Comment

Comment by Mike DiCenso on August 6, 2014 at 3:05pm

Anybody heard if any fires out West were caused by industrial turbines? It is only a matter of time.

Comment by Whetstone_Willy on April 26, 2013 at 10:05am

Let's add the following to Sierra-Audubon-NRCM's CO2 calculations:

1. The CO2 given off by potential wind caused forest fires, stated in a range from a small fire to a huge fire

2. The lost CO2 sequestration due to such land going from healthy forest actively engaged in CO2 sequestration to a charred moonscape

Comment by Donald Moore on April 26, 2013 at 9:39am

This is a perfect example of "leaping before looking." Environment Maine; NRCM; Maine Audubon; Sierra Club all became committed to Wind as clean energy early in the debate and found themselves "in over their heads" and on the wrong side of history! Now they are compounding insult to injury! How sad they are now demonstrating cowardice. They have decided to accept big donors over the people. Which one of them will blink first and admit a mistake and come back to the people who made them strong long ago?

Comment by freemont tibbetts on April 26, 2013 at 7:10am

Our government is not working right if they cannot and do not put a stop this Big Wind Scam that is Destroying The Mountains in this Great of Maine. It''s all for the Greed for Money so the rich get richer and it needs to stop now before it is too late. One Way or Other. That is The True Facts !!!.     

  

Comment by Long Islander on April 23, 2013 at 10:34pm

The Vestas operating manual states that their own workers must not stay within a 1,300 foot radius of a wind turbine.

http://www.windcows.com/files/Vestas_complete_manual.pdf

That is how far they can easily throw debris, including burning debris. The math says that a 1,300' radius equals 122 acres, yet I keep reading that only 1.5 acres of forest is cleared for each wind turbine. Maine needs to establish a fire safety radius where each turbine sits in a cleared area of 122 acres, or probably more because the Vestas 1,300' radius was based on 389' wind turbines, not today's 500' turbines.

Let's require this fire safety radius and then let's see the wind power applications not be approved on the basis of the environmental destruction their fire radius will bring about.

The wind industry would cry and moan and shout unfair. Too bad.

Comment by Karen Bessey Pease on April 23, 2013 at 8:46pm

There were several quotes in the article which caused raised brows.

“The Kibby turbines have built-in fire detection systems,” Semmens wrote in an email to the BDN. “In the event of a fire, a smoke alarm detects this and automatically shuts off the turbine. That is what happened in this case. Our power system operators identified a problem at the facility and when TransCanada’s employees arrived at the site the following morning, the fire was out.”

There was no mention of whether or not the fire caused the whole string of turbines to shut down on that side...but as they are interconnected, that would be a reasonable assumption.

And where is the show of concern that, once the turbine shut down, crews waited until morning to see what the problem was? If the fire HAd spread debris to areas which were not protected by snow... what would the crew have found, the next morning? Surely a 'shut down' of a turbine (or more likely, a whole string of them) should be investigated immediately?

“Applications for wind projects in Maine are already highly scrutinized,” said Jeremy Payne, executive director of the Maine Renewable Energy Association. “Every wind development in Maine has to develop a preparedness plan, which includes public safety setbacks. … In addition, the clearing done to build the turbines and the pads that they are built upon limit the ability of fire to spread.”

The question here isn't exactly 'public' safety setbacks. We know these turbines are remote from human habitation. BUT they ARE in the middle of our forest. Anyone who's ever been intimately involved in the devastation caused by a forest fire knows that they can spread rapidly, causing destruction to our woods and wildlife and ecosystems, as well as homes and cabins many miles away. To shrug this off seems unconscionable.

"Paul Williamson, director of the Maine Ocean & Wind Industry Initiative, points out that wind turbines are not the only pieces of machinery operating in Maine’s woods.

“Where is the concern for fires in logging operations? Where is the concern for fires in machinery operated at ski areas? These are all common uses that require machinery in a forested area,” Williamson said. “This is really not dramatically different than those other uses.”

Why is it that Mr. Williamson takes on a tone of 'poor me' when what he should be saying is "Yes, this was a frightening event and it is up to the industry to make sure we don't endanger Maine in this way again"? Instead, he whines about skidders and chair lifts? Rarely are either in operation without humans being on the scene. This comparison would be laughable... if this issue wasn't so serious. The best defense is a strong offense, and Mr. Williamson has that tactic down pat.

"On April 2, just two weeks after Longeteig’s comments to the BDN, another Vestas turbine, though of a different model from those installed at Kibby Mountain, caught fire at a wind farm in Ontario. In October 2012, another Vestas turbine — again, a different make than the ones at Kibby — caught fire at a wind farm in Nebraska. While the cause of the Ontario fire is still unknown, an investigation discovered the source of the Nebraska fire, but Longeteig wouldn’t disclose its findings."

Of course he wouldn't disclose! How often does the industry claim 'proprietary information'? By rights, if tax-payers subsidize these projects, tax-payers should be allowed transparency in the industry's dealings, reports and information.

"TransCanada doesn’t expect local fire departments to fight blazes at the wind farm, Semmens said.

“We do not expect local fire departments to risk the safety of their firefighters by going up a tall turbine tower in the event of a fire that does not pose a risk to people,” he wrote. “Most fire equipment is not designed to manage fires at such a height, and common industry practice is to allow wind turbine fires to burn out on their own.”

Excuse me? Are local fire departments expected to 'sit out' any turbine fire within their jurisdiction? It's common knowledge that fire departments in Maine aren't equipped to deal with turbine fires, which happen hundreds of feet off the ground. That's a big part of the problem. But certainly, they should be on hand to extinguish any spot fires caused by flaming debris. Should they be called? Consulted? Allowed to make their own assessment of the situation? Absolutely.

"Warren at the DEP said it’s possible the expedited pace of past wind farm approvals could have led to the issue of turbine fires receiving less attention than it deserved."

FINALLY. An admission that Maine's 'wind rush' poses dangers... or at the very least, created an atmosphere of 'build, build, build' without the usual cautions put in place to protect Maine's landscape, forests or citizens.

It's time we took a step back, took into consideration the 25 recommendations put forth in the 2012 Maine Wind Energy Assesment Report, and approached this issue with caution, common sense and integrity.

Comment by Penny Gray on April 23, 2013 at 8:09pm

Thank you, Clyde.  This is exactly what you've been warning us about all along.  Hopefully the right people are paying attention.

Comment by clyde macdonald on April 23, 2013 at 7:51pm

flaming firebombs from exploding, burning turbines land hundreds of yards away, down steep, forested mountainsides. They are not to be compared with what happens when a skidder catches fire. Mr. Paul Williamson' s comments are absurd.  Clyde MacDonald, Hampden

Comment by Allen Barrette on April 23, 2013 at 6:44pm

Now all the politicians,Business investors,and big wind start paying back the taxpayers,fire departments and any other damaged you caused with these idiotic machines. Got it! Then get the hell out of Maine.