MORE NEWS, 3-19 (TURBINE FAILS, NO TOXIC SPILL, NO RADIOACTIVITY, SMALL FIRE QUICKLY CONTAINED; AZ NEW ENERGY GETS STIM; VOLT ALMOST READY TO ROLL)

TURBINE FAILS, NO TOXIC SPILL, NO RADIOACTIVITY, SMALL FIRE QUICKLY CONTAINED
Noble Environmental Power Confirms All Debris Contained Within Setback Area
Maggy Wisniewski, March 13, 2009 (Noble Environmental Power)

"On the morning of March 6, 2009, the Noble Altona Windpark experienced a loss of power; in response, sixty three (63) of the sixty five (65) Noble Altona Windpark turbines shut down as expected. Turbine 42 and Turbine 59 of the Noble Altona Windpark did not respond to the power outage by shutting down immediately…

"GE’s inspection of the pitch control system in Turbine 59 revealed a wiring anomaly that resulted in the pitch control system not responding correctly, thus impacting the turbine’s ability to shut down as designed. Turbine 59 was damaged, but did not collapse. Data from Turbine 42 indicates that it experienced the same wiring anomaly which resulted in Turbine 42 failing to shut down properly and ultimately led to its collapse.

"Noble believes that the combination of power loss and the wiring anomaly were to blame for last week’s incident, in which nobody was injured… "

Another related story: Alien contact with wind turbine. From itn via YouTube.

"Immediately following the incident, Noble Environmental Power secured the site and shut down the entire Noble Altona Windpark. That day, Noble also teamed up with General Electric (GE), the manufacturer of the 1.5 megawatt turbines. Engineers from GE…are working to find and examine the root cause… and are methodically testing other turbines…Upon GE’s notification of the successful completion of the tests, the previously shut down turbines are being returned to service.

"Noble has determined that the farthest piece of debris from collapsed Turbine 42, which has been identified as a piece of fiberglass, landed 345 feet from its base. This distance is well within the 1200 foot setback from the nearest off-site residence, as required per the Town of Altona’s Wind Law. This law also states that wind energy facilities must be located 500 feet from the nearest public road; the debris landed within this setback…

"On Friday, March 13, 2009, at Noble’s invitation, the Town of Altona Supervisor, Larry Ross, as well as a representative of CRA, the Town’s engineering firm, walked the site of Turbine 42. Currently, efforts to remediate the site of the incident are underway…"


AZ NEW ENERGY GETS STIM
Green energy to get big lift from stimulus
Ryan Randazzo, March 15, 2009 (Arizona Republic)

"Arizona companies that develop alternative energy - and state agencies that promote those technologies - are scrambling to take advantage of at least $50 billion set aside in the federal stimulus package.

"The more than $57 million coming directly to the state for weatherization is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs needed to make low-income households more energy efficient…Billions of dollars more directed nationwide at alternative energy are expected to help build solar and wind-power plants that could help companies in Arizona, which have seen a slowdown in activity amid the recession…

"Stimulus funds are widely viewed as just the beginning of pledges made by the new president's administration to prop up the renewable-energy industry…Alternative energy also should see a significant boost if the administration moves ahead with proposals to limit the amount of emissions that come from coal-fired power plants and create a national requirement that utilities provide a set amount of renewable energy."

Taxpayers can't make a better investment than in this sun. (click to enlarge)

"People who want to put solar panels or wind turbines on their homes are expected to be able to apply for the 30 percent tax credit to be taken up front as a grant, just like large power plants, although details are not yet available on how to apply.

"Previously, solar hot-water heaters, a far more economical way to tap sun power, had a tax-credit cap of $2,000. That cap has been removed and now those systems qualify for a full 30 percent incentive just like solar panels that make electricity.

"People hoping to buy electric vehicles will qualify for a $7,500 tax credit."


VOLT ALMOST READY TO ROLL
Volt battery development nears final phase, GM says
Robert Snell, March 18, 2009 (Detroit News)

"General Motors Corp. will reach the final engineering phase of its Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle this summer, when prototype vehicles hit the road, an official said...And though GM may run out of cash next month unless it receives $2.6 billion in additional federal aid, the automaker continues to work on second and third generation electric versions that will cost less than the Volt, which is scheduled to debut in November 2010...

"As part of the $13.4 billion federal loan package GM received late last year, the automaker is required to develop vehicles that rely on advanced technology. GM must show progress on becoming a viable company by March 31 or the U.S. Department of Treasury could demand repayment -- a move that would force the automaker into bankruptcy."

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"GM is working with companies that produce battery cells and electronic and thermal systems to find innovations that will drop the cost of subsequent generations of electric vehicles...The first-generation Volt could cost as much as $40,000 because of its expensive lithium-ion batteries, and Congress is considering tax breaks that would defray the purchase cost.

"GM has about 30 Chevrolet Cruze vehicles on the road right now that utilize the Volt's lithium-ion battery packs and the automaker will start testing about 80 prototype vehicles this summer that functionally represent the electric car..."

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"The Volt will rely on a lithium-ion battery pack that will let commuters travel up to 40 miles on electric power alone. The Volt's engine kicks in after its battery is drained by about 70 percent to sustain the battery's remaining charge to keep the car running for several hundred miles...

"GM said it is boosting its Volt investment to more than $1 billion by establishing a plant in Michigan...that will produce lithium-ion battery packs...GM initially will rely on foreign-made batteries for the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle...GM is partnering with South Korea-based battery maker LG Chem...GM plans to select the battery plant site by the end of June with production starting in early 2010..."