Posted November 8, 200519 yr From the AP, 11/6/05: Officials weigh costs of creating alternative energy jobs Associated Press Ohio could reinforce its struggling manufacturing industry with up to 26,000 jobs by 2010 if the state embraces alternative energy industries, researchers say. But such a jump start would require economic incentives and clean-energy requirements that state and local officials might decide aren't cost-effective. Recommendations from some lawmakers and green energy proponents have made little headway in Ohio, and Lt. Gov. Bruce Johnson said he doesn't plan on ramping up efforts to attract alternative energy businesses to the state. Johnson pointed to the state's push for ethanol use and clean-coal generator development and said progress comes from encouragement of energy exploration, not from regulations that can scare off businesses. Full article at http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/13098740.htm
December 16, 200519 yr From the 12/10/05 Toledo Blade: Strickland proposes economic jump-start Alternative energy linked to jobs plan By JOSHUA BOAK BLADE STAFF WRITER U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, a Democratic candidate for governor, yesterday announced plans to jump-start Ohio's economy by annually diverting $250 million in bond revenues to companies that research alternative energy sources like ethanol and clean coal. "Ohio could have, I believe, a significant part of its economic dilemma solved if we pursue this course of action," said Mr. Strickland (D., Lucasville), who figured the investment could add thousands of jobs to the state. In October, the state's unemployment rate was 5.9 percent, almost one percentage point higher than the national average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Projections released yesterday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services highlight the continued economic woes. The state agency calculated that the business tax used to pay benefits to the unemployed will be 2.7 percent, or $243 for each employee, a 17 percent increase over last year's rate. Full article at http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051210/NEWS24/512100372
December 18, 200519 yr (Quote)Gene Pierce, a spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State and Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell, said the proposed energy plan fails to address the needs of an economy still dependent on traditional energy sources. "While alternative fuels are an essential element, they face problems of distribution and retail access which, in the short run, will prevent them from being solutions to the looming price increases Ohioans face," he said. Gene Pierce's comment show an amazing ignorance of Ohio's transportation system, especially the railroads, which would be the primary mode for transporting the raw materials and finished product for many of the alternate fuels like bio-diesel and ethanol. There are at least fiive or six ethanol plants planned for Ohio and these will generate thousands of incoming carloads of corn (most of it from Ohio farms) and just as many outbound tank car loads of ethanol. There will also be a market for the leftover corn mash as animal feed. Trucks too will play an important role in this distribution on the local level. If this is an indication of Secretary Blackwell's knowledge of not only Ohio's transportation system, but the fact that Ohio is also a key national and global distribution center, he and (Mr. Pierce) are woefully ignorant.
January 8, 200718 yr From the 11/14/06 PD: Group asks the state to help propel wind energy Environmentalists urge incentives, mandates Tuesday, November 14, 2006 John C. Kuehner, Plain Dealer Reporter Turbines harnessing winds blowing across Lake Erie and Ohio's high ground could also power the way for thousands of jobs in the state. An investment in wind energy could create more than 10,000 manufacturing jobs, according to a report released Monday by Environment Ohio. The group, an advocate for clean-energy programs in the state, urged lawmakers to foster an environment that will create jobs in the wind industry. In the next decade, Ohio could get 10 percent of its electricity from wind, the equivalent of powering more than 1 million homes, according to the report. Dozens of Ohio companies already manufacture parts for the wind industry. The state could help through tax incentives or low-interest loans, the report said. It also could mandate that a percentage of power companies' electricity come from renewable sources - something that 21 other states already require. Full article at http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1163496881106270.xml&coll=2
January 8, 200718 yr From the 11/19/06 PD: Renewable Energy Summit hopes to advance Ohio resources Sunday, November 19, 2006 John Funk, Plain Dealer Reporter If it's renewable and it can be turned into energy, it ought to be developed or grown or manufactured in Ohio. That's the theme of the Ohio Renewable Energy Summit Monday at Ohio State University's Fawcett Center. Sponsored by the Buckeye Renewable Fuels Association, the conference parallels a national campaign that began as an agricultural movement two years ago in Texas. That movement has mushroomed into a coalition of more than 300 groups, from environmentalists to agricultural and forestry groups, from municipalities to governors, from state lawmakers to bipartisan congressional resolutions. The coalition's goal is that by the year 2025, 25 percent of the energy used in the nation, whether electricity or gas or motor fuel, comes from renewable resources. The coalition, which calls itself 25x'25, has organized state chapters, sponsored studies, issued news releases and created a Web site (25x25.org) to build support for fuels derived from crops or agricultural wastes, solar power and wind power. Full article at http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1163844210251970.xml&coll=2
January 8, 200718 yr From the 11/20/06 Blade: RENEWABLE ENERGY East Toledo in running for wind power lab Facility would test turbine blades By TOM HENRY BLADE STAFF WRITER America's first laboratory for testing offshore wind turbine blades would be built in East Toledo and begin operating along the Maumee River shoreline by mid-2009 if a contingent of northern Ohio academic, business, and government officials gets its way. The Ohio site is one of six nationally in the running for the $11.5 million U.S. Department of Energy project, which could create dozens of spinoff jobs by attracting manufacturers and parts suppliers for the booming wind power industry. "It's the chance to get in on the ground floor of an industry that's going to be big. It's going to be a giant," Jason Cotrell predicted. Mr. Cotrell is a senior engineer and chief project spokesman for the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Boulder, Colo., where land-based turbine blades of 50 meters or less (164.05 feet or less) undergo weight-bearing stress tests and other experiments. The Energy Department needs a separate facility to test much longer blades used on offshore wind turbines - 50 to 100 meters long (164.05 to 328.01 feet) - that could be installed along the Great Lakes or America's coastlines in the coming years. Known as a wind turbine generator blade structural test facility, this lab would research the strength, flexibility, durability, and ice resistance of blades that manufacturers hope to sell on the U.S. market. Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061120/NEWS06/611200351/-1/NEWS
January 8, 200718 yr From the AP, 11/21/06: Ohio could be alternative-energy leader Seize the moment, experts at summit urge Tuesday, November 21, 2006 Julie Carr Smyth ASSOCIATED PRESS Ohio could lead the nation in alternative energy production if the next governor takes the proper steps, experts said yesterday during a summit on the issue. "Right now, there’s an opportunity to position Ohio uniquely in the country, perhaps in the world, because all the working parts that one needs to launch a new industry are in place," said Benson P. Lee, chief executive of fuel-cell developer Technology Management Inc. Lee said Gov.-elect Ted Strickland, who backed alternative energy on the campaign trail, needs to act aggressively to take advantage of a moment in time. "We’ve got many forces aligned in the same direction which mutually enhance each other," Lee said. "You’ve got the ability to burn biomass — clean, renewable fuels, the higher efficiencies, the tremendous pressure to become independent of imported oil and consumption of fossil fuels. All of those planets are lining up." Gov. Bob Taft concurred, telling about 250 participants in the Ohio Renewable Energy Summit that he has urged the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and the legislature to continue their progress on the issue beyond Dec. 31. He will say the same to Strickland when the two meet to discuss the new administration, Taft said. Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/11/21/20061121-D5-01.html
January 8, 200718 yr That would be nice. Recycling more would add jobs and create a more plentiful environment. I can't find the page on Los Angles' sanitation web-site at the moment (can't remember if it was through the city of Los Angles or the county...), but by attaining a 50% recycling rate (a goal set for attainment for 2000 IIRC back in the 1980s), it has created thousands of jobs and millions upon millions of economic benefit. Landfills generate tens of jobs and create no economic benefit, especially after they are closed.
April 20, 200718 yr Gov.: Ohio needs jolt of energy innovation BY DAN MONK | [email protected] April 20, 2007 COLUMBUS - It was the second executive order signed by Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, coming just nine days after he took the oath of office. The Jan. 17 mandate established an Ohio "energy adviser" who would "coordinate the state's efforts to create jobs through becoming a leader in the production of next-generation energy." On a recent visit to Cincinnati, Strickland talked with Business Courier Senior Reporter Dan Monk about his plans to use the energy industry as a fulcrum for turning around Ohio's economy. During the interview, Strickland made it clear he isn't solely focused on energy. He expressed a willingness to discuss state funding for the Banks riverfront development project and Cincinnati's new streetcar initiative. He talked about his role in ending the AK Steel lockout in Middletown. And he revealed that he visited Detroit a few weeks ago to lobby for continued production at the Ford Batavia plant. But Strickland made it clear that he sees energy innovation as a key cog in Ohio's economic recovery. Here are excerpts: (Full article at http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/04/23/story17.html)
April 20, 200718 yr Wind power pushed in Ohio BY JOHN MCCARTHY | ASSOCIATED PRESS April 20, 2007 COLUMBUS - New technology is allowing energy producers to capture speedier wind that environmental activists say has the potential to provide 20 percent of the state's electricity within 10 years. What's new are taller windmills that can catch gusts that are faster than those closer to the ground. The tallest windmills have been about 250 feet, but now proponents envision windmills whose bases are about 330 feet tall. Four windmills in northwest Ohio provide part of Bowling Green's energy supply, the only municipality in the state to use electricity from wind. Only eight states that use wind power make less than Ohio's seven-megawatt capacity produced at Bowling Green, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Texas' windmills produce 2,768 megawatts to lead the nation. Ohio lags, in part, because the state is one of only 12 that have no standards that are established or under consideration for the use of renewable energy sources. However, new Gov. Ted Strickland has said development of those sources is a priority and House Speaker Jon Husted has created the House Alternative Energy Committee to study the issue.
April 30, 200718 yr From the 1/25/07 Lantern: Center looks at energy solutions Tom Over Issue date: 1/25/07 Section: Campus Ohio State researchers are looking at different ways to combat problems caused by the use of oil ranging from pumping carbon dioxide into the ground to producing alternative fuels. "We have to find substitutes (to fossil fuels) or make some major gains in conservation, or we face some major increases in the cost of our lifestyles," said Fredrick J. Hitzhusen, a professor in the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Science. Hitzhusen is one of 11 scientists who proposed the OSU Center for Clean, Sustainable Energy. Last June, the center received funding from the university as a part of the Targeted Investment in Excellence, an OSU initiative aimed at addressing the world's most-pressing social and scientific questions. "As a very large public university, Ohio State is in a unique position to host such work because it has many... of the relevant disciplines in-house," said Malcolm Chisholm, professor of chemistry. He and other leaders at the center are looking to get more research funding through state and federal grants, Chisholm said. Full article at http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/01/25/Campus/Center.Looks.At.Energy.Solutions-2677738.shtml
April 30, 200718 yr From the 1/31/07 Blade: Group invites opinions on waste-to-power plans By JENNIFER FEEHAN BLADE STAFF WRITER BOWLING GREEN - When State Sen. Randy Gardner announced plans to create a task force to investigate the potential for turning cow manure into electric power, he was overwhelmed with people wanting to get involved. As a result, the Bowling Green Republican and the Wood County commissioners decided to limit membership to themselves, but have invited everyone who wants to have a voice. "We want to use everyone we know as resource people in terms of input they would have, ideas they would have," Mr. Gardner said. The task force is holding its first forum from 10 a.m. to noon tomorrow in the commissioners' hearing room on the fifth floor of the County Office Building. Individuals may present oral or written comments about using bio-digester technology to transform animal and food waste into heat and electricity. Mr. Gardner said he was contacted by people in academia, agriculture, private industry, government, and private groups ranging from the Farm Bureau to the Wood County Citizens Opposed to Factory Farms. Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070131/NEWS17/701310372/-1/NEWS
April 30, 200718 yr From the 1/31/07 Blade: Group invites opinions on waste-to-power plans By JENNIFER FEEHAN BLADE STAFF WRITER BOWLING GREEN - When State Sen. Randy Gardner announced plans to create a task force to investigate the potential for turning cow manure into electric power, he was overwhelmed with people wanting to get involved. As a result, the Bowling Green Republican and the Wood County commissioners decided to limit membership to themselves, but have invited everyone who wants to have a voice. The task force is holding its first forum from 10 a.m. to noon tomorrow in the commissioners' hearing room on the fifth floor of the County Office Building. Individuals may present oral or written comments about using bio-digester technology to transform animal and food waste into heat and electricity. Mr. Gardner said he was contacted by people in academia, agriculture, private industry, government, and private groups ranging from the Farm Bureau to the Wood County Citizens Opposed to Factory Farms. Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070131/NEWS17/701310372/-1/NEWS
April 30, 200718 yr From the 2/2/07 Blade: Task force may study converting dairy waste Bio-digesters have supporters, skeptics By JENNIFER FEEHAN BLADE STAFF WRITER BOWLING GREEN - Though plenty of people would like to make the big dairies go away altogether, some who attended the first meeting of the Wood County Ag-Energy Task Force yesterday agreed it's worthwhile to explore the idea of using bio-digesters to convert cow manure to energy. "I think the digesters are a middle road. They're better than nothing and they have the potential to be very good," said Anne Graves, a microbiologist from Bowling Green. Ms. Graves was among several people who told the task force that no one seems willing to take responsibility for the proliferation of the large-scale dairy farms and the problems they cause to communities. The Ohio Department of Agriculture issues permits for dairies with 700 or more head of cattle, but representatives told the audience at one dairy permit hearing that the agency did not have jurisdiction over damage caused to local roads, flies, and other issues that result from the operations, Ms. Graves said. Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070202/NEWS17/702020354/-1/RSS08
April 30, 200718 yr From the 3/7/07 Fremont News-Messenger: Clyde biomass project triggers concern By ROGER HART News-Messenger correspondent A group of area residents met with Clyde City Manager Dan Weaver and Peter Tien, from the Princeton Environmental Group, Tuesday morning, to express concerns over the city's biomass gasification project. The group questioned Tien on many aspects and features of the proposed plant and repeatedly asked for a town meeting before the project proceeds any further. Last month, the council passed an ordinance authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with Princeton to purchase steam from the proposed plant, which will be built in Clyde. The passage of the ordinance was the first step in a long process, which includes gaining the proper certifications and permits from the Environmental Protection Agency -- a process that will take anywhere from 24 to 36 months -- before construction can begin. Full article at http://www.thenews-messenger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070307/NEWS01/703070302/1002/rss01
April 30, 200718 yr From the 3/9/07 DDN: Sinclair seeking grant to create energy center By Thomas Gnau Staff Writer Friday, March 09, 2007 DAYTON — Sinclair Community College wants to establish a center devoted to spreading the word about energy technology, professors said Thursday. "We are at the infancy stage," said George Sehi, Sinclair's dean of engineering and industrial technologies. Sinclair is seeking a National Science Foundation grant for a Sinclair Energy Education Center, which would likely be housed in an existing but converted laboratory on campus, Sehi said. Sehi emphasized that the center would focus on education and application of existing technologies, not research and development of new technologies. Bob Gilbert, a Sinclair professor of mechanical engineering technology, has been named the center's director. Gilbert said the center would be a gathering place for Sinclair's energy-related programs and courses, such as a course on basic fuel cell production scheduled to be offered in the fall of 2007. Full article at http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/business/2007/03/08/ddn030907sinclair.html
April 30, 200718 yr Link contains photos. From the 3/25/07 Defiance Crescent-News: Region going alternative - at least energy wise By LISA NICELY [email protected] The region is going alternative -- at least energy-wise. With calls for cleaner, more environmental-friendly energy sources, northwest Ohio has been working to draw more alternative energy businesses and sources to the region. The entrepreneurship of area residents has helped in this endeavor, according to officials. Defiance County is currently leading the six-county area, having two biodesiel companies already in operation, American Ag Fuels based in Defiance and PEC Inc. in Hicksville. Jerry Hayes, executive director of Defiance County Economic Development, said having the two companies really says a lot about the entrepreneur spirit of the companies' owners as well as the region. Full article at http://www.crescent-news.com/news/article/1767162
April 30, 200718 yr From the 3/27/07 Blade: Lawmakers visit alternative energy sites BOWLING GREEN — The wind turbines west of Bowling Green and a plant that makes solar panels in Perrysburg Township were examined by five state legislators yesterday during an up-close look at some of Wood County’s alternative energy sites. Rep. Bob Latta (R., Bowling Green), a member of the Ohio House Alternative Energy Committee, said after the tour that in addition to seeing in person what they talk about in committee meetings, the legislators also got to hear from industry representatives about their concerns. “There’s a little bit of frustration with folks in private industry in regard to the bureaucracy in the state of Ohio. Some states do it better than us,” Mr. Latta said, adding that Ohio needs to make it more appealing for such businesses to stay here. “We’d like to keep those home-grown industries and those technologies that have been developed in northwest Ohio,” he said, adding that it would help in local efforts to retain and create jobs. Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070327/BUSINESS01/70327037/-1/BUSINESS
April 30, 200718 yr From the AP, 4/1/07: Will state be next corridor of energy innovation? Other states are working toward the same goal. COLUMBUS (AP) — New York had its Silicon Alley, Michigan its Automation Alley and Illinois its Silicon Prairie. Now comes Ohio in the parade of Silicon Valley wannabes. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Gov. Ted Strickland, both Democrats, pledged during their 2006 campaigns to join forces in Washington and Columbus to make Ohio "the Silicon Valley of alternative energy." It was a lofty promise, not unlike ones Ohioans have heard before. Gov. Bob Taft launched his Third Frontier high-tech initiative in 2002, only to need two tries to secure the bond money to pay for it. Ohio later hung its high-tech hopes on landing the nearly pollution-free FutureGen power plant but lost its bid last year. Factors have aligned that could make alternative energy different. Congress is expected to respond to the global warming question with caps on carbon emissions — a reality that will force states to grapple with power plant emissions and other pollutants that more wind or sun power could help reduce. Full article at http://www.vindy.com/content/national_world/325227539907908.php
April 30, 200718 yr From the 4/19/07 Fremont News-Messenger: Expert presents biomass information By LESLIE BIXLER Staff writer Clyde-area residents filled the Clyde High School cafeteria Wednesday during a special session with Clyde City Council members and the mayor as they listened to an in-depth presentation about the proposed biomass gasification plant. Peter Tien, president of Princeton Environmental Group, presented a slide show, which informed residents about the design and performance of such a facility, facts and photos of the facility's interior. Tien told residents the biomass gasification process artificially induces the decomposition of solid waste material. "We're doing what nature does to your garbage in 50 years, in 10 hours," Tien said. Total operation time of the process takes between eight and 12 hours per cycle. Full article at http://www.thenews-messenger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070419/NEWS01/704190301/1002/rss01
May 1, 200718 yr From the 2/7/07 Urban Daily Citizen: Union Township considers wind power By SHAUN DUNLAP Staff Writer [email protected] MUTUAL - There were some mixed reactions about constructing wind turbines in Union Township during the Union Township Zoning Commission meeting Wednesday night. The commissioner members did not come to a definite decision on what to do. Commissioners and residents heard from Jack Webb, a member of the Monroe Township Zoning Commission in Logan County, regarding the wind turbine resolution there. Webb said the zoning commission in Monroe Township has the same priorities as the one in Union Township when it comes to the construction of the wind turbines: the safety of the landowner, construction at no cost to the land owner, protection of properties adjacent to the land with the turbine, and assurance that the structures don't become a burden to the land owner or an eyesore to the community. The visibility of the turbines was a concern among some of the residents at the meeting. Reportedly, the structures will be at least 200 feet in the air. Full article at http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=142703&TM=4118.064
May 1, 200718 yr From the 2/15/07 Blade: County may form wind-power panel Commissioners taking cues from Wood County turbine project By JANE SCHMUCKER BLADE STAFF WRITER The cold winds that chilled folks to the bone last week actually might be useful for keeping warm. Fulton County commissioners are considering a committee to study the possibility of erecting wind turbines for power production. Such a project wouldn't be a breeze. It would likely take about 15 years before savings could be realized, according to Daryl Stockburger, a consultant who addressed commissioners last week. Mr. Stockburger is credited with getting wind turbines at the Wood County landfill. He is now chief project consultant with North Coast Wind & Power LLC based in Port Clinton. The firm is carrying out wind studies in Elmore in Ottawa County, in Michigan's Wash-tenaw County, and in Carmel, Ind., just north of Indianapolis. Dean Genter, president of the county commissioners, said he would like to see wind turbines in Fulton County like those that have been online near Bowling Green since 2003. Commissioners are considering organizing a committee with representatives from Wauseon, the county's villages, business, industry, and people interested in alternative energy, he said. Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070215/NEIGHBORS05/702140337/-1/NEIGHBORS
May 1, 200718 yr From the 2/22/07 Blade: Lucas County plan panel OKs wind turbines The Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions yesterday recommended approval of an amendment to the Waterville Township zoning code that will allow small wind turbines for residential electricity on land zoned for agricultural use. The amendment would allow turbines to stand no more than 80-feet high and have a generator with a rated capacity of no more than 10 kilowatts. The turbines may be placed only on parcels zoned for agricultural use that are at least five acres in size and serve one residence. Applicants desiring such turbines must produce detailed site plans when applying for a zoning permit. Ten commission members recommended approval. Commissioner Bernard Culp was absent. If the township's zoning commission and board of trustees approve the amendment, it will become the first area in Lucas County to allow such turbines. Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS33/702220339/-1/NEWS
May 1, 200718 yr Link contains a photo. From the 3/4/07 Dispatch: Wind-farm plan blows ill will in trio of Logan County townships Sunday, March 04, 2007 Holly Zachariah THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Logan County is home to the highest point in Ohio, so maybe it was just a matter of time before someone realized it is windy there. And maybe it was just a matter of time before someone decided to build giant turbines to convert that wind to energy. At least one power company says it aims to put up at least 20 turbines there. That many turbines would dwarf the only wind farm in Ohio, and some local landowners are saying, "Go away." The critics say wind farms aren't green enough and don't really help reduce reliance on other forms of power. "Wind energy's contribution to a power grid is insignificant and unreliable at best," said Tom Stacy, who lives in one of three townships -- Monroe, Jefferson and Rushcreek -- where companies are said to be courting landowners. He said the negatives outweigh any positives. The turbines are big enough that the blades intermittently block the sun and create what's known as "shadow flicker." Stacy likened the effect to a strobe light. He also said the rotating blades are loud, and that the scenic landscape would be ruined by the turbines, which can be as tall as 400 feet. Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/03/04/20070304-C1-01.html
May 1, 200718 yr From the 3/8/07 ABJ: Project would harness wind power Company seeks city's permission to use technology to provide power at future Fairlawn headquarters By Linda Golz Beacon Journal staff writer FAIRLAWN - A Summit County company that specializes in wind power is seeking permission to tap that energy source for its future headquarters in Fairlawn. Green Energy Technologies Inc. CEO and President Mark Cironi bills the project as the first urban wind-power system in Ohio. Cironi will present his proposal to Fairlawn's planning and zoning commission at 6 p.m. tonight at City Hall, 3487 S. Smith Road. He wants to use his Urban WindCUBE to help provide electricity to the new office park being built on Cleveland-Massillon Road at Interstate 77 Cironi plans to move his corporate headquarters from Ghent Road in Bath Township by May. Cironi said the Urban WindCUBE is like an oversized box fan. It captures the wind and pulls it into a smaller area, which increases its velocity. This makes the impellers generate electricity. The more wind, the more electricity generated. But Cironi said power can be generated with wind as light as 4 mph. Full article at http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/16858459.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_news
May 1, 200718 yr From the 3/9/07 Blade: Wind lab won't be placed in East Toledo Region's chances for jobs suffer blow By TOM HENRY BLADE STAFF WRITER East Toledo won't get America's first laboratory for testing offshore wind turbine blades. It's a decision that likely has cost northwest Ohio a shot at numerous jobs in the renewable energy sector and likely will keep the Great Lakes region from assuming a leadership role in the development of offshore wind power. U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman today is expected to announce sites in Texas and Massachusetts as the two finalists for the $11.5 million project. East Toledo had been one of six in the running and was the only one from the Great Lakes region. U.S. Sen. George Voinovich (R., Ohio), one of several public officials from Ohio who endorsed the proposal, said through a staff member last night that he was "extremely disappointed," but he hopes that Ohio "continues to move forward with exciting opportunities like this one to further its energy independence." Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/NEWS16/703090392/-1/RSS10
May 1, 200718 yr From the 3/10/07 ABJ: Answer to office park's power might be blowing in the wind Building will feature prototype turbine that provides eco-friendly energy By Linda Golz Beacon Journal staff writer FAIRLAWN - The Planning Commission voted Thursday to approve a prototype of a new urban wind turbine to generate electricity for the office park being developed on Cleveland-Massillon Road at Interstate 77. Scott Parker, president of Parker Fabricating Co. in Akron, which is developing the Kumho Office Park, said he has been working with the developer of the device, Green Energy Technologies of Bath Township. He explained that the WindCube is the first of this design. "This is our coming out,'' Parker said. He said that, as time goes on and the two companies continue to study the finished product, there may be some modifications to the design to improve it. He said they hope to use this as a model to showcase the energy device as they sell to other companies. Parker described the tower as an open, skeleton structure made with recycled steel. The cube with the turbines inside will be 25 feet by 25 feet and 15 feet deep. He said the entire structure would be 58 feet tall, while the building is 61 feet tall. Full article at http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/16875473.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_news
May 1, 200718 yr From the 3/11/07 Ashtabula Star Beacon: State aid could blow turbine into county Incentives revives Rock Creek wind program MARK TODD Star Beacon State incentives aimed at developing wind energy in Ohio could mean a breath of fresh air for Rock Creek's plan to erect a electricity-producing turbine in Conneaut. On Thursday, Gov. Ted Strickland announced $5 million in grants will be available to communities and others who develop wind-based energy programs. The news gives a boost to a plan John Casalina, Rock Creek administrator, broached many months ago. Casalina sees real merit in erecting a wind turbine on a certain wind-swept property in Conneaut a short distance from Interstate 90. Electricity created by the turbine could be used to trim utility bills for Rock Creek residents, the plan's proponents have said. During a presentation many months ago, Conneaut was invited to help finance the project so city residents could reap some of the energy benefits. Full article at http://www.starbeacon.com/local/local_story_042071533
May 1, 200718 yr From the 3/15/07 Springfield News-Sun: Turbine rules drafted By LaToya Thompson Staff Writer Thursday, March 15, 2007 MUTUAL — The Union Township Zoning Commission has drafted preliminary zoning regulations for proposed wind turbines. Everpower Renewables, a New York-based developer of wind energy projects, has met with the zoning commission and township landowners to propose constructing at least 10 wind turbines on the east side of Champaign County. Each turbine can produce two to three megawatts of energy that could power about 8,000 homes annually, the company said. Zoning Commission members said they do not have authority to approve the project but had to create guidelines for possible construction. The commission modeled its regulations on Monroe Township in Logan County, which has spent a year preparing for the installation of wind-energy towers. Discussion Wednesday focused on the required distance between the 400-foot wind turbine and a residence. Full article at http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/03/14/sns031507wind.html
May 1, 200718 yr From the 3/23/07 Blade: * GRAPHIC: Wind power studies NORTHERN OHIO SHORELINE Wind power plan for lake gains speed; efforts totaling over $1M seek to win new industry By TOM HENRY BLADE STAFF WRITER More than $1 million could be spent in the coming months pursuing offshore wind power in Lake Erie, even though the region just lost out on a bid to have East Toledo host the nation’s first testing laboratory for offshore wind turbine blades. A $250,000 wildlife study, funded by a grant the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority obtained from U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), recently began along the western Lake Erie shoreline. The goal of that study is to get the region’s clean energy and wildlife proponents on the same page over the risks posed to birds and bats. The next phase would involve putting two or three wind turbines along the western Lake Erie shoreline as early as the summer of 2008 to see just how lethal the devices might be. Sites have not been selected, but they likely would be between Toledo and Lorain, Ohio. The turbines themselves would cost several more million dollars, said Steve Watts, wind programs manager for Green Energy Ohio, a nonprofit group coordinating the study. Called the Northwest Ohio Coastal Wind Initiative, the study looms big for a region looking toward renewable energy for jobs. Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070323/NEWS06/703230397/-1/RSS
May 1, 200718 yr From the 3/29/07 Dispatch: Wind turbines whip up debate Ohio landowners say it's their right to erect the structures, despite criticism Thursday, March 29, 2007 6:11 AM By Holly Zachariah The Columbus Dispatch BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio—When he retires in a couple of years, Roger Brown plans to build his dream house somewhere on the 92 acres he owns in the Logan County countryside. It is valuable acreage, with stands of trees and man-made trails and lakes peppering rolling hills and flat pasture. It's been in his family for six generations. And Brown, a 55-year-old assistant to the city engineer, says he has the right to do with it what he wants. If that includes erecting a towering wind turbine that consumes only a 15-foot circle of land yet nets him thousands of dollars each year, he says it is nobody's business. "The rural code has always been that if a guy pays the taxes on the land and if a guy holds the deed to that land, then as long as he stays inside the law, you leave him alone," Brown said. Such philosophizing has put him in the center of the growing debate over proposals to put electricity-generating wind turbines in western Ohio. Regional-planning officials say five energy companies are interested in building turbines in Logan and Champaign counties. Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/03/29/WINDY.html
May 1, 200718 yr From the 4/5/07 Chagrin Herald Sun: Kenston eyes site for wind turbine Thursday, April 05, 2007 By Marc Magill Chagrin Herald Sun BAINBRIDGE The Kenston Local School District may place a 750-kilowatt wind turbine between the new high school and football stadium. The project could cost $1.2 million, according to a press release from Green Energy Ohio. GEO manages the Ohio Anemometer Loan Program, which, funded by the Ohio Department of Development and U.S. Department of Energy, supports the study aspect of the wind turbine. Only two sites the Kenston High School and Iten Industries, an Ashtabula County plastics manufacturer were selected for the inaugural year of the program, GEO said. Last month, wind monitors were placed at different levels on the middle school's radio tower on Snyder Road to test the viability of a turbine there. If the project moves forward, the school district is looking to build a turbine big enough to handle at least half of the over $200,000 yearly electric costs at the new high school, Superintendent Robert A. Lee said. "(The money saved from the turbine) would help in making a levy last longer," Lee said. Full article at http://www.cleveland.com/chagrinheraldsun/news/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1175717441159120.xml&coll=4
May 1, 200718 yr From the 4/15/07 Springfield News-Sun: Regional planning panel will seek to forge a compromise on wind turbines Champaign, Logan counties working on ordinances on where wind turbines can be located. By LaToya Thompson Staff Writer Sunday, April 15, 2007 Wind energy opponents would like to see strict regulations while land owners hoping to earn up to $6,000 annually for housing a turbine say they prefer more liberal ordinances. As a result, Logan-Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission has taken steps to bring the two sides together to discuss zoning issues and reach a consensus, said Jenny Snapp, commission's executive director. In addition, Champaign and Logan counties recently adopted ordinances — and are working on others — that will regulate where turbines can be placed. The ordinances are the first of their kind in Ohio. "This is something new to all of us — no precedence," LUC Executive Director Jenny Snapp said of the ordinances. "We have to strike a balance." Full article at http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/04/14/sns041507windinside.html
May 1, 200718 yr From Business First of Columbus, 4/16/07: Wind power advocates see potential Business First of Columbus - April 13, 2007 by Jeff Bell Business First The western edge of Union and Madison counties is perched on the perimeter of a glacial ridge that may prove to be fertile ground for developers of wind-power sites. The ridge, which runs north to south through Champaign, Logan and Hardin counties, is a contender to be the site for Everpower Renewables Inc.'s first wind farm in Ohio, said Kevin Sheen, a vice president at the New York-based company. No decision has been made on a site, he said, but the ridge, the Lake Erie shoreline and flatlands in northwest Ohio are the most promising areas for wind power in the state. "There are a lot of good choices as we try to ramp up," said Sheen, noting that Everpower wants to be generating electricity in Ohio by 2009. "We're looking anyplace where there is potential for development." At least four other companies also hope to develop wind turbine farms in Ohio, said Amy Gomberg of Environment Ohio, a Columbus environmental advocacy organization. That's an encouraging development, she said, given the benefits wind power can bring to the state. Besides reducing Ohio's dependence on coal-burning power plants, wind power has the potential to boost manufacturing of turbine components in Ohio and provide revenue for farm owners, Gomberg said. "Ohio spends billions importing coal from other states," she said. "(Wind power) is a way to keep some of that money in Ohio." Full article at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/04/16/story7.html
May 1, 200718 yr From the 4/19/07 Springfield News-Sun: Township adopts residents' wind turbine zoning proposal By LaToya Thompson Staff Writer Thursday, April 19, 2007 MUTUAL — In a 4-1 vote Wednesday, the Union Township zoning board abandoned its initial proposal for wind turbine regulations. Instead, they adopted zoning guidelines suggested by 10 township residents, as opposed to submitting a zoning proposal modeled after one in Logan County to the regional planning commission. The board has worked since January to draft preliminary regulations for the placement and construction of wind turbines. The document states that a turbine can be placed 1,000 feet from a residence and 500 feet from a roadway. The new proposal suggests a wind turbine should set 2,100 to 2,600 feet from any property line and not exceed 300 feet in height from its base to the tip of the blade. Full article at http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/04/18/sns041907windmill.html
May 1, 200718 yr From the 4/20/07 Bellefontiane Examiner: Committee appointed to design local wind turbine regulations By Brian J. Evans Bellefontaine Examiner Staff Writer 04/20/07 As controversy continues to swirl around proposals to erect wind turbines in the county, a committee was formed recently to review and draft zoning proposals to regulate them. Officials from the Logan County Prosecutor’s Office and the Logan-Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission named a 10-member committee to determine what information should be included in any zoning regulations enacted by the townships in Logan County, Prosecutor Gerald Heaton said Thursday. By state law, the prosecutor is the legal counsel for the townships, and currently, he said, there are no regulations in place concerning wind turbines. “The whole purpose of this group is to get information,” the prosecutor said, “sufficient information so the townships can make an educated determination as to what they want to include in their zoning.” Full article at http://www.examiner.org/news04.20.2.php
May 1, 200718 yr From the 4/26/07 Urbana Daily Citizen: Locals vist Bowling Green to see turbines SHAUN DUNLAP Staff Writer On April 13, various members of the community traveled to Bowling Green on an Everpower Renewables-sponsored bus ride to inspect the wind turbines operating there. Everpower Renewables is one wind turbine company that has been active in seeking placement of turbines in Champaign County. "My reaction is, I think they are very good thing," said Mechanicsburg Village Councilwoman Lu Blaine. "I think they are the future." Blaine said there are studies, surveys and people who say the wind turbines are noisy. "I stood right under one at Bowling Green," she said, adding it sounded like someone letting out a large breath all out once like a "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh." She said that standing under the turbine, she could still hear highway traffic about a half-mile away. She commented on the light at the top of the turbine as well. "They say the light at the top is disturbing, but you can't even see the light until you get a couple miles down the road." Full article at http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=143629&TM=49540.73
May 1, 200718 yr From Business First of Columbus, 4/30/07: Universities across state team up to develop clean energy technology Business First of Columbus - April 27, 2007 by Carrie Ghose Business First Instead of working in isolation on developing clean and renewable sources of energy, researchers at 15 Ohio universities think they can reach critical mass for an economic boom if they join forces. The state's 13 public universities and two of its private colleges on April 23 formed the University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio. The idea sparked from several schools' work last summer on Ohio's unsuccessful bid to land the U.S. Department of Energy's planned low-emissions coal power plant, known as FutureGen. The group pledges to collaborate on research and even on licensing of any technology that can be taken to the marketplace, said Jeff Daniels, associate dean of Ohio State University's College of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Other goals include educating the public and leading the debate on a state energy policy. Gov. Ted Strickland said the alliance can make Ohio a leader in developing the next generation of energy technology. Full article at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/04/30/story11.html
May 11, 200718 yr From the 5/11/07 Springfield News-Sun: Panel rejects zoning proposal Planning commission tells Union Twp. its zoning resolution to regulate wind towers is too strict. By LaToya Thompson Staff Writer Friday, May 11, 2007 EAST LIBERTY — A regional planning commission denied Union Twp.'s wind turbine zoning resolution Thursday, calling the proposal "too restrictive." The Logan-Union-Champaign (LUC) Regional Planning Commission's zoning and subdivision committee said the setback and tower height regulations are too strict. The proposal, submitted to the township zoning board by Union Twp. residents, regulates wind towers to a minimum of 2,600 feet from a building and property line. Also, it restricts the turbine height to no more than 360 feet. Everpower Renewables, a New York-based wind energy developer, has proposed constructing 500-foot wind turbines on the east side of Champaign County — Union, Wayne and Salem townships. The company has placed a test tower in the township to monitor potential wind speed. Everpower could begin construction in two years. Full article at http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/05/10/sns051107wind.html
May 15, 200718 yr From the 5/15/07 Urbana Daily Citizen: Test tower gets OK in Union Township LUC against wind turbine recommendations made by residents SHAUN DUNLAP Staff Writer MUTUAL - The Union Township Board of Zoning Appeals voted in favor, 3-1, of allowing a wind test tower belonging to Everpower Renewables to be placed on Ault Road, during its meeting Monday night. According to board member Fred Meyers, one board member removed himself from the discussion and vote for personal reasons. Meyers said the structure will be 190 feet tall and have three wind measurement devices that will send information to Everpower Renewables. The information will not be public knowledge as the results will belong to the corporation. Meyers said he was unaware of whether or not Everpower would choose to make the information public. Meyers stated his belief that, if the test tower shows that there is not enough wind in this area to provide a profit to the company, they will probably leave. Restrictions imposed on the test tower were: 36 months after its erection the test tower must come down and if the company is unable to do so, it must provide funding to remove it. Full article at http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=143835&TM=50446.25
May 19, 200718 yr From the 5/18/07 Blade: More wind turbines may sprout in Wood County BOWLING GREEN - Nearly 30 more wind turbines could be in store for Wood County. American Municipal Power-Ohio recently announced a joint partnership with JW Great Lakes Wind LLC for the development of up to 49.9 megawatts of wind-powered electricity on a proposed site northwest of the existing four turbines at the Wood County landfill. Most commercial-sized turbines, including those four in operation, generate up to 1.7 megawatts of electricity. To generate 49.9 megawatts, AMP-Ohio and JW Great Lakes Wind would have to install at least 29 turbines of that capacity. The AMP-Ohio Web site has a press release that states the two parties still have to determine if the project is economically feasible before proceeding. It will spend the next year doing that study. If the study shows the project is viable, construction would occur in 2008 and 2009, the release said. Full article at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070518/NEWS17/705180347/-1/RSS08
May 23, 200718 yr From the 5/23/07 Springfield News-Sun: Zoning board to recommend that trustees reject proposed wind turbine zoning resolution By LaToya Thompson Staff Writer Tuesday, May 22, 2007 URBANA — The Union Township zoning board unanimously voted Tuesday to make a recommendation to the trustees rejecting a proposed wind turbine zoning resolution. Executive Director Jenny Snapp of the Logan-Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission — LUC — called the proposal "too restrictive" in height and setback requirements. Champaign County Prosecutor Nick Selvaggio said it gave unauthorized power to governing bodies not listed in state law. The proposal, submitted to the township zoning board by Union Township residents, regulates wind towers to a minimum of 2,600 feet from a building and property line. Plus, it restricts the turbine height up to 360 feet. Everpower Renewables, a New York-based wind developer, has proposed building several 500-foot turbines throughout Union, Wayne and Salem townships. The county building regulations department recently approved the company to put up a test tower. The LUC and prosecutor's office both said their recommendations are not for or against wind turbines but reflect legal issues in the township zoning laws. http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/05/22/sns052307wind.html From the 5/23/07 Bellefontaine Examiner: Jefferson zoning commission rejects wind turbine proposal Panel wants to wait on recommendations from a county committee By Joel E. Mast Bellefontaine Examiner Staff Writer 05/23/07 A citizen-initiated zoning amendment focused on wind turbines was rejected Tuesday by the Jefferson Township Zoning Commission. “I can’t see why we would want to put these in place,” said Commission Chairman and Township Trustee Tim Armentrout. He and the four other members found the zoning proposal, drafted by local attorney Terrence Stolly, too restrictive, agreeing with an assessment of a committee of the Logan- Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission. http://www.examiner.org/news05.23.4.php Link contains a photo. From the 5/23/07 Urbana Daily Citizen: Commissioners visit wind farm in Bowling Green BREANNE PARCELS Staff Writer BOWLING GREEN - The Champaign County commissioners visited the Bowling Green Wind Farm Project in Wood County on Tuesday. "One thing we've heard is a landfill in Wood County is a lot different from Union Township in Champaign County, but I don't see a lot of difference," said Commissioner Steve Hess as he studied the site. "I see a cornfield, a farm close by, and a two-lane highway." While the city of Bowling Green has a much larger population than that of Urbana, with close to 30,000 residents, many of them are students at Bowling Green State University. Wood County Commissioner James Carter, speaking with the Champaign County commissioners before their trip to the wind farm, said the project was originally proposed by university students about five years ago. Full article at http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=143931&TM=44775.39
May 24, 200718 yr From the 5/24/07 Urbana Daily Citizen: Cable-area residents hear wind turbine details Sarah Perry Staff Writer CABLE - EverPower Renewables Project Manager Mike Speerschneider answered questions of Wayne Township citizens at a meeting Wednesday night, addressing wind turbines and the possibility of turbines in Wayne Township. Speerschneider touched on issues concerning electricity, road damage, local labor and the health of citizens living near the turbines. He said the turbines will not generate a decrease in the cost of electricity for Wayne Township because there is "no way to definitively say what it's (turbines) going to do to the electric." EverPower Renewables will assume responsibility for all costs of roadwork for the project and address the road damage concerns, Speerschneider said. "The project will bear the cost and repair roads to prior conditions," he said. Full article at http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=143940&TM=61335.36
June 3, 200718 yr From the 6/1/07 Bellfontaine Examiner: Township zoners hold off on amendment vote By Bellefontaine Examiner Staff 06/01/07 Members of the Rushcreek Township Zoning Commission postponed a vote on a citizen-initiated zoning amendment that would limit placement of wind turbines. The commission meets again at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 14, in the Rushsylvania Lions Club den. Less than two weeks ago, the Jefferson Township Zoning Commission rejected the same amendment, saying it was too restrictive. An assessment by a committee of the Logan- Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission and the Logan County Prosecutor’s Office found the proposed language was so restrictive it would effectively ban wind turbines. They are advising township zoners and trustees to reject the amendment and wait for a suggested zoning amendment from the Logan County Wind Turbine Committee. Full article at http://www.examiner.org/news06.01.3.php
June 3, 200718 yr Link contains a photo. From the 6/3/07 Dispatch: Zoning for wind farms a tall order Townships trying to regulate turbines, abide by law Sunday, June 3, 2007 3:47 AM By Holly Zachariah THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Apparently, adult bookstores and wind farms have something in common. Judges have ruled repeatedly that a community can put restrictions on where sexually oriented adult businesses can locate. But the same judges have said that officials cannot make those restrictions so tight as to eliminate the possibility of the stores' existence. Now, prosecutors in two counties where residents are railing against large-scale wind turbines for green energy say the same concept applies to wind farms. "Courts have generally held that regulation which prohibits the use of land in certain ways is an unconstitutional use of police power unless necessary for the health and safety" of residents, Logan County Prosecutor Gerald Heaton wrote in a recent opinion to the Logan-Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission. "Any regulations which purport to reasonably regulate the use of wind turbines when, in fact, they prevent their use, would fall into this category." Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/06/03/WINDY.ART_ART_06-03-07_B1_RN6TDVT.html?type=rss&cat=21
June 7, 200718 yr From the 6/6/07 Urbana Daily Citizen: Commissioners asked to weigh in on turbines BREANNE PARCELS Staff Writer Union Township resident Bob McConnell and attorney Lauren Ross asked the Champaign County Commissioners to consider forming a committee to focus on issues related to the proposed wind turbine installations in Union and Wayne townships during the commissioners' regular meeting Tuesday. "This has come up as a concern for many of us," said McConnell, a member of Union Neighbors United, a group which has opposed the location of proposed turbines and claims they will hurt property values and negatively impact the landscape. Ross said she filed an appeal in Champaign County Common Pleas Court last week on behalf of McConnell, his wife and Julie Johnson, who opposed the installation of an anemometer to measure wind speeds on Ault Road. The Union Township Board of Zoning Appeals granted a conditional use permit to Everpower to install the anemometer after a public hearing on May 14. McConnell said the 195-foot tower was erected in his "side yard" a few days ago, but he wasn't sure if the equipment had been mounted, due to the height and lack of lighting. "In essence, we can look out our kitchen window and see it," he said. "It isn't nearly as obtrusive as cell towers." Full article at http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=144083&TM=48228.62
June 14, 200718 yr Both from the 6/13/07 Springfield News-Sun: Second wind test tower approved in Union Township By Natalie Morales Staff Writer Wednesday, June 13, 2007 MUTUAL — The Union Township Zoning Commission Board of Appeals voted Tuesday evening to allow a second wind energy company to place a wind measuring device on the property of a township resident. The board voted five to one in favor of permitting Chicago-based Invenergy to construct the temporary 196-foot tower on the property of Bill and Carol Black at 22049 Talbot Road. The Blacks contracted with Invenergy for the device to be placed on their property to test wind speeds to determine if the area is viable for the possible future construction of wind turbines, said Black's son, Paul. "If the wind's not there we don't want any turbines, if it is then built them," Paul Black said after the meeting. "People can build houses where ever they want, you've got to catch the wind where it blows." Invenergy Senior Development Manager Eric Miller said the test towers, which look like thin pole anchored to the ground by angled wires, usually stay in a location for two to six years to gather an adequate sample. In the variance agreement approved Tuesday, Miller said Invenergy would agree to leave the tower on Black's property for a maximum of five years. Full article at http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/06/12/sns061307wind.html Couple awaiting appeal on wind test tower By Natalie Morales Staff Writer Wednesday, June 13, 2007 A wind test tower similar to the one Chicago-based wind developer Invenergy will place on the Blacks' Talbot Road property already exists on the Ault Road property of Boyd McCarty. Adjacent property owners Bob and Diane McConnell filed an appeal with the Champaign County Common Pleas Court, petitioning the Union Township Zoning Commission Board of Appeals decision to allow New-York-based wind energy developer Everpower to construct the test tower on McCarty's property. The test towers — at 190 and 196 feet tall — are temporarily built to test wind speed and determine if the area is a viable place for proposed future wind turbines. "We're not against wind energy, we're against its placement in a semi-residential area," Diane McConnell said. Everpower has proposed building several 500-foot turbines throughout Union, Wayne and Salem townships in Champaign County and also through some townships in Logan County. The Ault Road test tower was constructed before the McConnell's appeal was filed, they said. "We were hoping that by filing an appeal, there would be a delay in the process, for more time to look into this," Bob McConnell said. Full article at http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/06/12/sns061307windside.html
June 15, 200717 yr From the 6/15/07 Bellefontaine Examiner: Rushcreek zoning commission backs turbine amendment By Joel E. Mast Bellefontaine Examiner Staff Writer 06/15/07 The Rushcreek Township Zoning Commission recommended approval of a zoning amendment developed by a group opposed to wind turbines. The commission’s recommendation, which was backed with a 5-0 vote, now goes before the Rushcreek Township Trustees who can vote to accept the recommendation, reject it or modify. Any vote to reject or modify the citizen-initiated zoning amendment will require a unanimous vote of the trustees. Tom Stacy of Save Western Ohio was pleased with the commission’s recommendation. “I think it is a potential momentum-building event,” he said. “It sets a great example for the region. The commission members heard our concerns and took them to heart.” Full article at http://www.examiner.org/news06.15.2.php
June 19, 200717 yr From the 6/18/07 Bellefontaine Examiner: Jefferson wind vote coming June 26 By Joel E. Mast Bellefontaine Examiner Staff Writer 06/18/07 Jefferson Township Trustees put off a vote Saturday regarding the fate of a citizen- initiated zoning amendment that would restrict the placement of wind turbines on private land. Trustee Tim Tillman said there is some room for modifying the proposed amendment and he wanted more time. He said there was not enough notice time to change the meeting start from 4 p.m., but he assured about 50 people in attendance that the trustees would handle other business first and take up the amendment question late in the meeting. The trustees are considering a recommendation from the Jefferson Township Zoning Commission to reject the amendment. To modify or adopt the zoning amendment, the trustees will have to vote unanimously. Full article at http://www.examiner.org/news06.18.3.php
June 22, 200717 yr From the 6/21/07 Bellefontaine Examiner: IMAGE: A map of west-central Ohio shows the average winds at 100 feet above the ground surface. The dark purple area shows winds available along the ridge at about 16.8 to 17.9 mph. The small yellow area in Logan County has an average wind of nearly 19 mph. Wind company presents information to Hardin County By Dan Robinson Kenton Times Staff Writer 06/21/07 ADA — Residents of north central Ohio, including Hardin County, soon could be drying their hair, cooling their homes and watching television with electricity generated by the wind. North Coast Wind and Power LLC unveiled its plans Tuesday at Ohio Northern University to build wind farms which could provide service to homes in Logan, Champaign, Hardin and possibly Allen counties. The area, said Paul Hogue, of North Coast, is unique. “You are one of the few places inland in Ohio that has very good winds,” he told a gathering of electrical co-op board members, politicians and curious citizens. “You sit on a ridge pushed up by a glacier. This area is one of the better inland sites in the state.” Ohio is known for its wind shears, said Mr. Hogue. The wind might be blowing on the ground at 5 mph, but at an elevation of 100 feet, the speed increases to 12 mph, or as high as 19 mph in some areas of Logan County. “The higher you go, the power density is better,” said Mr. Hogue. Full article at http://www.examiner.org/news06.21.2.php
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