Allegheny Treasures

Items of interest:

1-European Platform Against Windfarms (EPAW) supports efforts of Society for Wind Vigilance health symposium.  We do as well!

Letter of support from EPAW-members in Germany – Wind Concerns Ontario

2-Good selection of recent reads recommended by the SPPI Blog – some may even appear familiar to regular readers of AT.

Posts Tagged ‘wind energy’ – SPPI

3-Darn!  I was going to write something like this, but JLL does such an excellent job!

Wind for Jobs? – Jefferson’s Leaning Left

4-If Cape Wind goes forward, electric customers “will be needlessly paying billions of dollars in electric bills and subsidies to line the pockets of a private developer,’’ says Audra Parker of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, the project’s main opposition group.

Cape Wind backers blew right by cost – Boston Globe

… and, you know I just couldn’t pass on the opportunity to show one of my favorites:

5-Industrial wind in the great North West – it really is all about money.

Washington’s wind power windfall – The Columbian

Items of interest:

1-“Fast-growing China has been rushing to clinch access to overseas resources needed to power its booming industries.”

China’s CNOOC to buy 2.6 million tons of liquefied natural gas from France’s GDP Suez – Washington Examiner

2-“The federal government has agreed to share some of the financial risk involved in building the world’s largest wind farm in northeast Oregon.”  The whole idea sounds loony and a little scarier when you substitute “your name” for “federal government.”

World’s largest wind farm gets stimulated (finally) – Ecotrope

3-“In fact, because wind power is not economically viable at the moment, funding wind farms is the equivalent of preemptively bailing them out.”

Russ Quixote and the Wind Farm Bailout – Reboot Congress

4-And if I were 7’2”, 380lbs with 4.4 – 40 time, I’d be playing for the Steelers – one of the silliest wind energy advertisements articles of the week, in my humble opinion.

Offshore Wind a U.S. Job Boon if Capital Costs Don’t Erode Potential – DOE – New York Times

5-“Huron (MI) County officials earlier this week reported there’s been some confusion regarding two Nov. 2 county ballot proposals that ask voters to confirm the creation of two new wind districts.”

Nah!!! I read the piece … how could this be confusing?

Wind district questions answered – Huron Daily Tribune

6-Finally, some interesting goings on out in Wisconsin … probably an isolated case, don’t you think?

Wisconsin PSC’S wind energy siting rules challenged in court. – Allegheny Treasures

Items of interest:

1-“For many of you, the good news is that you’re not an Appalachian miner. Or living in a town dependent on those miners’ producing abundant, reliable, politically assailed energy resources. Or a farmer or rancher or living in such a community out West. Your livelihood isn’t under assault by the full force of the federal government. Yet.

You just depend on what these fellow Americans do to make you richer, freer, and safer.”

Obama vs. West Virginia Coal – National Review Online

2-From Moe Lane: Connecting the dots on the Missouri wind farm payoff.

3-“If we truly wanted to achieve zero environmental impact with wind turbines we would have to place them in a vacuum, but we should settle for a region without bird migratory routes and with high background atmospheric turbulence.”

Most efficient wind farm layout is also the least disruptive – ars technica

4-From Roger Pielke, Sr.: “While their conclusions are important with respect to how wind turbine farms can alter surface air temperatures, their results have an even broader importance.”

On the Vertical Mixing Of Heat And Long Term Surface Temperature Trends – Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

5-More thoughts on Russia/China cooperation.

China and Russia Finally Tie the Knot – Energy Tribune

Items of interest:

1-“But Cape Wind’s stipulated low fees are nevertheless yet another example of the government assisting development of wind power and other renewable-energy technologies. Cape Wind is also expected to be reimbursed about $600 million, via tax credits, after expected construction of the $2 billion wind farm.”

Feds award Cape Wind a sweet 28-year lease deal – Boston Herald

2-We in the US should “take note” as well, don’t you think?

Brits to pay $3200 per year for power bill. Ontarians take note. – Wind Concerns Ontario

3-“You see, just like back in the 1980’s when modern wind energy was first being touted and subsidized, national leaders are waking up to the fact that wind is the sucker’s choice and some of the sucker’s now realize they’ve been had.”

Time for Voters for Wind to write some letters. – Jefferson’s Leaning Left

4-Now here’s a bit of common sense creeping in!

PSEG Chairman: Keep transmission focused on grid reliability, not new policy goals – Industrial Wind Action Group

5-As usual, there’s no mention of the actual expected output, even if they do “increase the number of wind turbines planted among area corn and soybean fields from 705 to more than 2,772 in five years, according to data from Illinois State University’s Center for Renewable Energy.”

Central Illinois may gain 2,000 turbines in 5 years – Pantagraph.com

Items of interest:

1-Head of the Russian nuclear corporation: “We nearly doubled the most profit-making reserves. And we increased natural uranium production by 13% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2010“

Russia increases uranium production 13% in 2010 – Rosatom – RIA Novosti

2-Woosh-Woosh – “Lawsuits and complaints about turbine noise, vibrations and subsequent lost property value have cropped up in Illinois, Texas, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Massachusetts, among other states. In one case in DeKalb County, Ill., at least 38 families have sued to have 100 turbines removed from a wind farm there. A judge rejected a motion to dismiss the case in June.”

“For Those Near, the Miserable Hum of Clean Energy” (NY Times) – Wind Turbine Syndrome

3-“If all these proposed projects get built out, this wonderful, stunningly scenic place we have spent public tax money to preserve will have around 100 huge industrial wind turbines surrounding it.”  (Not to mention wind won’t work!)

A Hike up Rumford Whitecap Before the Onslaught of Turbines – Citizen’s Task Force on Wind Power, Maine

4-Longtime plans to construct a wind farm in Randolph County have been put off, at least for now, because Indiana officials are so far unwilling to commit to more renewable energy across the state.  (Yes, but you’ll thank them later!)

State policy delays wind farm – The Star Press

5-Must be nearing an election somewhere.  Remember when the White House said no to solar panels in September?

White House Solar Installation Symbolic of Solar Energy Push – The Foundry

Excellent!  “So not only will taxpayers have to foot the bill for the project, but they’ll also be paying for pricier electricity.“

Items of interest:

1-More on “free” wind:  “And experts say most of those costs will be passed on to the same consumers who, as rate- and taxpayers, will be paying for the cost of planting the turbines off Nantucket Sound – and footing higher energy bills once the project is running.”

Cape Wind rates will whack businesses, hospitals, schools – Boston Herald  (Surprise!!!)

2-Thought we’d take advantage of the rather slow day to provide a few recent examples of China’s push for “green” energy.  From their People’s Daily Online:

Russian coal imports up – September 9, 2010 (repaying a loan?)

Coal consumption to fall – September 16, 2010 (Check out the reasons)

Ukraine, China sign memorandum on cooperation in coal industry – September 24, 2010

China, Mongolia plan to jointly build new highway for coal transportation – October 5, 2010  (Hmmm … this wouldn’t have anything to do with other cooperation, would it?)

If you have some idle time, follow the links provided with each above.  The articles are quick reads but, when tied together … well, you decide.