Category Archives: wind-energy

Clean Energy For Anyone–Today!

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GR: Renters and homeowners, here’s an opportunity to switch all your electrical energy to renewable sources. The offer below is from Arcadia Power. There are many other companies offering the same service, but sometimes we have to appreciate the companies that are trying harder and simplifying the process . Before you sign up, you can learn how it all works here.

Join the clean energy movement

“With a simple 2 minute sign up, you can start directing your monthly energy bill to 100% renewable sources. All without having to touch a thing on your property.

Available to renters and homeowners in all 50 states

“Arcadia Power isn’t just for homeowners, over half of our customers are renters. Since we’re available in all 50 states, you can seamlessly continue your clean energy service, even if you move.

Track your energy usage and find savings

“Monitor your energy usage on our dashboard and choose from a variety of our energy and money-saving programs: community solar, home efficiency products, low price bill alerts and more.

Earn points and put your power bill on worry-free mode

“Want to earn points paying your power bill? Arcadia’s let you use credit and debit cards as well as offering traditional direct debit. Never worry about paying your bill on time again with our On-time Payment Guarantee.

How It Works

“We built software across 450+ utility companies to bring clean energy choices directly to you online. All you have to do is sign up with your local utility account. No equipment, no contracts, no risk.

  • “Get started by linking your electric utility account to our platform in just 2 minutes
  • “We pay your bill automatically each month using the payment method of your choice
  • “Choose one of our clean energy programs—all seamlessly applied to your power bill.”  –Arcadia Power (Source: Arcadia Power | Clean Energy For Anyone)

Merkley, Sanders goal: U.S. on all renewables by 2050

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GR:  The U. S. has begun adopting renewable energy. For instance, the number of us solar jobs (not even counting wind) surpassed coal, oil, and gas jobs officially in late 2015 (https://www.bloomberg.com). This story shows some of the powerful support behind the 100 by ’50 Act (100% by 2050). It also includes links to background information as well as the bill and the bill summary.

People in my community are switching to rooftop solar power. The switch stabilizes their costs and gives them independence from power failures of all kinds. Those that live in shaded homes like mine or in multi-family apartments are switching using the Green-e Program.

Look at the list of seven core components of the transition plan and see if you agree that it is sensible. The story from KTVZ.com reporting from Senator Merkley’s home state lists the component near the end:

“Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), along with Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), introduced landmark climate legislation Thursday that would transition the United States to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by no later than 2050.

“The “100 by ’50 Act” lays out a roadmap for a transition to 100% clean and renewable energy by 2050. It is the first bill introduced in Congress that will fully envision a transition off of fossil fuels for the United States.

“America is home to innovative entrepreneurs and scientists who have tackled many challenges in our nation’s history — from harnessing electricity, to putting a man on the moon, to curing disease,” said Merkley. “The power to end the use of fossil fuels and completely transition to clean and renewable energy is within our hands, but just as with the moon landing, we need a roadmap, a goal, and a passionate, shared national commitment to get us there.

“If an asteroid were hurtling its way through space towards our planet, we would do everything in our power to stop that asteroid. Our commitment to fighting climate change should be no less. Starting at a local, grassroots level and working toward the bold and comprehensive national vision laid out in this legislation, now is the time to commit to 100% by 2050.”

“The good news is that despite President Trump, we are winning this battle,” said Sanders. “In Vermont and all over this country, we are seeing communities moving toward energy efficiency and we are seeing the price of renewable energy plummet. Our job is to think big, not small. We can win the war against climate change. We can win the war in transforming our energy system and put millions of people to work doing that. We can create a planet that will be healthy and habitable for our children. There is no issue more important.”

“It is no longer a question of if we can power our country with 100 percent renewable energy, it is a question of when,” said Markey. “We know that we have 100 percent of the clean energy resource potential in the United States. And we have 100 percent of the technological capability to achieve this goal. As President Trump launches attacks on investments in climate science and energy innovation, now, more than ever, we need to stand up and fight for our clean energy future. I thank Senators Merkley and Sanders for their help leading this historic clean energy revolution.” –KTVZ.com (Continue reading: Merkley, Sanders goal: U.S. on all renewables by 2050 – KTVZ

Local wind farm fatalities may affect whole bird populations | Anthropocene

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GR:  The mortality rate suggests that wind turbines will result in loss of almost all the western U. S. Golden Eagles.

“Hundreds of thousands of birds are killed each year by wind turbines worldwide. But few studies have looked at the demographic consequences of this local-scale mortality for a species as a whole.

“Now, researchers have gathered evidence that deaths of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) at a single wind farm in northern California may have effects on the entire western US population of this species.

“The researchers studied 67 golden eagles killed by wind turbines at the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area, one of the largest and oldest wind farms in the country.

“Eagles tend to use that habitat around the turbines. It’s windy there, so they can save energy and soar, and their preferred prey, California ground squirrels, is abundant there,” says J. Andrew DeWoody, professor of genetics in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University. “As they soar, these eagles are often looking straight down, and they fail to see the rapidly moving turbine blades. They get hit by the blades, and carcasses are found on the ground under the turbines.” —

More: Local wind farm fatalities may affect whole bird populations | Anthropocene

Federal Judge Voids Permits for Searchlight Wind Project

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November 2, 2015 – Searchlight NV – Last Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du vacated the federal permits for construction of the Searchlight Wind Project in Southern Nevada. Judge Du found that environmental analyses prepared by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) inadequately evaluated the dangers that the industrial-scale wind project would pose to desert wildlife. She cited data missing from the agency surveys, inadequate assessment of potential threats to golden eagles, desert tortoises, and bats, and the need for additional explanation of the agencies’ conclusions. If the developer, Apex Clean Energy, wants to proceed with the project, the BLM would need to prepare a new Environmental Impact Statement to address the deficiencies she identified. The USFWS would also have to prepare a new Biological Opinion. This important decision will protect eagles nesting near the project site, the highest-density desert tortoise habitat in Nevada, the viewshed from adjacent parks and tribal sacred areas, as well as property values, recreation, and tourism near the town of Searchlight.

Basin & Range Watch, a grass roots group which works for desert protection and renewable energy alternatives such as rooftop solar, and one of the conservationist plaintiffs, called for the Searchlight area to be a solar and wind energy exclusion zone in their comments on the Bureau of Land Management. . . . more at:  www.basinandrangewatch.org

GR:  BLM and FWS act the way they do because they know that businesses control politicians who in turn control their agency’s budgets and jobs.  Protecting resources is less important to them than protecting their itty bitty empires.  Click here for more about Basin and Range Watch.

Price of Wind Energy Hits All-Time Low in U.S.

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States hoping to increase their share of renewable energy to achieve the emissions reduction goals set forth in the President’s recently-announced Clean Power Plan may have just received an unexpected boost from wind energy.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s “2014 Wind Technologies Market Report” released earlier this week, the prices offered by wind projects to utility purchasers in the U.S. dropped below 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour for the first time in history.  Source: www.climatecentral.org

GR:  You can stop using electricity generated by fossil fuels.  Click here for details.

Feds seek public comment on offshore wind farm zone

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Wind at SeaGR:  Alternative energy may reduce pollution, but it has its own problems. In the desert near me, solar farms are shading and destroying native vegetation, roads and transmission corridors are spreading habitat destruction and giving access to invasive plants. As explained in John Murawski’s article, just the wind-farm survey impacts will be significant. Construction will add more damage. So what? Well, I would like to see our leaders make some proposals for cutting our energy requirements. Otherwise, we are simply creating another major industry that will see growth and profit as far more important than protecting nature.

This map shows that the U. S. east coast is more attractive than the west.

Wind Resource Offshore

Following article posted by John Murawski on January 22, 2015

Federal environmental officials are seeking public comment on the environmental impacts of offshore wind farm-related activity proposed for an area of some 480 square miles of Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina’s coast.

The results of the environmental assessment could determine if the U.S. Department of Interior further shrinks the ocean areas deemed suitable for offshore wind farms. The currently proposed area was slashed from 1,900 square miles last August in response to concerns about conflicts with shipping routes, marine ecology and local tourism.

The Department of Interior will hold three public meetings next month in North Carolina, and will also start a 30-day public comment period Friday.

via NewsObserver.com.