"This is the second of two major studies we have conducted on this topic [the first was published in 2009 -- see below], and in both studies [using two different datasets] we find no statistical evidence that operating wind turbines have had any measureable impact on home sales prices," says Ben Hoen, the lead author of the new report.
Hoen is a researcher in the Environmental Energy Technologies Division of Berkeley Lab.
The new study used a number of sophisticated techniques to control for other potential impacts on home prices, including collecting data that spanned well before the wind facilities' development was announced to after they were constructed and operating. This allowed the researchers to control for any pre-existing differences in home sales prices across their sample and any changes that occurred due to the housing bubble.
This study, the most comprehensive to-date, builds on both the previous Berkeley Lab study as well a number of other academic and published U.S. studies, which also generally find no measureable impacts near operating turbines.
"Although there have been claims of significant property value impacts near operating wind turbines that regularly surface in the press or in local communities, strong evidence to support those claims has failed to materialize in all of the major U.S. studies conducted thus far," says Hoen. "Moreover, our findings comport with the large set of studies that have investigated other potentially similar disamenities, such as high voltage transmission lines, land fills, and noisy roads, which suggest that widespread impacts from wind turbines would be either relatively small or non-existent."
The report was authored by Ben Hoen (Berkeley Lab), Jason P. Brown (formerly USDA now Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City), Thomas Jackson (Texas A & M and Real Property Analytics), Ryan Wiser (Berkeley Lab), Mark Thayer (San Diego State University) and Peter Cappers (Berkeley Lab). The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Read the full story at scfwindturbine.com web! If you love wind power generators, welcome to contact
us!
2013年8月27日 星期二
2013年6月23日 星期日
Public Eye
Opponents of a potential eastern Howard County wind turbine project packed the Howard County Commissioners meeting this past week. It was the fifth straight commissioners meeting dominated by the white-shirted opponents.
The opponents want county officialsto create larger setback requirements and to require wind turbines to obtain a special exception use permit from the Howard County Board of Zoning Appeals.
The irony here is that the opponents are appealing to two of the individuals responsible for the current setback requirements, and for the fact that in Howard County, you need a special exception permit to build a cell phone tower, but you don’t need one to build a much taller wind turbine.
On May 19, 2009, the Howard County Plan Commission met to consider a proposed wind turbine amendment to the Howard County Zoning Ordinance.
At the meeting, the plan commission voted to change key provisions of the proposed new wind turbine rules, jettisoning a proposal to require a special exception permit, and voting for shorter setback requirements.
Commissioner Tyler Moore, who was on the plan commission at the time, “said he felt he spoke for the Commissioners in saying they would like to see the 1,000 foot setback from residences reduced. He said seeing that reduction considered was a welcome surprise. He felt the process needed to be as smooth as possible. The Special Exception process was probably prohibitive for the land owner as well as the wind energy companies,” the minutes state.
Commissioner Paul Wyman was also at the meeting, to speak in favor of the changes.
According to the minutes, Wyman said “He would like to see the change of the 500 feet and the Special Exception as a requirement. He said Howard County needs to be in the most competitive position possible.”
Several representatives of wind energy companies, as well as individuals and attorneys representing landowners interested in leasing property to the wind companies, were also at the meeting to press for the last-minute changes, which passed unanimously.
Brian Oaks, who was acting as the plan commission’s attorney at the time, also recommended getting rid of the special exception permit requirement, telling the commission members he didn’t think it would hold up in court, if the BZA rejected a special use permit application.
Thursday, Wyman said he hasn’t changed his position on the issue, but is hopeful there may be room for compromise between wind developer E.On Climate & Renewables and the opponents, noting that E.On has proposed setbacks for recent projects which exceed the Howard County zoning requirements.
Wyman also said he was concerned about economic development in 2009, a year when Kokomo was beset by bankruptcies in the auto industry, and unemployment reached 20 percent.
“Our community was looking to diversify, and wind energy was an up-and-coming investment,” he said. Click on their website www.scfwindturbine.com for more information.
The opponents want county officialsto create larger setback requirements and to require wind turbines to obtain a special exception use permit from the Howard County Board of Zoning Appeals.
The irony here is that the opponents are appealing to two of the individuals responsible for the current setback requirements, and for the fact that in Howard County, you need a special exception permit to build a cell phone tower, but you don’t need one to build a much taller wind turbine.
On May 19, 2009, the Howard County Plan Commission met to consider a proposed wind turbine amendment to the Howard County Zoning Ordinance.
At the meeting, the plan commission voted to change key provisions of the proposed new wind turbine rules, jettisoning a proposal to require a special exception permit, and voting for shorter setback requirements.
Commissioner Tyler Moore, who was on the plan commission at the time, “said he felt he spoke for the Commissioners in saying they would like to see the 1,000 foot setback from residences reduced. He said seeing that reduction considered was a welcome surprise. He felt the process needed to be as smooth as possible. The Special Exception process was probably prohibitive for the land owner as well as the wind energy companies,” the minutes state.
Commissioner Paul Wyman was also at the meeting, to speak in favor of the changes.
According to the minutes, Wyman said “He would like to see the change of the 500 feet and the Special Exception as a requirement. He said Howard County needs to be in the most competitive position possible.”
Several representatives of wind energy companies, as well as individuals and attorneys representing landowners interested in leasing property to the wind companies, were also at the meeting to press for the last-minute changes, which passed unanimously.
Brian Oaks, who was acting as the plan commission’s attorney at the time, also recommended getting rid of the special exception permit requirement, telling the commission members he didn’t think it would hold up in court, if the BZA rejected a special use permit application.
Thursday, Wyman said he hasn’t changed his position on the issue, but is hopeful there may be room for compromise between wind developer E.On Climate & Renewables and the opponents, noting that E.On has proposed setbacks for recent projects which exceed the Howard County zoning requirements.
Wyman also said he was concerned about economic development in 2009, a year when Kokomo was beset by bankruptcies in the auto industry, and unemployment reached 20 percent.
“Our community was looking to diversify, and wind energy was an up-and-coming investment,” he said. Click on their website www.scfwindturbine.com for more information.
2013年5月6日 星期一
35m turbine testing rig planned for the North East
TURBINE developers will soon have access to a 35m testing facility in the region to help drive the UK's offshore wind energy generation.
A new turbine test rig is being built at Narec to enable turbine companies to bring their systems into operation sooner.
A bespoke 35m-high, 3,000sq building to house the test rig has been completed and handed over six weeks ahead of schedule.
It will be able to deal with the performance, endurance and compressed life testing of complete nacelles – the unit at the top of the tower housing the electricity generation system – up to 15megawatts (mw).
Andrew Mill, chief executive at Narec in Blyth, Northumberland, said: “We will be the first independent facility to undertake accelerated life testing of a next generation offshore wind turbine.
The early completion of building works is a significant achievement and we expect to have completed our first commercial test programme by the middle of next year.
The entire facility is bespoke, designed and built to ensure that larger turbines can be brought into operation sooner.
“It will have a significant impact on the improved design and operation of offshore wind turbines in the UK over the next 20 years.”
The Energy Technologies Institute is investing 25m in the Narec facility, by providing funding to GE Power Conversion and MTS Systems Corporation for the design, development and commissioning of the test rig.
Andrew Scott, ETI programme manager for offshore wind, said: “We are delighted with the new building, taking us all a step closer to the drive train test rig being fully installed at Narec.
“We look forward to the state-of-the art, open access test rig taking shape, and with it ultimately helping in the further expansion of the UK’s offshore wind industry.”
The new building – funded by a 10m from former regional development agency One North East – was handed over by Shepherd Construction which has built three new facilities on the site.
The installation of the 15mw capacity test rig by GE Power Conversion is well under way on site and involves a permanent magnet motor and the largest force application system of its type in the world, weighing over 400 tonnes.
Testing onshore improves the understanding of turbine performance and will verify new designs under simulated lifetime operating conditions and extreme events, such as storm conditions and electrical failures. Shepherd Engineering Services will remain on site in a coordination capacity during rig assembly.
Colin Sargeant, regional managing director at Shepherd Construction, said: “We are delighted to be handing over this new state-of-the-art facility to Narec. Having spent more than two years working on the project, the whole team feel privileged to have been involved in developing a facility that will help the UK to further advance the offshore renewable energy industry.”
Last month the project team for the construction of three new facilities at Narec were awarded the Robert Stephenson Award by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East. This was presented to Narec, Red Box Design, Shepherd Construction, Arup, Turner & Townsend and Heyrod Construction. Highlighting the “great technical ingenuity in both the design and construction processes”.
ICE judges said: “The requirements of the scheme set unique challenges for the designers to understand and calculate the huge loads applied during the testing process and the construction demanded tolerances more normally associated with a laboratory than a construction site.”
The 15mw capacity wind turbine drive train test facility will be commissioned this summer and is an open access facility.
A new turbine test rig is being built at Narec to enable turbine companies to bring their systems into operation sooner.
A bespoke 35m-high, 3,000sq building to house the test rig has been completed and handed over six weeks ahead of schedule.
It will be able to deal with the performance, endurance and compressed life testing of complete nacelles – the unit at the top of the tower housing the electricity generation system – up to 15megawatts (mw).
Andrew Mill, chief executive at Narec in Blyth, Northumberland, said: “We will be the first independent facility to undertake accelerated life testing of a next generation offshore wind turbine.
The early completion of building works is a significant achievement and we expect to have completed our first commercial test programme by the middle of next year.
The entire facility is bespoke, designed and built to ensure that larger turbines can be brought into operation sooner.
“It will have a significant impact on the improved design and operation of offshore wind turbines in the UK over the next 20 years.”
The Energy Technologies Institute is investing 25m in the Narec facility, by providing funding to GE Power Conversion and MTS Systems Corporation for the design, development and commissioning of the test rig.
Andrew Scott, ETI programme manager for offshore wind, said: “We are delighted with the new building, taking us all a step closer to the drive train test rig being fully installed at Narec.
“We look forward to the state-of-the art, open access test rig taking shape, and with it ultimately helping in the further expansion of the UK’s offshore wind industry.”
The new building – funded by a 10m from former regional development agency One North East – was handed over by Shepherd Construction which has built three new facilities on the site.
The installation of the 15mw capacity test rig by GE Power Conversion is well under way on site and involves a permanent magnet motor and the largest force application system of its type in the world, weighing over 400 tonnes.
Testing onshore improves the understanding of turbine performance and will verify new designs under simulated lifetime operating conditions and extreme events, such as storm conditions and electrical failures. Shepherd Engineering Services will remain on site in a coordination capacity during rig assembly.
Colin Sargeant, regional managing director at Shepherd Construction, said: “We are delighted to be handing over this new state-of-the-art facility to Narec. Having spent more than two years working on the project, the whole team feel privileged to have been involved in developing a facility that will help the UK to further advance the offshore renewable energy industry.”
Last month the project team for the construction of three new facilities at Narec were awarded the Robert Stephenson Award by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East. This was presented to Narec, Red Box Design, Shepherd Construction, Arup, Turner & Townsend and Heyrod Construction. Highlighting the “great technical ingenuity in both the design and construction processes”.
ICE judges said: “The requirements of the scheme set unique challenges for the designers to understand and calculate the huge loads applied during the testing process and the construction demanded tolerances more normally associated with a laboratory than a construction site.”
The 15mw capacity wind turbine drive train test facility will be commissioned this summer and is an open access facility.
2013年2月28日 星期四
I've raised issue of turbine ruling
Mr Deacon states in his letter "we should read the Leicester Mercury to find out about planning applications".
Then he goes on to say: "I don't know for sure if the planning application for two 150ft wind turbines close to the Anstey parish border was in the Mercury."
I can assure Mr Deacon I contacted Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council when the first application was made for the wind turbines.
During correspondence with the planning officer at the council, I was assured I would be kept updated on the progress of the proposal. I have since received sincere apologies, as it appears I was not contacted on this matter.
In my view, there is a further issue about this planning application, because this was determined by officers at the council and not a planning committee.
I believe there is always controversy when wind turbines are proposed, especially when sited in areas designated countryside.
Indeed, it is also my view, after reading the council constitution, that applications that raise local or wider controversial issues or requiring environmental impact assessments should be determined by the council's planning committee.
I believe this application fits into both categories. Borough councillors should also have the opportunity to make sure this process is carried out. I have written to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council about these points. I am awaiting its reply.
On a positive note, I applaud Mr Deacon for stating that he recycles his Leicester Mercury rapidly.David Snartt, county councillor, Bradgate division.
the Tories are parachuting in Richard Blunt into Kirby Muxloe and Leicester Forest East for the county council elections ("How political rivals aim to gather votes in May", Mercury, February 25).
Is he fleeing from his Ibstock and Appleby seat fearing a defeat to Labour or has he used his political muscle at County Hall to bag himself a prime seat on David Parsons's home turf?
Either way, what does a man who lives in Staffordshire, with significant business and political interests in North West Leicestershire think he has to offer the residents of this part of Blaby district?
What does he know about residents' concerns for the ensuing traffic chaos and effect the approved 4,250-home Lubbesthorpe development will have on our lives? What was his response to the closure of one of the doctors' surgeries in our community?
What development does he think is appropriate at the derelict former Holmfield Primary School site?
The Conservative Party really is treating voters with contempt when it imposes candidates who don't live, work or have any connection to the areas they seek to represent.
Is it hoping the electors of Kirby Muxloe and Leicester Forest East won't notice the Tory candidate is from out of town?
If I was Leicestershire's UKIP strategist (and I'm not) then I would think it worth a punt on putting up a local anti-sleaze, anti-Europe candidate to oppose the Tories in this leafiest of leafy suburbs.
I, for one, will be supporting a local candidate at the election, someone who will have the answer to some of the local questions that I posed.
Then he goes on to say: "I don't know for sure if the planning application for two 150ft wind turbines close to the Anstey parish border was in the Mercury."
I can assure Mr Deacon I contacted Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council when the first application was made for the wind turbines.
During correspondence with the planning officer at the council, I was assured I would be kept updated on the progress of the proposal. I have since received sincere apologies, as it appears I was not contacted on this matter.
In my view, there is a further issue about this planning application, because this was determined by officers at the council and not a planning committee.
I believe there is always controversy when wind turbines are proposed, especially when sited in areas designated countryside.
Indeed, it is also my view, after reading the council constitution, that applications that raise local or wider controversial issues or requiring environmental impact assessments should be determined by the council's planning committee.
I believe this application fits into both categories. Borough councillors should also have the opportunity to make sure this process is carried out. I have written to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council about these points. I am awaiting its reply.
On a positive note, I applaud Mr Deacon for stating that he recycles his Leicester Mercury rapidly.David Snartt, county councillor, Bradgate division.
the Tories are parachuting in Richard Blunt into Kirby Muxloe and Leicester Forest East for the county council elections ("How political rivals aim to gather votes in May", Mercury, February 25).
Is he fleeing from his Ibstock and Appleby seat fearing a defeat to Labour or has he used his political muscle at County Hall to bag himself a prime seat on David Parsons's home turf?
Either way, what does a man who lives in Staffordshire, with significant business and political interests in North West Leicestershire think he has to offer the residents of this part of Blaby district?
What does he know about residents' concerns for the ensuing traffic chaos and effect the approved 4,250-home Lubbesthorpe development will have on our lives? What was his response to the closure of one of the doctors' surgeries in our community?
What development does he think is appropriate at the derelict former Holmfield Primary School site?
The Conservative Party really is treating voters with contempt when it imposes candidates who don't live, work or have any connection to the areas they seek to represent.
Is it hoping the electors of Kirby Muxloe and Leicester Forest East won't notice the Tory candidate is from out of town?
If I was Leicestershire's UKIP strategist (and I'm not) then I would think it worth a punt on putting up a local anti-sleaze, anti-Europe candidate to oppose the Tories in this leafiest of leafy suburbs.
I, for one, will be supporting a local candidate at the election, someone who will have the answer to some of the local questions that I posed.
2012年11月26日 星期一
All vehicles in Mizoram to sport high security plate
According to Mizoram Transport department sources, around 6500 High Security Number Plates have been issued so far, and if it goes as plan, by April 26, 2014, which is the time stipulated by the government, all the vehicles in the state are expected sport the new number system.
High Security Plate manufacturing centre, the transport office at Chaltlang, was recently visited by local mediapersons where they were told that with good internet facility and power supply workers could complete around 55 plates per day.
Besides, the only one embossing machine with which they used to work is now supplemented by another machine. Therefore, work has become faster.
The two machines in Aizawl will manufacture number plates for Serchhip, Champhai, Mamit and Kolasib district, besides Aizawl district. The machine in Lunglei will manufacture number plates for Saiha and Lawngtlai district besides Lunglei district. As of now, there are 11 workers in Aizawl and 5 workers in Lunglei.
The new number system is expected to prevent vehicle theft, as it will have laser code with the owner’s name, address, chasis number, engine number and other important information. The number plate is being locked by a machine, therefore, it will mean stolen if destroyed. The vehicle owners after obtaining smart card from transport department have to take application form and after submission of it, will be given the High Security Number Plate as per seniority.
Manufacturing of the High Security Number Plate is being undertaken by Shimnit Utsch India Private Limited, a joint venture of India and German Company, and their centre at Mumbai. When the three machines works in a regular manner, it is expected that around 200 plates will be manufactured per day.
The manufacture of High Security Number Plate was inaugurated on April 27, 2012 by Transport Secretary H.Darzika, on which day High Security Plates for Chief Minister and other important officials were manufactured. It is estimated that there are around 1, 50,000 vehicles in Mizoram.
The expectation of a recovery in industrial performance has been belied against the backdrop of a slew of economic reforms announced by the government, it said.
The survey “has indicated greater percentage of sectors reporting low-to-negative growth in October-December quarter of current year over the corresponding period of last year”.
It points to a continuation of the slowdown as the positive results of the recent reform measures announced are yet to take effect.
“A commensurate action is now required from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the form of reduction in repo rate to ease the monetary situation. Industry is in need of a combination of fiscal, monetary and administrative measures,” it said.
Industrial production contracted by 0.4% in September on account of dismal performance of manufacturing and capital goods sectors.
Sectors expecting low-to-negative growth include earth moving and construction equipment, machine tools, transformers, textile machinery, and tractors.
Besides, consumer durables such as passenger cars, two-wheelers, refrigerators, washing machines, air- conditioners, TV, are among the sectors expecting low-to-negative growth.
High Security Plate manufacturing centre, the transport office at Chaltlang, was recently visited by local mediapersons where they were told that with good internet facility and power supply workers could complete around 55 plates per day.
Besides, the only one embossing machine with which they used to work is now supplemented by another machine. Therefore, work has become faster.
The two machines in Aizawl will manufacture number plates for Serchhip, Champhai, Mamit and Kolasib district, besides Aizawl district. The machine in Lunglei will manufacture number plates for Saiha and Lawngtlai district besides Lunglei district. As of now, there are 11 workers in Aizawl and 5 workers in Lunglei.
The new number system is expected to prevent vehicle theft, as it will have laser code with the owner’s name, address, chasis number, engine number and other important information. The number plate is being locked by a machine, therefore, it will mean stolen if destroyed. The vehicle owners after obtaining smart card from transport department have to take application form and after submission of it, will be given the High Security Number Plate as per seniority.
Manufacturing of the High Security Number Plate is being undertaken by Shimnit Utsch India Private Limited, a joint venture of India and German Company, and their centre at Mumbai. When the three machines works in a regular manner, it is expected that around 200 plates will be manufactured per day.
The manufacture of High Security Number Plate was inaugurated on April 27, 2012 by Transport Secretary H.Darzika, on which day High Security Plates for Chief Minister and other important officials were manufactured. It is estimated that there are around 1, 50,000 vehicles in Mizoram.
The expectation of a recovery in industrial performance has been belied against the backdrop of a slew of economic reforms announced by the government, it said.
The survey “has indicated greater percentage of sectors reporting low-to-negative growth in October-December quarter of current year over the corresponding period of last year”.
It points to a continuation of the slowdown as the positive results of the recent reform measures announced are yet to take effect.
“A commensurate action is now required from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the form of reduction in repo rate to ease the monetary situation. Industry is in need of a combination of fiscal, monetary and administrative measures,” it said.
Industrial production contracted by 0.4% in September on account of dismal performance of manufacturing and capital goods sectors.
Sectors expecting low-to-negative growth include earth moving and construction equipment, machine tools, transformers, textile machinery, and tractors.
Besides, consumer durables such as passenger cars, two-wheelers, refrigerators, washing machines, air- conditioners, TV, are among the sectors expecting low-to-negative growth.
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