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A wind turbine, used for teaching purposes, stands in front of South Weber Elementary School. The South Weber Planning Commission is considering an ordinance that would allow businesses and residents to harness wind power on a conditional-use basis. It plans to hold open houses in April and May so it can receive public input on the issue before making a decision. (KERA WILLIAMS/Standard-Examiner)

South Weber may let businesses, residents harness wind power

Last updated Monday, February 27, 2012 - 7:48am

SOUTH WEBER -- A proposed wind energy ordinance that would allow commercial businesses and residents to harness air power on a conditional-use basis is leisurely blowing its way through the political process.

Business, Energy, Alternative Energy, City Government, Electricity, Energy policy, Housing, Job Corps, Open house, Ordinance, Planning Commission, South Weber, Utah, Wind, Wind energy, Featured Read more Comments

(KERA WILLIAMS/Standard-Examiner) Construction on the ship-shaped South Weber Elementary School wrapped up in April. Solar panels, seen above on the left, heat the water used throughout the school. They also help to teach students about solar power, not only in the K-2 building but also in the nearby school building that houses third through sixth grade. A wind turbine, seen above on the right, is also used as a teaching tool. It monitors the speed of the wind, and students are taught how to compare the data. Skylights on both floors of the facility allow the sun to shine into the building, and sensors dim the lights in reaction to how much natural light is coming in. “The technology and computer labs are up to date. We talk about solar power and energy from the sun,” says first-grade teacher Cara Toomey. “Every day, we talk about the weather.”

South Weber school stands out in more ways than one

Ruth Malan Standard-Examiner

Last updated Sunday, August 28, 2011 - 9:53am

SOUTH WEBER -- Solar power heats the water at the new South Weber Elementary School and K-2 Center, and windmills are a teaching tool to help students learn about wind power. The school, built in two phases, is the only one of its kind in Davis School District in more ways than one. The school is the only school housing kindergarten through second grade separately and uses innovative methods for heating.

Education, Schools, Environment, Building Our Future, Construction, Solar energy, South Weber Elementary School, Technology, Utah, Wind energy, History Read more Comments

(MATTHEW ARDEN HATFIELD/Standard-Examiner) Shadow Valley Elementary School opened at 4911 S. 1500 East in Ogden at the beginning of the 2009 school year.

'Green' school in Shadow Valley area promotes learning about environment

Jamie Lampros Standard-Examiner

Last updated Sunday, August 28, 2011 - 9:54am

OGDEN -- When ideas about building a new Ogden elementary school were being tossed about, the thought of having an environmentally friendly facility caught everyone's attention.

Education, Energy, Schools, Environment, Building Our Future, Construction, Geology, Ogden School District, Recycle, Recycling, Science, Shadow Valley Elementary School, Solar energy, Sports, Summer Strings, Utah, Water Conservation, Weather, Weber State University, Wildlife, Wind energy, YMCA Read more Comments

Scientists study wind farms' effects on temperature, crops

Scripps Howard News Service, Trish Choate Scripps Howard News Service

Last updated Thursday, June 23, 2011 - 12:02pm

WASHINGTON -- Wind farms could have the ability to make days a little cooler and nights a little warmer, make crops grow better and shift the course of a storm.

All that might sound like science fiction, but researchers are finding such results in their studies of turbines and wind farms.

Business, Agriculture, Study, Temperature, Weather, Wind energy Read more Comments

Biologist Joseph DiDonato cradles a folden eagle chick for a San Francisco Bay Area study. On average, 67 golden eagles are killed each year by wind turbunes. (Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times/MCT)

Wind power turbines threaten protected birds

Los Angeles Times, Louis Sahagun

Last updated Thursday, June 9, 2011 - 10:26am

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Scores of protected golden eagles have been dying each year after colliding with the blades of about 5,000 wind turbines along the ridgelines of the Bay Area's Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area, raising troubling questions about the state's push for alternative power sources.

The death count, averaging 67 a year for three decades, worries field biologists because the turbines, which have been providing thousands of homes with emissions-free electricity since the 1980s, lie within a region of rolling grasslands and riparian canyons containing one of the highest densities of nesting golden eagles in the United States.

Business, Birds, Wildlife, Wind energy Read more Comments

Wind industry continues growth, despite slow economy

Press release

Last updated Thursday, April 7, 2011 - 11:52am

NEW YORK -- America's wind power industry grew by 15 percent in 2010 and provided 26 percent of all new electric generating capacity in the United States.

With the 5,116 MW added last year, U.S. wind installations now stand at 40,181 MW, enough to supply electricity for over 10 million American homes.

"The American wind industry is delivering, despite competing with energy sectors that have permanent government subsidies in place," said Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

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Wind farm draws scant interest

Bryon Saxton Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau

Last updated Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 10:52pm

SOUTH WEBER -- A proposed $30 million wind farm near the mouth of Weber Canyon failed to blow away the South Weber City Council, resulting in the plan being tabled for further review.

South Weber Winds co-owner Scott Casas approached the council Tuesday evening requesting exclusive development rights for a 10-turbine wind farm near the mouth of the canyon that would generate electricity for the cities of South Weber and Uintah.

But South Weber city leaders questioned whether the city had the legal right to grant such exclusivity and tabled any action on the matter.

Business, Energy, City Government, Utah, Wind energy Read more Comments

School to have zero energy impact

The Associated Press

Last updated Sunday, January 2, 2011 - 11:42pm

SALT LAKE CITY — A private school in a Salt Lake County suburb will have zero energy impact.

Education, Energy, Environment, Solar energy, Utah, Wind energy Read more Comments

Officials: Turbines a danger to eagles

The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, December 13, 2010 - 10:11pm

APPLE VALLEY, Calif. -- Fears that whirling wind turbines could slaughter protected golden eagles have halted progress on a key piece of the federal government's push to increase renewable energy on public lands, stalling plans for billions of dollars in wind farm developments.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management suspended issuing wind permits on public land indefinitely this summer after wildlife officials invoked a decades-old law for protecting eagles, according to interviews and documents.

The restriction has stymied efforts to "fast-track" approvals for four of the seven most promising wind energy proposals in the nation, including all three in California.

Business, Energy, Environment, BLM, Wind energy Read more Comments

Energy company to pay $2.5 million, replace wind turbines to reduce raptor deaths

Contra Costa Times, Denis Cuff

Last updated Monday, December 6, 2010 - 7:22pm

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The largest wind energy producer in the Altamont Pass area in California's Alameda and Contra Costa counties has agreed to replace 2,400 wind turbines within four years and pay $2.5 million in a legal settlement to reduce deaths of eagles, hawks and other raptors hacked by turbine blades.

The settlement between NextEra Energy Resources, the state and several environmental groups was announced Monday by state Attorney General Jerry Brown.

One environmental leader praised the deal a model for producing wind energy while minimizing the heavy toll the whirling turbine blades take on hundreds of raptors each year.

Business, Raptors, Wildlife, Wind energy Read more Comments