Category Archives: Wind power

“Cosmic math”: wind developers hold open house in Eastern Ontario

09 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Ontario Farmer

By Ian Cumming

St. Isidore–With a September 1 deadline to apply to the Ontario government for a share of the provincial allotted windpower megawatts (MW), four wind companies held public information open houses in three eastern Ontario counties, detailing their area proposed projects.

Two of these were: the RES Canada presentation in Vankleek Hill for the 15-turbine, 40 MW Gauthier project on June 22, and the EDF EN Canada presentation for the 14-MW project in St. Isidore on June 23.

With EDF having a large number of solar and wind proects in 19 countries throughout the world, including scattered throughout the United States plus Alberta and Quebec, the company is looking to expand its presence in Ontario, says David Thornton, from stakeholder relations at the company.

Wind developer exec former McGuinty staffer

Thornton started as a staffer in Premier McGuinty’s office, was the former campaign manager for the Ontario LIberal Party, and over six years at Queen’s Park, was senior policy advisor for renewable energy at the Ministry of Energy, and also senior policy advisor for land use planning and municipal affairs at Municipal Affairs.

Thornton and his staff fielded questions from the audience.

“Who do you work for?” Thornton asked Sylvia [sic] Gagnon. “I work for no one,” Gagnon replied. “I live in North Glengarry and I’m against the invasion of our beautiful farmland by these monstrosities.

“I came here for answers and instead I’m talking to a lot of slippery people.”

The over 160 farmers signed up for the St. Isidore project “are more than who will get windmills,” said Thornton to Ontario Farmer. “That’s the way these projects work.”*

However, “all these farmers who sign up will be paid something, whether they get a windmill or not,” added Mark Gallagher from EDF.

The concept of also paying local supportive residents who have signed up a minimum of $1,000 per year** “was something I brought from Ireland,” said Gallagher. “They do that over there, pay people on a per acre basis.”

EDF pays the municipal taxes on the windmills, said Gallagher *** which would come to $150,000 per year on a project smaller than what they are proposing in St. Isidore.

He noted that, on top of that, they are committed to invest heavily in sports grants and other community projects over the next two decades. ****

The one farmer who held out from EDF, having 700 acres in the St. Isidore area as part of his 5,000 acres in two counties, gave a quick walk through scanning the posters and [said] “I’ve seen enough, I’m going home,” he told Ontario Farmer.

This is going to end badly

He said his instincts are telling him “this is going to end badly.

“It’s a business model based on a falsehood that can’t sustain itself. Some day people won’t be able to pay more on their hydro bills.”

The night before, in Vankleek Hill, the RES Canada presentation had fewer posters but the issues and the concerns for those attending were exactly the same.

“I have no idea where the Liberal government is getting the money for these things,” said local mayor [Champlain] Gary Barton at the RES presentation. Barton, unlike his counterpart in St. Isidore is not embracing the proposed project in his area.

However, under the Green Energy Act, “there is nothing I can legally do,” said Barton.

He recalled a specific face-to-face meeting several years ago [that] involved him and another local mayor with then Ontario Energy minister George Smitherman, expressing concerns about a large solar project in their area.

“He told us there is nothing you can do,” said Barton.

Electrical engineer Stan Thayer was at the RES presentation noting, “I’m not against anything. When I was at McGill in the 1970s we worked with solar panels and wind mills. I understand all this.

“But, I can’t afford it,” said Thayer. “Plus, the BS being presented to the public is wrong,” he said.

Cosmic math

“No one has shown me facts from any windmill, no matter the size, making a profit,” said Thayer.

“They are using cosmic math,” he said. “Because we don’t know where they are getting their numbers. They don’t add up, multiply or divide.”

 

EDITOR NOTES:

* It’s the way they work now: the new procurement process requires sign-off from adjacent landowners so developers are paying people.

** $1,000 a year for noise, vibration and changed property value?

*** Taxes on wind turbines (they are NOT “windmills”) are capped under the Green Energy Act at $40,000 per megawatt, in spite of the fact the turbines cost $2-3 million. The property tax revenue is less than 20 or so houses.

**** The wind developers get to choose where the money from their “vibrancy” or community funds go, and they like to choose sports so they can have their name plastered all over it as advertising.

Money lures Nation Twp farmers to lease land for wind turbines

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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“If I didn’t sign, I would see the windmills without revenue”: cash crop farmer Marc Bercier

Not too many years ago, cash cropper and seed grower/processor Marc Bercier was actively opposed to green energy projects being proposed and built in his area, but this February he signed for a potential five windmills* and one substation to be located on his 1,700 acres.

“If I didn’t sign I would see the windmills without revenue,” said Bercier.

Pointing to the 29 pages of documentation involved for his portion of the 10,000-acre proposed windmill project, Bercier noted how the negotiated sections on soil compaction, erosion and overall environmental protection were vital to him, considering that his farm is only just over the requires 500 meters from this village. [Editor: what? Do you mean from the project?]

The documentation showed that Bercier was promised $15,000 per windmill per year as a base price, with incentives for more power and compensation for anything that affected the surrounding land. The substation lease was $20,000 per year.

Township Council passed support motion

It’s a massive community project that seems to have the support of Nation Township Mayor Francois St. Amour. A January 20, 2014 council motion passed, stating it [council] “supports the application under the Ontario Power Authority’s Large Renewable Procurement Program.”

… Ontario Farmer obtained documentation showing that, as of March, 2015, 165 landowners had been approached by the EWG windmill company, of which 128 had signed agreements and 37 were in discussion.

“They are all farmers,” said St. Amour, noting that the required setback distances from the windmills meant that a lot of land was involved per windmill.

As of mid-June, almost everyone of the former holdouts had signed up and joined, said Bercier.

OFA ‘incredibly helpful’

The company had persuaded and signed up a local, prominent farmer who then went up and down the concessions promoting the project to individuals, said Bercier.

… “yes, there are liens on the project,” said Bercier. However all lien documentation has been passed by his lawyer, alleviating all concerns as to affecting the farming operation, he said.

The OFA has been incredibly helpful in promoting the project, noted Bercier.

Spending $42,000 a year of hydro costs for his farm, “double what it would cost if I was in Quebec,” Bercier is well aware of the extra hydro costs the public pay to finance such green energy projects.

“We had an election, the Liberals won. The voters chose to pay for more electricity,” said Bercier.

By Ian Cumming

Ontario Farmer

June 23, 2015

*They’re NOT “windmills”!

Nature Canada, field naturalists call for action to save Amherst Island

28 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Nature Canada and the Kingston Field Naturalists are calling for action to save Amherst Island, near Kingston, from a huge windpower generation project which will not only devastate the island community, but also endanger thousands of migratory birds and other at-risk or endangered species.

See this posting from the Association to Protect Amherst Island, below. Be sure to look at the project map below, too—how does the government excuse this in the name of “green”?

Kingston Field Naturalists Nature Canada
Dear Friend,

A 27-turbine wind power project proposed for internationally recognized Amherst Island, an Important Bird Area near Kingston Ontario, may be approved soon by the Ontario government.

The many Species at Risk on Amherst Island include birds (Short-eared Owl, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Eastern Whip-poo-rwill, Barn Swallow, Golden Eagle, Least Bittern, and Red Knot), Blanding’s Turtles, and Milk and Ribbon Snakes.

Amherst Island has an international reputation as one of the most outstanding places in North America to see concentrations of northern owls and is an important stopover for bats on their migratory path across Lake Ontario. Bats are becoming endangered in many places and in April 2015, Canada, the United States and Mexico signed an agreement to protect the pathways of migratory bats.

A wind turbine installation on this small island, as learned from the nearby Wolfe Island installation, would result in loss of habitat for Short-eared Owl and serious and irreversible harm to local populations of Bobolinks, Barn Swallows and Eastern Meadowlarks, and to breeding population of Red-tailed Hawk, breeding and roosting Purple Martins, and Osprey. Additionally significant breeding population of Blanding’s Turtle, Wilson’s Phalarope and Whip-poor-wills are also at risk. No one is considering the cumulative impact of this project and the many others that are operational or proposed for this important migration route on the vulnerable populations of birds and other wildlife.

More information about the Project and the Island can be found at: http://www.protectamherstisland.ca

This might the last opportunity to convince the Province to make the right decision and put an end to this project before it enters the expensive and draining cycle of legal challenges. It is time that Ontario’s green energy policy is balanced with its international obligations to protect biodiversity and that decision makers demonstrate genuine respect for the wishes of the overwhelming majority of community members. Please send letters to those listed below, asking that the wind-turbine project for Amherst Island be stopped completely – and permanently:

Ontario Premier, Kathleen Wynne, premier@ontario.ca

Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Glen Murray, minister.moe@ontario.ca

Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Bill Mauro, minister.mnr@ontario.ca

Director, MOECC, Sarah Paul sarah.paul@ontario.ca

Senior Project Evaluator, MOECC, Susanne Edwards, susanne.edwards@ontario.ca

CC Association to Protect Amherst Island protectai@kos.net

Thank you,

Kingston Field Naturalists and Nature Canada

 

Site plan for the proposed power project:

 

 

Prowind wind farm in Norwich appealed

23 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Health, Renewable energy, Wind power

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Prowind was the wind power developer based in Germany that had a proposal for the North Gower-Richmond area of Ottawa. The company failed to qualify for bids for new projects in 2015. Norwich Gazette, June 22, 2015

A local group is appealing the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change’s decision to issue a renewable energy approval for the Gunn’s Hill wind farm. East Oxford Community Alliance Inc., a group of local citizens that has opposed the project since its announcement, has challenged the approval, citing several points to demonstrate the project will cause serious harm to human health and plants, animals and the natural environment. The matter will now be heard in front of the Environmental Review Tribunal. The hearing is scheduled for June 29, 30, July 6 through 8, July 14 and 16. The location is Oxford Centre hall. Information posted to the provincial Environmental Registry states the Alliance is asking the Tribunal to revoke the decision to issue the REA. The Alliance’s grounds for the hearing, as outlined on the registry website, include impacts to human health, the project’s proximity to Curries Aerodrome and harm to local animals. “Industrial wind turbines are known to cause a range of serious health effects (e.g., sleep disturbance, headaches, tinnitus, ear pressure, dizziness, vertigo, nausea, visual blurring, irritability, depression, problems with learning and concentration, increased stress, memory and panic episodes) and further impacts arising from these impacts (e.g., increased morbidity and significant chronic disease) in approximately 5 per cent to 30 per cent of the population,” the appeal posting states, adding the health effects are more likely than not caused by exposure to infrasound, low frequency noise and visual impact. The appeal posting also claims the construction and operation of the project as proposed will result in interference with radar systems at London and Hamilton and thus affect the safety of aviation-related activity in the area. The project is also proposed for an area in close proximity to Curries Aerodrome, which would expose pilots to unsafe conditions and require them to adopt unsafe practices during takeoffs and landings. Another point of the appeal is the impact it could have on livestock health, reproduction or productivity, which would affect the livelihoods of farm operators. Prowind Canada’s Gunn’s Hill wind farm project received environmental approval from the MOECC April 9. At that time, Prowind Vice-President Juan Anderson said the company is prepared to follow the appeal process, but was confident in the process it followed to receive ministry approval.

Editor’s note: the community group found that there were numerous errors and omissions in Prowind’s submission to the Ministry of the Environment.

Power developer EDF claims to have signed leases for St Isidore wind project

22 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Ontario Farmer, June 16, 2015

Farmers signing up for St. Isidore wind power project

by Ian Cumming

[Excerpt]

A 10,000-acre windmill project is being proposed near St. Isidore in Prescott County with many farmers already having signed leases.*

The 150-megawatt project is projected to run from Highway 417 north to County Road 10 and 16 in the Nation township, states a press release from the St. Isidore Wind Energy Centre, and affiliate of EDF Renewable Services.

“There are supportive landowners in the area that have already signed up,” said David Thornotn from EDF. …

The St. Isidore Wind Energy Centre is holing an information meeting for the public on June 23rd from 5 to 8 PM in the St. Isidore Arena, said Thornton.

A Ponzi scheme: local farmer

“I have 700 acres right smack in the middle of it and I think the program is stupid,” said a farmer who wished to remain unidentified. “It’s a Ponzi scheme that in the end has you buying your own power. They’ve been phoning me for a couple of years now to sign, but I won’t,” said the farmer. “Others have probably signed up…they want the money now not realizing that in the end it will cost them.”

People who work at the power dam in Cornwall “tell me that you would cry when you see all the water that we dump over the dam because we don’t need the power,” said the farmer. “And when these things become obsolete the companies will be gone or bankrupt…You’re going to have to clean your own tower up.”

…Local landowner groups have become involved over the St. Isidore and other nearby proposed wind projects said Beth Trudeau from that organization.

Municipalities can take action

Their response to the project will focus on making municipal politicians aware of the fact that the Green Energy Act does not prohibit them from ruling as to whether or not the projects can be constructed, she said.

“The municipalities are saying there is nothing they can do, and we intend to show them otherwise,” said Trudeau.

*The wind power generators at the utility or industrial scale are NOT “windmills,” they are wind turbines. This should properly say the wind power developers is “alleged” to have signed agreements with farm owners as it is a common tactic for the developers to encourage people to sign by telling people many others already have; also, at this stage, the agreements are likely an “option” and not a contract.

 

Health impacts of wind turbine noise, infrasound a public health concern: Carmen Krogh at ideacity

19 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Health researcher Carmen Krogh was a guest speaker at this year’s ideacity event in Toronto. No matter where in the world industrial-scale wind turbines have been installed, she said, the constellation of symptoms is the same.

This has become a world public health concern.

Take 20 minutes, please, to view this presentation, and ask yourself about the role of the Government of Canada in this, as the wind power industry leads the government down the renewable energy “roadmap” using taxpayer dollars. It is time the government sponsor proper, independent research that really wants to find an answer, not promote the industry on the untested promise of green energy and jobs.

View her excellent presentation here.

Australian Senate report: dismayed by wind industry behaviour

19 Friday Jun 2015

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As you may know, the Senate in Australia (which is an elected body) has been conducting a review of wind turbines and problems associated with wind power generation in that country for several months.

Although the final report is not due out until August, the Committee felt it necessary to release an interim report and the “headline recommendations.”

They are very interesting…and refreshing in that here is a body that has listened to both sides, and has concluded there is cause for concern.

Of particular interest are these three paragraphs from the report.

Why are there so many people who live in close proximity to wind turbines complaining of similar physiological and psychological symptoms? As with previous Senate inquiries, this committee has gathered evidence from many submitters attributing symptoms of dizziness, nausea, migraines, high blood pressure, tinnitus, chronic sleep deprivation and depression to the operation of nearby wind turbines. The committee invites the public to read and consider the evidence of people who have experienced these symptoms and who attribute their anxiety and ill health to the operation of turbines.2

1.13 These health affects should not be trivialised or ignored. The committee was particularly distressed by renewable energy advocates, wind farm developers and operators, public officials and academics who publicly derided and sometimes lampooned local residents who were genuinely attempting to make known the adverse health effects they were suffering.

1.14 The committee is aware of people complaining of these impacts who have since left their family home. Some now live a nomadic and uncertain existence. In one case, the now deserted home had been in the family for five generations—since the 1840s. These are not decisions taken lightly. Having left the turbine vicinity, several witnesses noted that the symptoms had faded if not disappeared.3

The Committee quite rightly observed that the decision to leave the family home, and often hundreds of thousands of dollars of investment, to say nothing of farm operations and property, because they HAD TO.

The recommendations listed by the Senate Committee include the need for independent clinical research, and continuous independent monitoring of wind power project noise and infrasound (oh, and we need standards and regulations for infrasound–Ontario doesn’t have these and is dragging its feet on this issue)—the Committee also vindicated the effort and methodology of acoustician Stephen Cooper whose Cape Bridgeport study and finding of unique “sensation” resulting from the turbine emissions.

Several months ago, Ottawa Wind Concerns was subjected to a barrage of insulting Tweets one evening from Australia from a pro-wind power physician, and acolytes of sociologist Simon Chapman. Mr Chapman is mentioned specifically in the Senate Committee report, presumably as one of the disappointing “academics.” (Mr Chapman also functions as a paid consultant for the wind power industry.)

The commentators that evening included one Chris Young of Ottawa who works in the renewable energy field (former Board member of the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association, and former employee of NorSun Energy). Mr Young, at the end of a trail of increasingly insulting posts claiming that people who reported health effects from turbine audible noise and infrasound were essentially nuts, said that Ottawa Wind Concerns, people like us, and specifically me, were “irrelevant.”

Now that we have a government body stating that there is cause for concern, that the wind power industry’s behaviour has been lamentable, and that the way forward is research that is actually intended to find out what’s going on, we ask, who is “irrelevant” now?

Jane Wilson, RN

Chair, Ottawa Wind Concerns

ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com

P.S. The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association is supported significantly by taxpayers. See funding information here.

P.P.S. Mr Young now enjoys the position of being the only person blocked from our Twitter feed.

More wind farms for Eastern Ontario: Casselman, St Isidore to see 150 MW proposal

11 Thursday Jun 2015

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Wind power developer EDF has announced it intends to bid for 150 megawatts of wind power (50 turbines) on 10,000 acres of land it has optioned near St-Isidore, Ontario. Bids under the 2015 Large Renewable Procurement process are due September 1st. The company is promising 250 jobs “at the height of construction” and a total of four full-time jobs after the project begins. EDF is also promising $150,000 per year in municipal tax revenues and a further $150,000 per year in community benefits. (Taxes on wind turbines are capped at $40,000 per megawatt under the Green Energy Act; municipal benefits in the form of “vibrancy funds are typically less than 1% of the developers’ revenues; full-time jobs for wind “farms” are for highly trained technical staff). This proposal follows announcements by EDP Renewables and Invenergy, both proposing projects in Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry. The Independent Electricity Systems Operator or IESO has said there is no capacity on the grid in Eastern Ontario for these projects, at present. A public Open House is being held June 23rd in St Isidore; see the notice here.

South Branch wind project a success says developer EDP

29 Friday May 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Chris Little Thomas LoTurco EDP Renewables Apr2115 Edited

Ken Little (L) and Thomas LoTurco of EDP presenting to South Dundas Council in April: everything is tickety-boo.

EDP Renewables held one of its mandatory community liaison meetings last night, ironically in Dixon’s Corners where so many community meetings had been held by residents opposed to the project.

The wind power project is a great success declared project manager Ken Little. He dispelled concerns about the “charge of lease” issue*, and noise complaints, and insisted that the community is in favour and supportive of the power project.

The Ministry of the Environment representative from the Cornwall district office was also in attendance and admitted that the power developer has yet to file its mandatory noise testing report, as the required higher wind speeds have not been achieved. Therefore the Ministry does not have appropriate data and does not intend to pursue any enforcement action for non-compliance with the regulations.

No one actually measuring noise for compliance

This statement was a shock to those present who have lodged noise complaints (Ottawa Wind Concerns is aware that the first noise complaint was filed two weeks after the turbines began operating). People in at least one residence in Brinston lodged enough complaints that the Ministry conducted a noise audit on site—those results are not available to the public, the MoE representative said.

In the absence of an active community group in South Branch at present, Ottawa Wind Concerns will answer any questions as bet we can: ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com

*Editor’s note: Mr Little is following the wind power lobby group guideline of claiming the charge of lease “issue” (where developers can obtain financing which is then registered on title) is simply a rumour, and is “nobody’s business.” The fact is, the charge of lease potential is yet another characteristic in wind power leases that land owners need to be aware of, and can affect their ability to obtain financing.

South Dundas wind farm: no connectivity

27 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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Cornwall NewsWatch, May 27

SOUTH DUNDAS – The province’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has given South Dundas slim to virtually no chance of having more renewable energy projects.

The Circuit and Station Transmission Availability Tables released Friday by the IESO shows “No Availability” for the five transmission circuits serving the Brinston-area of South Dundas.

The report has likely left plans for two windmill projects in that area of South Dundas twisting in the wind.

EDP Renewables had planned a 50-100 megawatt windmill project northeast of Brinston, which would have been serviced by 40 windmills. Despite repeated calls and emails from Cornwall Newswatch, Project Manager Ken Little has not responded.

Chicago-based Invenergy wanted a slightly smaller project of 50-90 megawatts serviced by 20-25 windmills. The Nine Mile Wind Project would be west of Brinston.

“Invenergy has received the transmission availability report from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), and we are reviewing the connection options for the Nine Mile Project. (We will) have no further comment until our assessment is complete,” a company spokeswoman said in an email to Cornwall Newswatch.

IESO spokeswoman Alexandra Campbell says, while the table will show no circuit availability, a company can still apply. She says the tables are a snapshot in time and are based on a conservative estimate for power needs. Campbell called them “guidelines.”

“A proponent can still apply for a contract with a project on one of those circuits and, based on the specifics of that project, still may get a contract…and that project may be able to connect,” she said.

Campbell says the IESO availability tables are guidelines and will point out what areas are “a little tighter than others. But no availability doesn’t necessarily mean no projects at all can connect.”

The tables show no availability on the five circuits for Brinston. The area does have the capacity though to handle 550 more megawatts of power. There are many other areas, predominately in southwestern Ontario, where the chances are higher a contract could go ahead.

Certainly this is a factor they (the companies) need to consider. In an area where there may be a lot of availability there’s certainly a much greater likelihood of there not being any barriers with the specific issue of connection (to the circuit)…lower availability is certainly one aspect that needs to be considered by a proponent,” Campbell said.

EDP Renewables and Invenergy are two of 42 companies qualified in Ontario to put in contracts. They have until Sept. 1 to decide whether to put in a request for proposal (RFP).