Nick Clegg’s party has said it “supports” developers seeking damages from local authorities that raise objections “in contravention” of Government planning policy.
In a policy paper, the Lib Dems attack Conservative councils that register opposition to wind farms and claim that only 10 per cent of the population are “consistently opposed” to turbines.
Glyn Davies, MP for Montgomeryshire, described the Lib Dem position as “outrageous” and an “insult to local democracy”.
The policy document states: “Liberal Democrats would support developers who seek punitive damages against councils who do not follow National Policy Guidelines in determining consents.”
“For example, many (particularly Conservative) councils have adopted criteria (such as minimum separation distances from dwellings), in contravention of government planning policy.”
Eric Pickles, the Local Government Secretary, has promised to “give local communities a greater say” on where wind farms are built.
The Government issued guidance that officials said would effectively end the spread of turbines, which have been blamed for blighting landscapes.
There were concerns last month that the guidance had been watered down after a separate planning document warned councils not to create “inflexible” turbine-free zones by imposing blanket bans of wind farms being built near houses.
However, sources at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) last night said that ministers remain committed to helping “councils turn down inappropriate wind turbines and resist unwarranted planning appeals”.
Peter Luff, Conservative MP for Mid Worcestershire, who last year tried to bring in laws stopping wind farms being built less than 2km from housing, said: “It’s an extraordinary position. The Lib Dems aren’t going to win many friends in rural constituencies.
“Of course there must be national policy guidelines on controversial planning questions…but we also believe in localism and local communities are often better-placed to judge what is suitable for their area.”
He added: “What it so special about wind turbines that Liberal Democrats obsess with getting them built in inappropriate locations?”
And Shaun Spiers, chief executive of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: “I would be surprised if there weren’t some Liberal Democrat councils seeking to block wind farms.
“It certainly is really unhelpful language to be using. If you care about climate change and if you think that renewable energy has an important part to play in stopping climate change then what you don’t want to be doing is affronting decent people who care about their landscapes because you bring the whole argument into disrepute.”
Jake Berry, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, added: “I am very concerned about these plans for a backdoor stealth tax on councils who stand up for their local residents against big corporate wind farm developers.
“Liberal Democrats' obsession with big business and towering wind turbines is so blinkered that they want to abandon localism and local decision-making.”
The wind farms policy paper will be debated at the upcoming Lib Dem conference in Glasgow. If it is approved, it will become party policy and could become part of the manifesto for the 2015 election
It also claims that in public opinion surveys, wind farms “consistently attract support from around two-thirds of the public” but that “the 10 per cent or so who are consistently opposed are usually more vocal”.
2013年8月6日 星期二
2013年1月24日 星期四
A-W takes no action on wind turbine proposals
The Akron-Westfield School Board received two wind turbine lease proposals at their Jan. 14 meeting from First Priority Inc. Consultant Dr. Harold Prior.
Two separate companies had submitted proposals to lease the wind turbine, repair it and keep it operational through 2020, which is when the school district’s Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) expire with the City of Akron and Heartland Consumer Power District, said Prior.
“I was shocked and amazed — we have two, not one but two lease proposals,” said Prior, noting by the time the potential leasees send their technicians to check out the wind turbine site and its condition prior to entering into a lease with the Akron-Westfield School District, the lease agreement process could take about 30 days.
With a lease agreement, the school district would continue to own the wind turbine and receive a lease payment or share of the revenues produced by the turbine. At the end of the lease agreement, the district would sell the wind turbine to the leasee for $1 and other considerations, he explained.
“What that would mean is you would be relieved of — in terms of — having to decommission the turbine or remove the turbine’s foundation and any of the underground transmission cabling,” said Prior. “Basically, upon executing the lease and satisfying all the Iowa code legal requirements, you’d potentially see the wind turbine setting there operating but you would have washed your hands of any future expenses.”
A third option was to sell the wind turbine which would include the district storing the wind turbine’s tower sections and blades until the vendor found a buyer so the vendor didn’t have to transport it first off site then later to a buyer. Prior wasn’t sure how long this vendor’s offer would last.
Prior also presented emails from a Valmet gear box vendor who really wanted to sell the district another Valmet gear box, which is the type of gear box that has failed twice in the turbine’s first 10 years of operation. He told the board he’d stressed to this vendor the board is not interested in anything to do with a Valmet gear box.
“It’s been remarkable the turns and twists of developments in this project,” said Prior. “I would never have predicted these kinds of contacts.”
“In large part because of the local news coverage some of these vendors’ initial contacts were to the school district which were then relayed to us and sometimes it was directly to us,” he said.
“All options are still on the table,” said Prior concluding his monthly report. “I can’t imagine we’ll get any more twists and turns to the project.”
“I just can’t envision another circumstance with another set of options,” he said. “So now’s the point where the board needs to narrow it down and come to a consensus on which way to go.”
“We’ll stick with you guys — only for expense money,” said Prior, “and if you need us, we’ll be here to help.”
“Thank you,” he added, explaining with this project, he has learned more about the wind industry and made valuable contacts that he didn’t know existed.
The school board entered into executive session to discuss the options and view the actual lease agreement proposals.
After 45 minutes, they returned to open session where Board President Jim Black told the audience that no action would be taken this evening and furthermore, the agenda item to call for bids on the wind turbine repair project or the wind turbine disassembling project was tabled.
Two separate companies had submitted proposals to lease the wind turbine, repair it and keep it operational through 2020, which is when the school district’s Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) expire with the City of Akron and Heartland Consumer Power District, said Prior.
“I was shocked and amazed — we have two, not one but two lease proposals,” said Prior, noting by the time the potential leasees send their technicians to check out the wind turbine site and its condition prior to entering into a lease with the Akron-Westfield School District, the lease agreement process could take about 30 days.
With a lease agreement, the school district would continue to own the wind turbine and receive a lease payment or share of the revenues produced by the turbine. At the end of the lease agreement, the district would sell the wind turbine to the leasee for $1 and other considerations, he explained.
“What that would mean is you would be relieved of — in terms of — having to decommission the turbine or remove the turbine’s foundation and any of the underground transmission cabling,” said Prior. “Basically, upon executing the lease and satisfying all the Iowa code legal requirements, you’d potentially see the wind turbine setting there operating but you would have washed your hands of any future expenses.”
A third option was to sell the wind turbine which would include the district storing the wind turbine’s tower sections and blades until the vendor found a buyer so the vendor didn’t have to transport it first off site then later to a buyer. Prior wasn’t sure how long this vendor’s offer would last.
Prior also presented emails from a Valmet gear box vendor who really wanted to sell the district another Valmet gear box, which is the type of gear box that has failed twice in the turbine’s first 10 years of operation. He told the board he’d stressed to this vendor the board is not interested in anything to do with a Valmet gear box.
“It’s been remarkable the turns and twists of developments in this project,” said Prior. “I would never have predicted these kinds of contacts.”
“In large part because of the local news coverage some of these vendors’ initial contacts were to the school district which were then relayed to us and sometimes it was directly to us,” he said.
“All options are still on the table,” said Prior concluding his monthly report. “I can’t imagine we’ll get any more twists and turns to the project.”
“I just can’t envision another circumstance with another set of options,” he said. “So now’s the point where the board needs to narrow it down and come to a consensus on which way to go.”
“We’ll stick with you guys — only for expense money,” said Prior, “and if you need us, we’ll be here to help.”
“Thank you,” he added, explaining with this project, he has learned more about the wind industry and made valuable contacts that he didn’t know existed.
The school board entered into executive session to discuss the options and view the actual lease agreement proposals.
After 45 minutes, they returned to open session where Board President Jim Black told the audience that no action would be taken this evening and furthermore, the agenda item to call for bids on the wind turbine repair project or the wind turbine disassembling project was tabled.
2012年11月19日 星期一
Europe Expected To Maintain Lead In Offshore Wind
The U.K. continues to lead the offshore wind energy market, with more than 2 GW of capacity installed, followed by Denmark, with more than 830 MW; and the Netherlands, with almost 250 MW. Germany and China both began installing offshore wind turbines in 2009 and continue to expand their portfolios.
Navigant Consulting predicts that average new installations will grow by 81.6% annually through 2016 and by 15.6% annually between 2017 and 2021.
Furthermore, the report finds that as of October, more than 95 GW of offshore wind capacity was in the project pipeline, 86% of which was in Europe. Taking into account China’s offshore wind target of 30 GW by 2020 and project proposals made at the provincial level, however, it is expected that China's offshore wind power development portfolio will soon reach at least 25% of the global total.
Currently, the Chinese and U.S. markets are dominated by domestic market developers, and due to the slow pace of progress in the U.S. and protectionism in Chinese waters, this situation is not expected to change in the foreseeable future, the report concludes.
2011 saw the continued dominance of Siemens in the European offshore wind market, but several new players are appearing in both Europe and China. With many years’ experience, Siemens and Vestas remain the market leaders in offshore wind turbines, supplying machines to most of the latest developments.
However, according to Navigant Consulting, it is likely that companies such as REpower, Areva Wind, Bard and Sinovel will see more turbines installed in the coming years and that new entrants from Asia - notably from China, Japan and South Korea - will soon make their mark on the offshore wind market.
Offshore wind projects have relied on cash-rich utilities - a trend that is expected to continue, Navigant says. However, the report finds that although utilities with historically deep pockets and established offshore wind experience will lead the sector in the future, utilities are seeing depleted cash resources and are seeking alternative sources of funding.
In addition, independent power producers and clean energy companies are beginning to show more confidence in offshore wind energy investment. According to the report, both types of companies will account for 11% of global development if all projected wind farms are installed according to plan.
In addition, with the maturation of the offshore wind sector, industrial conglomerates, private equity groups, pension funds and privately owned companies are entering the market, helping to increase market investment.
Furthermore, the report predicts that by the end of 2021, Europe will account for 63.4% of total global offshore wind installations, and the continent will maintain its position as the global market leader.
Offshore wind power development in Asia is forecast to be moderate through 2016, but rapid growth is expected in the following five-year period. Offshore wind power will account for 7.7% of global wind power installations by the end of the prediction period, the firm adds.
Navigant Consulting predicts that average new installations will grow by 81.6% annually through 2016 and by 15.6% annually between 2017 and 2021.
Furthermore, the report finds that as of October, more than 95 GW of offshore wind capacity was in the project pipeline, 86% of which was in Europe. Taking into account China’s offshore wind target of 30 GW by 2020 and project proposals made at the provincial level, however, it is expected that China's offshore wind power development portfolio will soon reach at least 25% of the global total.
Currently, the Chinese and U.S. markets are dominated by domestic market developers, and due to the slow pace of progress in the U.S. and protectionism in Chinese waters, this situation is not expected to change in the foreseeable future, the report concludes.
2011 saw the continued dominance of Siemens in the European offshore wind market, but several new players are appearing in both Europe and China. With many years’ experience, Siemens and Vestas remain the market leaders in offshore wind turbines, supplying machines to most of the latest developments.
However, according to Navigant Consulting, it is likely that companies such as REpower, Areva Wind, Bard and Sinovel will see more turbines installed in the coming years and that new entrants from Asia - notably from China, Japan and South Korea - will soon make their mark on the offshore wind market.
Offshore wind projects have relied on cash-rich utilities - a trend that is expected to continue, Navigant says. However, the report finds that although utilities with historically deep pockets and established offshore wind experience will lead the sector in the future, utilities are seeing depleted cash resources and are seeking alternative sources of funding.
In addition, independent power producers and clean energy companies are beginning to show more confidence in offshore wind energy investment. According to the report, both types of companies will account for 11% of global development if all projected wind farms are installed according to plan.
In addition, with the maturation of the offshore wind sector, industrial conglomerates, private equity groups, pension funds and privately owned companies are entering the market, helping to increase market investment.
Furthermore, the report predicts that by the end of 2021, Europe will account for 63.4% of total global offshore wind installations, and the continent will maintain its position as the global market leader.
Offshore wind power development in Asia is forecast to be moderate through 2016, but rapid growth is expected in the following five-year period. Offshore wind power will account for 7.7% of global wind power installations by the end of the prediction period, the firm adds.
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