsidies alone likely won't be enough to propel more than a dozen proposed wind farms in Washington to quickly start spinning their giant blades. Cheaper natural gas, environmental concerns and plentiful renewable-energy sources for utilities are among a confluence of factors that have taken much wind out of new turbines' sails.
Also filed under [
Tax Breaks & Subsidies|
USA]
Interior designates Arizona lands for solar, wind development
January 18, 2013 by Brian Scheid in Platts
January 18, 2013 by Brian Scheid in Platts
Following a three-year environmental analysis, the Obama administration Friday designated 192,100 acres of public land in Arizona as potentially suitable for utility-scale solar and wind energy development.
Burst of construction in December delivers record year for US wind
January 18, 2013 in Bloomberg New Energy Finance
January 18, 2013 in Bloomberg New Energy Finance
The figures were compiled by research company Bloomberg New Energy Finance, based on the world's leading database of transactions and projects in clean energy. The previous record had been set in 2009, with 10GW installed. The 2012 capacity addition represented more than a 102% increase over 2011′s number, when the industry installed 6.5GW.
Treasury, IRS preparing guidance to clarify renewable credit eligibility
January 17, 2013 by Nick Juliano in E&E News
January 17, 2013 by Nick Juliano in E&E News
The timing of the guidance on the new eligibility requirements for the production tax cut remains unclear. Treasury and IRS need to determine how exactly to define when wind and other renewable energy developers can claim the credit after Congress approved a change to its eligibility requirements.
Also filed under [
Tax Breaks & Subsidies|
USA]
US taxpayers giving $4B to foreign firms for green energy projects, study says
January 16, 2013 in Fox News
January 16, 2013 in Fox News
U.S. taxpayers have forked over nearly $4 billion to foreign-owned companies as part of a stimulus program that pays cash grants to green-energy firms ..."Billions of dollars have filled the coffers of overseas firms while the evidence of the promised permanent jobs and economic growth here in the United States is scarce," the report said.
Also filed under [
Tax Breaks & Subsidies|
USA]
As many as 30 natives in a convoy - some wearing traditional garb and waving native flags - interrupted work at several turbine and substation construction sites. ...Josie Hernandez, spokesperson for NextEra, confirmed that the protest was motivated in part by her company's removal of an eagle's nest near Fisherville two weeks ago.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service predicts that between 8 and 14 American bald eagles could be killed annually if New Era Wind Farm is built as currently designed. The outcome of USFWS's eagle mortality models are dramatically higher than one eagle every-other-year as predicted by New Era's consultant Westwood Professional Services.
Lawmaker looks to broader reform debate to pass bill eliminating energy credits
January 15, 2013 by Nick Juliano and Manuel Quinones in E&E News
January 15, 2013 by Nick Juliano and Manuel Quinones in E&E News
Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) yesterday reintroduced legislation aimed at eliminating tax credits for energy producers and suggested he could support broadening the scope of his effort to also target other incentives, such as deductions enjoyed by the oil and gas industry, in an effort to attract bipartisan support to eliminate all energy-related favors as part of a broader tax reform push.
Also filed under [
Tax Breaks & Subsidies|
USA]
Among the "firsts" being attempted by the Atlantic Wind Connection,the venture seeking to build an electric transmission line from southern Virginia to northern New Jersey, is negotiating the regulatory system. The problem is that the cable, which would be buried under the seabed, is what grid officials call a "multidriver project," or a project that is undertaken for more than one reason.
N.J. will be first phase of construction for proposed offshore wind power transmission line
January 15, 2013 by Alexi Friedman in The Star-Ledger
January 15, 2013 by Alexi Friedman in The Star-Ledger
The offshore high voltage cable project, called Atlantic Wind Connection, would link wind energy farms up and down New Jersey, connecting an estimated 3,000 megawatts of wind turbine electricity to power nearly 1 million households, according to the company website. The entire undertaking will take an estimated 10 years to complete.
Energy industry awaits U.S. ruling on Prairie Chicken
January 13, 2013 by Kate Galbraith in New York Times
January 13, 2013 by Kate Galbraith in New York Times
A major problem, biologists say, is that prairie chickens fear tall structures, where predators like hawks can perch and spot them. Wind turbines, transmission towers and drilling rigs are generally the tallest objects on the plains.
The Fish and Wildlife Service will hold a hearing next month in Lubbock on the chicken's future, and the public can comment on the issue until March 11.