Items of interest:
1:The World Coal Association calculates that it takes 250tons of coal to produce a 3MW offshore wind turbine and 150tons for a 3MW onshore wind turbine. – mining.com
2:Global Deal: BP, Sempra Energy to Invest $1 Billion in U.S. Wind Farms – Wall Street Journal
So, does anyone really believe BP (one of the largest oil producers) and Sempra (which owns electric and natural-gas utilities in California, as well as gas pipelines and storage facilities and gas export terminals in the U.S. and Mexico) is on a suicidal mission to replace their profitable fossil fuel business with “free” wind energy? It seems more likely they realize industrial wind will actually increase the need for their product and, as a side bonus, they get into the REC trade business with a little taxpayer subsidy as the icing on the cake.
Taxpayer subsidy? You betcha! What the mighty Wall Street Journal forgot to mention was that these projects will be built this year and “wind power developers are racing to build new plants ahead of the expected expiration of a tax credit at the end of 2012.” Matt Daily at Thompson Reuters was kind enough to point this out! Thanks, Matt!
3:From the “this one slipped past me” file: – Broken Wind Turbine Blades Create Mountainous Waste Problem
4:PUTTING WIND TURBINES OUT OF WILDLIFE’S WAY – Audubon Magazine
Once you learn that industrial wind is nothing more than an energy impostor existing to profit owners by separating taxpayers and consumers from their money, “out of the way” will not be far enough.
5:Oh! Before you get all warm and fuzzy about Item 4, keep in mind the long forest fracturing transmission lines required to reach these arguably unnecessary far flung 747 size tinker toys. – Obama Administration Draws Criticism For Fast-Tracking Transmission Line Project Through National Park Units
Allegheny Treasures 
Broken Wind Turbine Creates Mountainous of Waste:
John Muir, Sierra Club founder wrote, “when you try to pick out just one thing in the universe you find it connected to something else” . Let us see how this plays out.
Turbine Self Destructs
Watch how a turbine self-destructs. Guess picking up the pieces of a shatter blade becomes a green job.
Now use your imagination, think of all the green jobs when this California project is decommissioned. Guess burying the blades becomes a recycyling proejct…except…
When Big Industrial Wind knocks at your community promoting green employment, will your community be ready. http://www.startribune.com/business/126812308.html
Thursday, August 04, 2011 09:23
Suzlon Rotor Corp. Receives $490,000 Penalty for Pollution Violations
Marshall, Minn. — In a court settlement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Suzlon Rotor Corp. has agreed to resolve air quality, hazardous waste, solid waste, and stormwater violations at its wind turbine blade manufacturing plant in Pipestone.
Under the terms of the consent decree, entered July 7 in Pipestone County District Court, Suzlon has completed corrective actions, and will pay a civil penalty of $490,000. A 2009 MPCA inspection revealed sandblasting operations far exceeded emissions standards for airborne particles. In addition, the company failed to evaluate waste for hazardous substances, or properly manage its hazardous waste. Other hazardous waste violations included improper disposal of lead-containing damaged turbine blades in a landfill. The lead has been recovered from the landfill.
The company did not have an air quality permit authorizing it to conduct sandblasting. It sandblasted without using air emission control equipment, and stored waste sandblast material outdoors in uncovered piles. Suzlon also installed a fourth blade-production line without the necessary air emissions permit. And it stored waste material outside, where it was exposed to stormwater, and did not receive a required industrial stormwater permit to do so.
The company is required to cease sandblasting, evaluate hazardous wastes, and obtain necessary permits, properly dispose of waste lead, and prepare a stormwater pollution-prevention plan.
In 2008, Suzlon paid a $19,000 penalty for alleged violations of air quality regulations when it failed to obtain an air quality permit prior to construction and operation of the Pipestone facility. That settlement included an agreement to obtain required permits before conducting new activities that required permits.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violation affected the environment whether it is a first time or repeat violation, and how promptly the violation was reported to appropriate authorities. It also attempts to recover the calculated economic benefit gained by failure to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.
For a comprehensive list of enforcement actions by the MPCA, go to
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/newscenter/enforcement.htm