EXCERPTS:

Rather than divide communities, they said their projects improve the lives of all residents..........Landowners often overlook potential problems until it’s too late. Many who sign contracts can’t terminate the agreements, even if they later beg for relief from what they deem intolerable living conditions........Elected officials tasked with voting on these developments have, in many cases, signed their own contracts with the wind companies, raising…

Some of the more important articles in this issue are:

Six-Month Investigation: In the Shadow of Wind Projects

Peer-reviewed study: Why Wind Turbine Sounds are Annoying, and Why it Matters

Court Finds Wind Turbine Noise Exposure a ‘Pathway to Disease’

Are Big Wind Firms Actually “Subsidy Miners”?

Final US Tax Bill is favorable to Wind Energy

France: 1.2 to 3.3 million bats destroyed by wind turbines

Massachusetts Offshore Wind Project…

A pretty good pro and con article on the buildout of wind "farms" in the US and some of the problems they have caused. At least we are getting a sort of fair and balanced report. 

The only important paragraph in this whole article is this: 

" Today, more than 1,000 exist. Much of the growth has been funded by American taxpayers. BILLIONS of dollars in state and federal incentives have made wind farms so profitable that companies are racing to develop…

Presumably it will be valid if it is emailed by midnight and thus timestamped Dec 18.

Please take a few minutes and email any comments you have by tomorrow, Monday, December 18, 2017.

Maine Wind Energy Act Standards: Public Comment Deadline: Dec 18, 2017

Agency contact:…

Sad indeed.

https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/final-tax-bill-amends-beat-provision-to-keep-ptc-and-itc-value#gs.E8si2wI

The safety setbacks from property lines have been increased from the existing standard of 1 ½ times the distance to the tip of the fully extended blade, to 1 ½ times the hub height plus rotor diameter.

The applicant must provide evidence of the project’s effect on electrical rates directly attributable to the project. The impact of any single generation source on electrical rates in Maine is a complex undertaking that requires sophisticated modeling and assumptions about future operation of the electrical grid, future energy mix and prices in the region, and a myriad of other factors. Importantly, in enacting the Wind Energy Act the Legislature made specific findings on the positive effect…

The applicant is required to provide evidence of a power purchase agreement or other evidence demonstrating the intended sale of the project’s output to a third party. The DEP has not previously required evidence of a power purchase agreement and does not generally evaluate the economics of projects it reviews or require a showing that the output (whether an energy project or non-energy development) will be sold to a third party.

"The new provisions on decommissioning do not allow consideration of salvage value when estimating costs and establishing the required decommissioning fund. The decommissioning fund must be fully funded and in place prior to commencement of construction and must be re-evaluated every two years during the life of the project. This change would substantially increase the costs associated with the required decommissioning fund."

"We remain concerned about the potential impacts of the new Base Erosion Anti-Abuse Tax on renewable energy finance," said Gregory Wetstone, president and CEO for the large umbrella group American Council on Renewable Energy.

The BEAT provision was included in the Senate’s tax bill, inserted to discourage large multinational companies from keeping money offshore. It would reduce the tax deductibility enjoyed by financial…

Vermont has an anemic, near-zero, real-growth economy, which does not produce enough tax revenues year after year, partially due to the huge RE giveaways, such as: 

1) Federal and state ITCs; upfront giveaways to offset any taxes. 

2) Federal and state taxes not paid due to rapid depreciation write-offs during there first 6 years 

3) Federal and state taxes not paid due to loan interest deducted from taxable profits.

4)…

https://stopthesethings.com/2017/12/09/australian-court-finds-wind-turbine-noise-exposure-a-pathway-to-disease-waubra-foundation-vindicated/

The Punta Lima wind farm was significantly damaged, losing approximately half the turbine blades and sustaining vertical post damage, the report said. The Santa Isabel wind farm was "seemingly intact."



Wind farm repair costs are estimated at $25 million and solar farm repairs at $40 million, which could take approximately nine to 12 months. The cost to deploy microgrids is estimated at a little more than $1 billion and solar installations are recommended for new…