Monday, January 30, 2017

2017 Avian Risk Assessment for Apex Clean Energy’s Galloo Island Wind Project

Submitted to the Public Service Commission January 30,2017

by Clifford P. Schneider
Lake Ontario Unit Leader - Retired
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

 RE: Galloo Island Wind Project, Case No. 15‐F‐0327


Dear Secretary Burgess:

In accordance with Article 10 of the Public Service Law, please find
attached a 2017 Avian Risk Assessment for Apex Clean Energy’s Galloo
Island Wind Project.


Sunday, January 29, 2017

Safety probe launched after collapse of 480-foot wind turbine


By Stephen Houston
Daily Record , 29 Jan 2017

The catastrophic collapse of a giant wind turbine is being investigated.
A 480-foot high turbine came down in a storm – only the second windmill in Scotland to crash to the ground.
The astonishing structural failure of the £2 million machine has prompted demands for information by the community in Barrhill. Continue reading via this link to the Daily Record

Saturday, January 28, 2017

MD Public Service Commision ~ denies Apex Clean Energia application for Mills Branch Solar Array


CHESTERTOWN, MD ~ The Public Service Commission has denied Apex's application for the Mills Branch Solar project.

 Dennis H. Sober, the public utility law judge who heard the case, wrote in his opinion about the importance of taking into account local government’s concerns with a proposed project.

“Local control over the amount, location, and type of development must be respected by the Commission when there is no weight of evidence of need or benefit to outweigh the local opposition,” Sober wrote in his proposed order. Continue reading via this link to MY Eastern Shore MD

Friday, January 27, 2017


Long Island Power Authority,  approves 90 megawatt, 15-turbine offshore wind project

The Devil or lunacy is in the details.
The 15 offshore turbine project is estimated to cost $740 million dollars. [1]
 Cuomo Signs NYS Power Act 
The per turbine cost  would be $49 million dollars each
According to a study co-authored by a Stanford researcher, to meet New York's 2050 power demand  NY would need to install 12,770, 5- megawatt offshore wind turbines. [2]

Using the $740 million dollar figure provided by the project developer ($49 million per turbine)  the offshore component necessary to meet Cuomo’s 2050 renewable goal would cost $630 billion dollars. To put this number in perspective NYS total annual expenditures are $95 billion dollars. Who knows how much will be shouldered by NY taxpayers?  The project is set to start in 2020. What is the life expectancy of  these turbines?  Will they need to be replaced before the year 2050?

The calculations provided in the study [2]
  • 4,020 onshore 5-megawatt wind turbines
  • 12,770 offshore 5-megawatt wind turbines
  • 387 100-megawatt concentrated solar plants
  • 828 50-megawatt photovoltaic power plants
  • 5 million 5-kilowatt residential rooftop photovoltaic systems
  • 500,000 100-kilowatt commercial/government rooftop photovoltaic systems
  • 36 100-megawatt geothermal plants
  • 1,910 0.75-megawatt wave devices
  • 2,600 1-megawatt tidal turbines
  • 7 1,300-megawatt hydroelectric power plants, of which most exist
[1]
[2]
http://web.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/NewYorkWWSEnPolicy.pdf

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Nonprofit calls for widespread wind farm review along St. Lawrence River


By Marcus Wolf
Watertown Daily Times
Published Thursday January 26,2017

CLAYTON — Save the River is asking state agencies assess the potential cumulative impacts of all proposed wind energy facilities along the St. Lawrence River.  Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Daily Times


Vanishing act: Cuomo assures Long Islanders they won’t see wind turbines

WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES EDITORIAL
PUBLISHED THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017  

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo traveled to Long Island during his State of the State Road Show to promise a 90-megawatt offshore wind turbine project 30 miles away from the tip of Long Island in the Atlantic Ocean far from the line of sight of some of New York’s richest residents. Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Daily Times


Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Chuck Schumer’s promises are worthless



New York Post Editorial Board
January 24,2017

Republicans just learned an important lesson about Chuck Schumer: Either he’s not as powerful as he thought he’d be as Senate minority leader, or he can’t be trusted. Or both.

Will Trump Save This Critical Military Radar From Wind Turbines?


An Obama administration-approved wind power farm could render a critical military radar in North Carolina useless — unless President Donald Trump acts fast. Continue reading via this link to the Daily Caller


The Purpose Of The Military Is To Defend The Homeland, Not Promote Wind Turbines


“The business of America is business,” President Calvin Coolidge famously said. He might have added that the business of the nation’s military is to defend America—not the promotion of radical environmentalism. Continue reading via this link to Forbs.com



Audrey Zibelman,  chair of the Public Service Commission headed down under


Audrey Zibelman, who has led New York's ambitious efforts to restructure the energy industry, is leaving her post as chair of the Public Service Commission for a job running Australia's electric and gas markets. Continue reading via this link to Syracuse.com

Monday, January 23, 2017


Cuomo proposes a new FOIL exemption to protect ‘critical infrastructure’

The bill says entities can hold a document or other piece of material back if its release “could endanger critical infrastructure or… Continue via this link to the Times union  

Sunday, January 22, 2017

DOE subsidy programs and applied research
should be ended


Downsizing the Federal Government
Energy Subsidies
Chris Edwards
December 15, 2016

The federal government has subsidized the energy sector for decades. Subsidies originally stemmed from atomic energy research efforts in the 1950s. Further subsidies were added in response to the energy crisis of the 1970s. And in recent decades, concerns about energy conservation and climate change have prompted the government to expand its efforts further.

Trump's victory creates uncertainty about solar/wind power



HONOLULU (AP) - President Donald Trump has disputed climate change, pledged a revival of coal and disparaged wind power, and his nominee to head the Energy Department was once highly skeptical of the agency's value. What this means for states' efforts to promote renewable energy is an open question. Continue reading via this link to ABC 13


Off Long Island, Wind Power Tests the Waters

The Long Island Power Authority has reached an agreement with Deepwater Wind.

Continue reading via this link to the NYTimes


Friday, January 20, 2017


Cuomo endorses Lake Ontario national marine sanctuary application


Gov. Andrew Cuomo has lent his support to an effort to make part of Lake Ontario a national marine sanctuary. The goal is to preserve dozens of known and unknown historic shipwrecks in the southeastern portion of the lake for further study. Continue reading via this link to WRVO


Irish High Court Finds Wind Turbine Maker Liable for Noise Nuisance –

7 Irish Families to Get Millions in Punitive Damages



In a case before the Irish High Court, German wind turbine manufacturer, Enercon has just conceded liability in noise nuisance in a claim pursued by...
Continue reading via this link to Stop These Things

Thursday, January 19, 2017


Trump’s Tax Reform Will Threaten Wind-Financing Deals


Wind-power skeptic Donald Trump’s proposed tax reform may have an unintended consequence: threatening wind farms’ balance sheets.
Continue reading via this link to Renewable Energy World

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

NCPR poses a question ~

If Trump builds a wall, will there be anybody to milk the North Country's cows?


If the Guatemalan farm workers in Cape Vincent are deported will former NYS Senator, Darrel Aubertine pitch in and help his friends?



Monday, January 16, 2017

The Nuclear Option

NOVA

The Nuclear Option

Aired: 01/09/17 Rating: NR
How will we power the planet without wrecking the climate? Airing January 11, 2017 at 9 pm on PBS

 link to NOVA website
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Federal bill could prevent wind projects near military bases



By MARCUS WOLF & BRIAN MOLONGOSKI
Watertown Daily Times

Congress is reviewing a bill that aims to prohibit federal tax relief for wind energy projects located within 40 miles of an active military air base. Continue reading via this link to the Watertown Daily Times

Monday, January 2, 2017

Denmark calls for tax on red meat because cattle flatulence 'is causing climate change'


By SIMON TOMLINSON FOR MAILONLINE
A government think tank said consumers were 'ethically obliged' to change their eating habits in a bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Continue reading via this link to the Daily Mail