News
Category:
North Dakota
U.S. District Judge Michael Davis dismissed a lawsuit filed by the developer of the 100-turbine Merricourt project, which remains unbuilt amid lingering fears that whooping cranes and piping plovers will be slashed to death by its turbine blades.
Potential whooping crane deaths demand EIS for North Dakota wind project, groups say
February 7, 2013 in The Chattanoogan
February 7, 2013 in The Chattanoogan
Seventy-six groups led by American Bird Conservancy (ABC), one of the nation's leading bird conservation organizations, have called on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to fully analyze the environmental consequences of a proposed North Dakota wind farm to the endangered Whooping Crane. FWS is considering issuing the first-ever Incidental Take Permit (ITP) to a wind farm for the killing of endangered Whooping Cranes and threatened Piping Plovers.
DMI wind turbine plant closes in West Fargo; Buyer hasn’t disclosed fate of facility
November 7, 2012 by Dave Olson in INFORUM
November 7, 2012 by Dave Olson in INFORUM
Vaux said the city is in contact with Dallas-based Trinity Industries, which recently purchased DMI from Otter Tail Corp., but he said Trinity officials are "holding their plans for this facility very close to the vest and have assured us they will let us know what those plans are when the time is appropriate."
Also filed under [
General]
In the presidential debate about domestic issues, Romney hit Obama on giving $90 million in tax breaks to wind and solar power projects. Many of them failed, the Republican said, telling Obama, "You pick losers."
"This is not the kind of policy you want to have if you want to get America energy-secure," Romney added.
Also filed under [
Energy Policy|
USA]
LM Wind Power to cut 345 jobs, blames industry downturn, lack of political support
September 26, 2012 by Christopher Bjorke in Grand Forks Herald
September 26, 2012 by Christopher Bjorke in Grand Forks Herald
LM Wind Power, one of Grand Forks' largest manufacturers, announced Tuesday that it would lay off more than half of its workforce. The company cited a downturn in the wind power industry, largely connected to the failure of Congress to renew production tax credits. Local officials say they're assured LM isn't closing the plant here.
Also filed under [
General]
Dwight Anderson, an Allete executive leading the North Dakota project, testified before the commission that potential buyers last year had expressed interest in purchasing the wind farm's output, but no agreement was struck.
"Interest has waned as the growth and need for energy remained flat or declined in the overall Midwest region."
Also filed under [
Minnesota]
Industry donations to ND Public Service Commission widespread
August 18, 2012 by Marino Eccher in INFORUM
August 18, 2012 by Marino Eccher in INFORUM
NextEra energy needed approval for a wind farm. BNI Coal was facing penalties for environmental rules. The Arthur Companies needed a license for a grain elevator. All of them went before the North Dakota Public Service Commission to state their cases.
Also filed under [
General]
More than 800 jobs directly involving wind-energy manufacturing in North Dakota are at stake as an important tax incentive for renewable energy is set to expire at year's end.
Also filed under [
General]
The state, often rated as having the greatest wind potential in the nation, now has about 1,400 megawatts of total wind capacity. ...But notices of intent for new wind farms have stalled since last fall and development has slowed in recent months.
Xcel fails to reach settlement with enXco on wind-farm lawsuit
March 20, 2012 by Leslie Brooks Suzukamo in Pioneer Press
March 20, 2012 by Leslie Brooks Suzukamo in Pioneer Press
Nearly two months of negotiations failed to settle a lawsuit against Xcel Energy over a stalled $400 million North Dakota wind farm, Xcel Energy said Tuesday, March 20.
Now Xcel is preparing for a trial, but the wind farm developer, enXco Development Corp., says it's still open to talks.
ND regulators reviewing $600M in wind projects
October 13, 2011 by Dale Wetzel in Crookston Daily Times
October 13, 2011 by Dale Wetzel in Crookston Daily Times
The state's wind energy development pace is accelerating because of next year's possible loss of a federal tax break for wind energy, and a requirement in neighboring Minnesota that utilities supply 25 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025.
Also filed under [
General]
Seven oil companies charged with violating Migratory Bird Treaty Act
August 26, 2011 in Devils Lake Journal
August 26, 2011 in Devils Lake Journal
“At the North Dakota U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are committed to enforcing laws that protect North Dakota’s outdoors and to providing companies who follow the law with a level economic playing field.”
The statutory maximum sentence for violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act is six months in federal prison and a $15,000 fine.
Also filed under [
Impact on Birds|
Energy Policy]
On Aug. 9, a new blade was attached to the tower's hub assembly, Hill said. He said the wind tower isn't quite ready for operation yet because some repairs need to be completed on the other two blades that were slightly damaged when the blade broke.
Also filed under [
Structural Failure]
Oil companies prosecuted for avian deaths but wind companies kill birds with impunity
July 12, 2011 by Robert Johns in American Bird Conservancy
July 12, 2011 by Robert Johns in American Bird Conservancy
"It is perplexing that similar prosecutions have yet to be brought against the operators of wind farms. Every year wind turbines kill hundreds of thousands of birds, including eagles, hawks, and songbirds, but the operators are being allowed to get away with it. It looks like a double standard."
Also filed under [
Impact on Wildlife|
USA]
In PSC filings in 2008, enXco and Xcel were both part of the planned Merricourt Wind Farm. EnXco would develop and construct the wind farm while Xcel would purchase the resulting electricity. In April 2011, Xcel announced it was terminating the contract over unresolved issues.
Also filed under [
General]
EnXco President and CEO Tristan Grimbert said in an interview that his company still wants to build the project with Xcel's participation even though the two are suing each other over the termination.
Hill said the cooperative is investigating the cause of the wind turbine's failure.
There was a storm with high winds the day of the failure but whether it attributed to the wind turbine's failure is not known at this time.
Also filed under [
Structural Failure]
Iberdrola says falling Suzlon Energy turbine blades were one-time accident
May 18, 2011 by Natalie Obiko Pearson in Bloomberg News
May 18, 2011 by Natalie Obiko Pearson in Bloomberg News
Iberdrola suspended operations at the 150-megawatt wind farm in Rugby, North Dakota after blades from a Suzlon S88 turbine fell from their mount, the company said on March 21. The same model suffered cracked blades starting in 2007, which had prompted a $100 million global retrofit.
Also filed under [
Structural Failure]
Wind Farm malfunctions have been making news lately with the most recent incident occurring near Wilton last weekend, when a blade peeled off like a banana after strong winds and blizzard conditions.
Also filed under [
Safety|
Structural Failure]
Xcel, former partner in wind farm project trade lawsuits
May 6, 2011 by Mark Steil in Minnesota Public Radio
May 6, 2011 by Mark Steil in Minnesota Public Radio
Xcel Energy is asking a federal district court in Minnesota to find that it had the right to terminate a $400 million wind farm development contract with its partner enXco.
enXco has counter-sued, asking for $245 millon in damages.
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