Beware of Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

(reposted from The Energy Collective , Vicky Portwain, October 10, 2011)

Despite all the power and wonders of the internet, one has to very careful in checking out the motives of those posting material on the web.  Here’s a good example of what we’d call a misleading grassroots organization, also known as an “astro-turf” organization.  It concerns the Renewable Energy Foundation.

Despite their name and mission statement, the Renewable Energy Foundation have once again been active in attempting to discredit the wind energy sector. Their declaration that they promote “sustainable development for the benefit of the public by means of energy conservation and the use of renewable energy” has been called into question, with an Energy and Environmental Management article summarising that “the REF is a front for the interests of biofuels companies, energy-intensive industries and even oil and gas companies”.

In a story released last month, the REF together with Civitas claimed that 10,000 jobs would be lost in Britain as a direct result of the government’s green policies, with this expanding to 30,000 jobs if the government’s policies are accelerated. In fact 2010 figures from RenewablesUK show that there are currently 10,800 full time employees in the wind and marine sector alone and has more than doubled in the last three years.

The EAEM article highlights the rather un-green credentials of those running and supporting the REF. It details connections of key REF personnel with biofuel (in particular palm oil) industries, energy intensive industries such as nickel, plastics and aluminium processing and oil and gas industries. It’s hard to ignore the roll-call of anti-renewable, and more specifically anti-wind characters that chair and support the REF. A roll-call that includes the NIMBY celebrity – Noel Edmonds who was a part founder of the REF after learning of the threat of a wind farm near to his Devon home.

Similar concerns were raised by the Guardian in May of this year in their article “Will the real Renewable Energy Foundation please stand up”.

The REF’s campaigning didn’t escape the notice of the charity commission back in 2008, when they were advised to assess the appropriateness of their activities in relation to their stated objectives.

The EEAM piece concludes that “All of the [industry links] represent clear evidence that the Renewable Energy Foundation has an industrial agenda aimed at skewing government policy in favour of the industries for which it is a front.

Its pronouncements on renewable energy, jobs, and especially windpower, must therefore be taken with several pinches of salt.”

Wind power at bargain basement prices by 2020

Researchers at Iowa State University’s new Wind Energy Manufacturing Laboratory are on a mission to lower the price of wind power down to six cents per kilowatt hour by 2020, and they are taking a somewhat unusual path to get there. Instead of focusing on new wind turbine technology, the research team is working behind the scenes to bring down the cost of manufacturing turbine blades, with the goal of developing new manufacturing systems that could improve productivity by 35 percent.

For the full story, click here.

(reposted from Ontario Highlands Friends of Wind)

Is Wind Power Right for Vermont? Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor of the New York Times, in response to the article,  “The Not-So-Green Mountains,” by Steve E. Wright (Op-Ed, Sept. 29):

The Green Mountain Power wind project in Lowell, Vt., has unprecedented support. Vermonters overwhelmingly want wind: 75 percent of voters in the town of Lowell supported the project, and 90 percent of Vermonters support wind, 74 percent strongly.

After years of intensive oversight, state and federal agencies have determined that this project, sited on a commercially logged mountain, will meet high standards in protecting water quality, wildlife and local ecosystems. To mitigate the effect of the 175-acre development, more than 2,000 acres of prime animal habitat will be conserved.

Of the federal tax credits the project will receive, 100 percent go directly toward lowering the cost of power to our customers.

When completed, this project will be the most significant renewable project in Vermont, producing clean, affordable, local electricity. It will be part of Vermont’s working landscape, and the benefits will flow to Vermont’s environment and economy for years to come.

DOROTHY SCHNURE
Manager, Corporate Communications
Green Mountain Power
Colchester, Vt., Sept. 29, 2011

To the Editor:

Steve E. Wright warns that wind turbines on Vermont’s ridges will deter tourists who come to enjoy the state’s natural beauty. Given how many of these tourists come to ski down mountain slopes stripped of natural forest, this fear seems far-fetched.

Landscape effects of wind farm development are localized, but the clean-energy gains are momentous. Nearly three-quarters of Vermont’s electricity comes from the 39-year-old Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station.

Since early last year, more than 335,000 gallons of tritium-contaminated groundwater have been pumped from wells surrounding this plant, and many Vermonters are justifiably concerned about broader health hazards as this facility continues to age.

Mr. Wright says wind power in Vermont reflects “a misunderstanding of what a responsible society must do to slow the warming of our planet.” Do “green” Vermonters really prefer continuing reliance on nuclear to the development of readily available renewable power?

PHILIP WARBURG
Newton, Mass., Sept. 29, 2011

The writer is the author of the forthcoming book “Harvest the Wind.”

To the Editor:

As a lifelong Vermonter, I totally agree with Steve E. Wright’s analysis of the large-scale wind project under construction on the Lowell Mountains of our state. This project represents the triumph of big money, provided primarily through overly generous tax credits, over a creative and balanced approach to meeting our energy needs.

Electrical generation through large-scale wind projects should not be promoted as a one-size-fits-all approach. In a state with limited wind energy potential, tearing off the tops of scenic ridges to erect the tallest structures ever constructed here will have limited impact on our ability to provide carbon-free electricity, at a huge environmental and economic cost.

Vermont has a 50-year history of restricting development of pristine mountain ridges, but now, under the direction of a governor with close financial ties to the utility company that is developing this project, we are at risk of throwing away the scenic beauty that is one of our most valuable resources.

JEFFREY RAND
South Burlington, Vt., Oct. 1, 2011

To the Editor:

Steve E. Wright’s article is in denial of reality; he disregards the real effect of Vermont’s importing almost 90 percent of its energy.

It’s not an issue when it’s not in your backyard. But let’s be clear about what it means to oppose clean energy produced locally: it means mountaintop removal in Appalachia, oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, the extraction of tar sands and transcontinental pipelines, and uranium mining and nuclear meltdowns.

That’s not even mentioning the global effects of climate change and the effects we are already seeing, including the record flooding destruction our state felt just a month ago.

As a lifelong Vermonter, I am proud that Vermonters overwhelmingly support carefully developed wind farm projects and their role in our working landscape. Our Green Mountains will remain green in the future only with the right decisions now.

DAVID BLITTERSDORF
Chief Executive, AllEarth Renewables
Williston, Vt., Oct. 4, 2011

To the Editor:

Steve E. Wright questions the building of a wind farm on Lowell Mountain in Vermont. He describes this ridgeline as if it were deep wilderness; it isn’t. Lowell Mountain has repeatedly been logged. But with the falling price of lumber, the family that owns it is trying to harvest wind instead of trees.

The people of Lowell, Vt., voted overwhelmingly to support this project at a town meeting. I think this is because they view this as land to be used, like a farm or a wood lot.

Admittedly, not every ridgeline should be made into a wind farm. But what is the alternative? A coal-powered plant? And to fuel that, we will lose the mountaintops of West Virginia.

Energy is everyone’s problem, and the people of Lowell are to be commended for facing this, doing something and saying yes to energy in their backyards.

TIM SMITH
Hanover, N.H., Sept. 30, 2011

The writer is an assistant research professor in physics and environmental studies at Dartmouth College.

Annoyance at Wind Turbines is Not the Same as Health Issue

Article first appeared in Hamilton Spectator

Oct 23, 2011

Chris Forrest

Wind energy in Canada is now on track to enjoy a record year in 2011 with approximately 1,338 MW of new installed wind energy capacity projected to come online. These new installations represent almost $3.5 billion in investment and have created more than 13,500 person years of employment in addition to providing emissions-free electricity for families and businesses.

Ontario is Canada’s leader in wind energy development, and 2011 will also be a record year for wind energy installations in the province, with more than 500 MW projected to be installed by year end.

Hamilton council recently passed a motion calling for a moratorium on wind energy development until further studies are conducted into potential health effects from wind turbines. While it is important to review new and credible information related to wind turbines and human health, the balance of scientific and medical research to date — including a report by the province’s own chief medical officer of health — has found that there is nothing unique about the sound produced by wind turbines and that wind turbines do not have a direct impact on human health.

In fact, there are well over 100,000 turbines operating worldwide and hundreds of thousands of people living and working near and around them, the overwhelming majority of whom have productive and positive experiences. While a small percentage of people may be annoyed if wind turbines are in their vicinity, annoyance is a personal experience that can be caused by many things and be influenced by many different factors and stressors in a person’s life. If annoyance has a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life, they might wish to consult their doctor.

It is also important to note that wind energy is developed in Ontario under noise guidelines that are in place to protect the health and safety of residents. The setbacks for turbines and the renewable energy approval process are among the most stringent in North America.

Wind energy’s rapid growth in Ontario is not unique — wind energy production worldwide has grown at an average annual rate of more than 25 per cent a year for the last 15 years and more than 70 countries now produce electricity from wind energy. While the fact that wind energy is broadly recognized as an electricity source with relatively low environmental impacts has been a key driver for growth, the economic benefits of wind energy development have been an important driver as well.

A landmark study, The Economic Impacts of the Wind Energy Sector in Ontario 2011-2018, by ClearSky Advisors, demonstrates that meeting the wind energy targets identified under the province’s Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP) would result in: creation of more than 80,000 person-years of employment; more than $16 billion in total private-sector investment, with over $8.5 billion invested directly in Ontario’s manufacturing, construction and service sectors; and more than $1.1 billion in revenues to local municipalities and landowners in the form of taxes and lease payments over the 20-year lifespan of the projects.

In fact, growth in wind energy in Ontario is providing optimism and much-needed new manufacturing and construction jobs right now throughout southwestern Ontario. While polling consistently shows that a significant majority of Ontario residents support more wind energy development in Ontario, this support must be earned on an ongoing basis through effective and meaningful engagement with communities and responsible industry practices. We have worked diligently the past two years to hear and respond to concerns from communities and individuals and have developed best practices in community engagement and local consultation with the direct input of dozens of municipal leaders and stakeholders from the agricultural, environmental and business communities.

Wind energy is playing a major role in the renewal of Ontario’s electricity sector and is poised to contribute significantly more — for the benefit of Ontarians.

Chris Forrest is vice-president of communications at the Canadian Wind Energy Association.

Jutta Splettstoesser Win-With-Wind tour continues!

Friends of Wind Ontario

Win-With-Wind Tour Continues!

MEDIA ALERT: Monday October 31 | Kincardine Ontario

For immediate distribution – A farmer and mom from Kincardine is on a southern Ontario tour to transform perceptions on how Ontario thinks about wind energy. Jutta Splettstoesser is passionate about renewable energy and is bringing her message of co-operation to the Wellington/Guelph area.

“Wind development and community can work together,” commented Mrs. Splettstoesser, president of Friends of Wind Ontario (FoWO). “With smart planning and open communications, wind energy development in rural Ontario can be a win-win. Renewable energy is the way of the future and rather than push back against it, we need to help communities be a part of the new energy conversation.”

Since June, FoWO has organized a series of events across southern Ontario. Over 500 people have attended meetings in Clinton, Chatham, London and Port Albert to hear speakers from the science, business, utility and government sectors. These events have been organized to help communities learn the facts about renewable energy and wind development.

“The bridge-building that Friends of Wind Ontario is doing is making a difference in how communities talk about energy,” commented Adrienne Downey, Operations and Business Development Manager from Enercon Canada Inc. “We need to hear from everyone in a community about their opinions of wind energy. In many communities that hasn’t been able to happen. The open and respectful approach to engagement that Friends of Wind uses is good for communities and the wind sector.”

Mrs. Splettstosser will be in the Guelph and Wellington area on Friday November 4, meeting with community groups and leaders. Media interviews are welcome.

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Friends of Wind Ontario (FoWO) is an independent and grassroots organization of wind enthusiasts from across Ontario. FoWO is interested in helping citizens and wind developers work together to build renewable energy projects that are good for the short and long term health of communities.

For more information please contact:

Jutta Splettstosser  President, Friends of Wind Ontario

519 395 5309       | rjsplett@hurontel.on.ca

Media inquires and bookings for November 4 can be made through:

Curt Hammond  Chief Listening Officer, Pearl Street Communications

519.580.9725       | curt@pearlstreet.ca

Today is Global Wind Day 2011!

Wind is providing clean, reliable and safe energy to Canadians in every province – providing new jobs, local investment and rural economic development benefits across Canada.

To help celebrate, the worldwide event Global Wind Day is held each year on June 15, to promote wind, its power and the possibilities it holds to change our world. It is also a day for discovery of the work that has already begun by pioneers around the world. In more than 75 countries around the world, wind farms are in operation, generating energy from a clean and renewable source.

Thousands of individuals are involved in the production of energy from the wind, but for many people, wind energy is a mystery. Global Wind Day is the day when you can visit wind farms, meet experts, attend events and find out everything you want to know about wind energy.

The European Wind Energy Association – EWEA and the Global Wind Energy Council – GWEC coordinate the Global Wind Day each year through a network of partners. The day started as a European one in 2007 and went Global in 2009. Today – 15 June – thousands of public events are organized all over the world!

Global Wind Day is the perfect opportunity to:

• Raise public awareness of wind energy
• Show that wind energy is a key solution to the energy crisis and climate change
• Demonstrate that wind energy is a solution that is already working

What you can do to support Wind Power & Global Wind Day:

• contact your MPP/MLA indicating your support for Wind as a Renewable Energy
• participate in the many wind energy events organized by Global Wind Day
• tweet the hashtag #GlobalWindDay in your posts today
• follow the activities of WindShare, TREC,  CanWEA and other leading Canadian Wind Power groups

For more information and ideas on future event organization, visit
www.globalwindday.org or contact Elke Zander at elke.zander@ewea.org

Today, June 6th, 6:45 pm (ET): Wind Farms and Human Health Scientific Forum Webcast – Australian National Health and Medical Research Council

The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) will be conducting a scientific forum on the possible health effects of wind turbines. The forum will provide an opportunity for NHMRC to hear the latest international scientific evidence and to engage with stakeholders over the range of issues for which there is public concern.

The session will be streamed live via the NHMRC website today at http://www.nhmrc.gov.au .

Launching this link will will take you to the NHMRC website, where you can listen to a live-streamed webcast of a symposium on Wind Turbines and Human Health.

In 2009 NHMRC conducted a rapid review of current scientific literature to determine whether there was a link between wind turbines and adverse health effects. The review considered the potential health impacts of infrasound, noise, electromagnetic interference, shadow flicker and blade glint produced by wind turbines and concluded that, at the time of writing, there was no published scientific evidence to positively link wind turbines with adverse health effects.

In July 2010, NHMRC released NHMRC Public Statement: Wind Turbines and Health and supporting evidence Wind Turbines and Health: A rapid review of the evidence. The Public Statement recommends that, to minimise any potential impacts of wind turbines on surrounding areas, authorities take a precautionary approach and continue to monitor research outcomes. Members of the public are urged to contact their doctor if they have any individual health concerns.

Residents living close to wind farms have raised concerns about potential adverse health impacts from wind turbines including nausea, headaches, anxiety and sleep and learning difficulties.

When the NHMRC released its Public Statement it undertook to maintain a watching brief of the scientific evidence. The Wind Farms and Human Health Scientific Forum is part of our commitment to this process.

Further info can be found at:  http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/media/events/index.htm

Background documents

Wind Farms and Human Health Scientific Forum – Discussion Paper (including event programme) (PDF, 54KB)