March 17, 2008

Wind Harvest's "Wind News"
A compilation of story leads from around the world.
By:  Kevin Wolf <kwolf@windharvest.com>

Note:  These story titles and lead paragraphs predominantly come from Energy Central's daily posting of the world's energy stories. Others are sent to me by subscribers of Wind News.  Energy Central requires paid membership to read full stories.  You can often paste the headline into Google and find the original source of the story. You are welcome to share this with others. This is a free service from Wind Harvest.   Thank you. Kevin
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NEW ENERGY ACT CALLS FOR INCREASED RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH

  The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, signed into law
  on December 19th, calls for accelerated research and development
  (R&D) and deployment of renewable energy technologies, although
  all the provisions are subject to congressional appropriations of
  funds.
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WINDMILL FOES RAISE BIG BUCKS

  A group opposing wind turbines in Somerset County is raising big
  money to stop Gamesa USA from building 30 of the electricity
  generators for the controversial Shaffer Mountain Wind Project
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CANTWELL TOUTS WIND POWER

  The Pacific Northwest, which long ago harnessed the power of
  falling water, now stands on the cusp of a new boom in another
  kind of renewable energy, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell said during a
  visit to the Port of Vancouver on Monday.
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WIND FARM PROPOSAL IS THROWN OUT BY COUNCIL

  Plans to create a wind farm in North Devon have been rejected
  because of the impact it would have on the local environment
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UPC WIND AND STEUBEN COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
FINALIZE AGREEMENT FOR COHOCTON AND DUTCH HILL WIND POWER PROJECTS

  UPC Wind, a leading independent North American wind power company,
   today announced that it has finalized an agreement with the
  Steuben  County Industrial Development Authority (SCIDA),
  establishing the  second of two major economic packages for the
  region as part of its  Cohocton and Dutch Hill Wind Power
  Projects.
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STATE REGULATORS CLEAR WIND FARM PROJECT

  State regulators have granted a waiver to a Houston firm, allowing
  construction of a $600 million wind farm in Howard and Mitchell
  counties.
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PROJECT GENERATES ILL WIND

  The same areas along the North Carolina coast recognized for the
  winds that can generate power are also prone to hurricane-force
  winds that generate a force of their own.
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PROGRESS SEES SHIFT TO RENEWABLES

  Half of Progress Energy's customers in North Carolina say the
  company isn't doing enough to develop renewable energy, and a
  whopping 79  percent say that global warming requires immediate
  and drastic action
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WIND FARMS TO BE BUILT THROUGHOUT COUNTRY

  New wind farms to be built throughout Tunisia by 2009, national
  production should reach 175 MW by 2010.
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STATE SEEKS TO TEST WINDY AREAS

  In an effort to enhance the state's wind energy program, the Utah
  Geological Survey is looking for participants to help determine
  the best potential sources of wind energy around the state.
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XCEL ENERGY LAUNCHES GROUNDBREAKING WIND-TO-BATTERY PROJECT

  Xcel Energy soon will begin testing a cutting-edge technology to
  store wind energy in batteries. It will be the first use of the
  technology in the United States for direct wind energy storage. -
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WIND TAKEN OUT OF TURBINE PROJECT IN GEORGES, SPRINGHILL

  An Oregon-based company is weighing its options after a decision
  by Fayette County's zoning hearing board earlier this week to deny
  a request for a special exception to construct 18 wind-powered
  turbines in Georges and Springhill
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B&B WIND ASSESSING PORTFOLIO INITIATIVES

  Babcock & Brown Wind Partners (ASX:BBW) will undertake initiatives
  to capture currently unrecognised value in the portfolio through
  the possible sale of selected assets which can provide the
  greatest value.
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BABCOCK & BROWN WIND PARTNERS POSTS $3.2M NET PROFIT

  Babcock & Brown Wind Partners (ASX:BBW) today announced a net
  profit of $3.16m in the six months ended December 31, compared
  with a net loss of $855,000 for the first half of last year.
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BP RAMPS UP TO FULL CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE ONE OF 750 MW WIND FARM IN TEXAS

  BP Alternative Energy today announced that it has moved into full
  construction on phase one of the Sherbino Wind Farm located
  approximately 30 miles east of Fort Stockton in Pecos County, west
  Texas.
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BP MAY SELL OFF ITS GREEN ENERGY INTERESTS

  BP today indicated it could put its $7 billion wind and solar
  energy businesses up for sale. In a startling volte-face from the
  "Beyond Petroleum" future envisaged by his predecessor Lord
  Browne, chief executive Tony Hayward today signalled green energy
  will no longer be a BP priority
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WIND ENERGY PROJECT, NEW LANDFILL SEEK OK

  A wind-energy project near Rosamond and an industrial landfill in
  Lost Hills will be considered at Thursday night's Kern County
  Planning Commission meeting.
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PROPOSALS SOUGHT FOR RENEWABLE RESOURCES

  New England's power grid operator will get its first glimpse by
  year's end of proposals for long-distance transmission lines
  designed to bring wind and hydropower from northern New England
  and Canada's Maritime provinces.
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BREEZE FALTERS FOR WIND TURBINE MAKER

  Chalk one up to the rising power of renewable energy. On Feb. 27,
  Denmark's Vestas Wind Systems (VWS.CO) -- the world's largest wind
  turbine manufacturer -- posted a 120% rise in its annual operating
  profit, to $664 million, on the back of strong demand from Europe,
  the U.S., and China.
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VESTAS RECEIVES WIND TURBINE ORDER FROM POLAND

  Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has received orders for a
  total of 33 wind turbines for two projects in Poland. The order
  for the Dobrzyn project consist of 17 units of the V90-2MW wind
  turbine while the order for the Wronki project consists of 16
  units of the V90-3MW turbine.
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UK GOVERNMENT: POWERING ON: THREE NEW WIND FARMS GRANTED CONSENT BY
ENERGY MINISTER

  The Government's commitment to renewable energy is demonstrated
  again  today as Malcolm Wicks, the Energy Minister, gives
  permission for three  new wind farms to be built.
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CHINESE WIND POWER INDUSTRY FORECAST TO EXPAND RAPIDLY

  With the huge market demand  at home and abroad and the sound
  policy environment, China's  wind turbine industry promises great
  prospects in the coming  year, and experts have given the
  "recommended" rating of  investment.
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SSE COMPLETES AIRTRICITY PURCHASE

  Electricity and gas utility Scottish and Southern Energy's
  definitive agreement to buy Irish wind power producer Airtricity
  for an equity value of approximately E1.1 billion has been
  completed
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ECUADOR TO BOOST RENEWABLE ENERGY ON GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

  Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa   Monday proposed that the
  Galapagos Islands would become the first   area in the country to
  be free of polluting fuels by 2015, in a   boost to the nation's
  wind power plan.
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CHANGE IN WIND FOR RENEWABLES

  Bank of Scotland Corporate took its first steps to becoming a
  leading investor in the renewable energy sector in 1993 and has
  had a front-row seat in witnessing the huge growth of the industry
  both in the UK and internationally.
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GUANGDONG BAOLIHUA NEW ENERGY TO BUILD WIND FARM IN LUFENG

  Guangdong Baolihua New Energy Stock Co., Ltd. (SZSE: 000690), a
  power producer and supplier in China, inks an agreement on wind
  power development project with the government of Lufeng City in
  Guangdong Province on February 27, 2008.
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CHINA'S GUANGDONG TO BUILD NATION'S LARGEST OFF-SHORE WIND FARM

  South China's Guangdong Province  plans to build the nation's
  largest off-shore wind farm, in a bid   to quench its power
  thirst.
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China: Wind Power's New Force
Beijing Spent Some $2 Billion On The Renewable Energy Source Last Year, And The Mainland Is On Track To Eclipse Europe, Japan, And The U.S. In A Few Years
[
China's alternative energy market is growing in gusts. Beijing has set the ambitious goal of having renewable energy [including hydro, solar, biomass, and wind] meet 15% of its energy needs by 2020. The European Union, by contrast, is aiming for 20% by the same date, and the U.S. just 7.5% by 2013. Achieving that 15% goal will take an astonishing $265 billion in investment, and just last year China sank some $10 billion into alternative energy, second only to Germany.

For China, wind is the fastest growing renewable: In 2006, the government spent some $2 billion, doubling capacity, and putting China on track to eclipse top wind manufacturers in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. within a few years, predicts a report released on Nov. 14 by Washington [D.C.]-based Worldwatch Institute.
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