Cheryl La Rocque – Freelance Health Columnist – Amherst, Nova Scotia
Monthly Archives: October 2013
Couple WIN Wind Turbine Ruling
This is a true Victory, as a court has upheld property rights violations! Next stop, Ontario
October 2, 2013 – The Connexion – France
A WINDFARM has been ordered to demolish ten turbines and pay compensation and fines after it was successfully sued by a couple.
Speaking to Le Figaro newspaper, the couple’s lawyer, Philippe Bodereau, said: “This decision is very important because it demonstrates to all those who put up with windfarms with a feeling of powerlessness that the battle is not in vain, even against big groups, or authorities who deliver building permits, that legal options are available to everyone, that we have a right to live in peace and that people can do other things than suffer.”
The couple bought their 18th century listed property, the Château de Flers, in 1993.
A tribunal in Montpellier ruled that the couple had suffered due to the “degradation of the environment, resulting from a rupture of a bucolic landscape and countryside”. It also agreed the couple had suffered from the noise of the turbines and from the flashing lights.
“The situation, instantly out of place, permanent and quickly unbearable, created a problem that went beyond the typical inconveniences of neighbours and constituted a violation of property rights,” ruled the judgement.
The value of the property had no bearing on the ruling.
The wind farm owners, Compagnie du Vent, have been given four months to take down the turbines, which were erected in 2007 on two sites next to the property in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. It has appealed the decision.
“Our projects are in the general interest, following the Grenelle de l’environnement and not in the interest of individuals,” said the president of Compagnie du Vent, Thierry Conil. “However, it’s right that democracy should allow people to take action.”
The two sites are a €20m investment and produce enough electricity for 22,000 people according to the company.
In 2010 it was ordered to demolish four turbines near Narbonne after it was taken to court by four farmers who were granted €430,000 in compensation. However after appealing it reached an out of court settlement.
Le Figaro said that lawyers associated with these cases said that they were often resolved amicably out of court. “I don’t know an example in France where a demolition was ordered and followed through,” one lawyer told the paper.
– See more at: //www.connexionfrance.com/wind-farm-turbines-demolition-noise-nuisanc
EPA car mileage calculations before 2009 were wrong, making it harder to sell used cars
What a surprise….they lied about mileage as well. Everything “faux-green” is just a money-grab!
Weep-weep: WaPo laments that shutdown puts EPA, NASA and NOAA junk science on hold
How do we shut down the Libs and the MOE???
Polish Joke: 2014 climate conference pits host Poland as #1 opponent proposed EU carbon cuts
Tell the UN to stick their carbon cuts where the sun don’t shine!
Monckton: Einstein changed the world in 30 pages — The IPCC bores it with 10,000
Climate alarmists don’t want to talk about reality…
Biggest denier of climate change is the Earth itself — 17 years of CO2 rise but flat temps
Mother Nature does not believe in AGW!
Henry Mallory writes in the Corvallis (OR) Gazette-Times:
View original post 122 more words
Warmists create climate of madness, literally — Weeping, vasectomy-craving weatherman just the latest
Some people are just not “parent material”!
Defining the rules for maintenance of wind turbines
By Mike Bridgen » – The Northern Echo – October 1, 2013 – UK
NATIONAL minimum standards for the installation and maintenance of medium wind turbines are being drawn up for the first time.
SETTING STANDARDS: Julian Martin, of Ice Renewables, is chairman of the body setting minimum installation and maintenance standards for medium wind turbines
Julian Martin, chief executive of Northallerton-based Ice Renewables, is chairing the body setting the standards.
At present, there are no defined rules or medium wind standards for installers or maintainance companies to work to and, consequently, the quality of services varies across the UK.
There have been nightmare stories of customers being left with turbines not working, no proper operations and maintenance contracts, a lack of turbine parts, installers who have walked away and manufacturers not set up to deal with the maintenance of their fleets of turbines.
RenewableUK, the trade body, has recognised this and is working with its small and medium wind strategy group, chaired by Mr Martin, to introduce a national MCS approved medium wind standard by 2014.
It wants an international IEC medium wind standard later next year for turbine design, site assessment, installation and operations and maintenance across the whole medium wind sector.
Ice Renewables is an established specialist in the small and medium wind sector, and is focused on setting and maintaining the highest standards.
It has launched its own unrivalled Complete Wind Solutions package, extending a specialist operations and maintenance (O&M) service to manufacturers, developers and customers in the medium and Megawatt wind sector.
The company was established in 2006 and has become a sector leader but, in its early years, it had firsthand experience with the issues of subcontracting to an external (O&M) firm.
“We were not happy with the level of service we received for our customers and soon realised the turbines were not being well looked after and our customers were unhappy,” said Mr Martin.
“Because of this, we took the decision to bring the service in-house. We haven’t looked back and currently operate and maintain 12 Vergnet medium wind turbines, with our last quarter availability rate being an average of 99.6 per cent.” With a fleet that extends from Edinburgh to Cornwall and from Suffolk to Newark, Ice has a proven record for the delivery of these specialised services, Mr Martin said: “Our customers want good communication, fast response time to minimise their turbines down time, well-trained engineers, a good relationship with the manufacturer, and a set of complementary added value services, such as high voltage maintenance work and blade repair, so that they do not have gaps in the service of their turbine.”
He said a good O&M strategy was increasingly a priority for manufacturers, developers and customers, as it can extend the turbine’s lifetime, reduce costs and increase availability.
Mr Martin advised potential wind turbine owners to think carefully about who they choose to construct their turbine and ensure they work with reputable companies with a local presence who are dedicated to the long-term support of their wind project.
Original Article Here: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2013/10/01/10709580.Defining_the_rules_for_maintenance_of_wind_turbines/
Windfarm subsidies will be axed, says Cameron
By Robert Merrick, September 29, 2013 – The Northern Echo – UK
SUBSIDIES for wind farms will be axed, David Cameron said – potentially scaling back development in County Durham, a wind power ‘hotspot’.
In an eve-of-conference interview, the prime minister revealed he did not want to keep the subsidies for “a second longer than they’re necessary”.
The move appeared to be in response to Ed Miliband’s eye-catching pledge to freeze energy bills for 20 months, from 2015, to tackle a “cost of living crisis”.
Critics claim the so-called ‘renewables obligation’ – which subsidises wind farms – piles £23 on each household bill.
But scrapping subsidies would be bitterly criticised by environmental campaigners, who argue the expansion of wind farms is crucial to cutting carbon emissions.
That includes in County Durham, which – on one calculation – has the second highest concentration of wind turbines in England, after Cornwall.
More than 20 farms have been built, or have permission, with another 13 in planning – and a controversial 24-turbine development earmarked for The Isles near Newton Aycliffe.
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Cameron said: “Recently, I opened the London Array, the biggest offshore wind farm anywhere in the world, and it’s good that Britain is leading the way in this technology.
“We do need some of these new renewable technologies – and that’s why there are subsidies – but we shouldn’t have those for a second longer than they’re necessary.”
E.ON recently agreed to reduce the output of The Isles wind farm from 63.5 megawatts (mw) to 48mw, which means it will be decided by local planners, rather than the Government.
Original Article Here: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/10705835.Windfarm_subsidies_will_be_axed__says_Cameron/
Mothers Against Wind Turbines Inc. 