Well, looks like that pretty ridge view is safe from those nasty turbines now.
This from Shell:
Shell exits Bear River Ridge Wind Project
We would like to inform you that Shell WindEnergy Inc. has decided to exit the Bear River Wind Project due to unfavorable market conditions and issues pertaining to the transportation logistics. This means that we will stop all development activities related to the project including – community consultation, project and transmission design, EIR/EIS permitting, transportation and environmental studies.
Wind is an important renewable energy resource and a valuable part of a sustainable energy portfolio. Shell continues to operate our existing wind assets and look for opportunities to grow our wind portfolio.
The project development team would like to express our deep thanks to all of the families, community leaders and individuals who have supported the proposed project over the years.
Best Regards,
Shell WindEnergy Inc.
This article appears in Gasoline Kings.
If Ferndale residents’ overreaction to Shell played any part in this, shame on them. This is a tremendous loss.
And yet that’s not what Shell said. From the first paragraph:
“due to unfavorable market conditions and issues pertaining to the transportation logistics”
Matt has never worked in PR.
part of it is a subsidy for wind power is going to be ended next year so many companies dont want to spend the extra money.
Good.
Maybe Shell pulled out of the project because the martians refused to use their spaceships to beam the turbines onto the hill. That’s what they’re referring to when they mentioned “transportation logistics”.
Heh – I totally understand PR!
I guess now we won’t have to worry about Shell WindEnergy destroying the environment on Bear River Ridge. I think the world will survive. There are other ways to produce green, renewable energy than putting up hundreds of giant towers. We need to get out of old 20th century thinking and start creating new and better ways to deal with the problem than filling the country with giant wind turbines. Many countries in Europe are trying to figure out what to do with the old turbines that litter the countryside.
It’s a shame that this project didn’t go forward. We’d be far better off to invite large scale green energy projects into our community in order to improve our economy, to help provide clean energy to ourselves and to other communities, and to help draw other companies here, too.
This loss is probably going to heat up the rail link issue.
Dan if wind power isn’t 21st century, then what is? Lava power? Fusion? Tidal harnesses here got squashed. So what else is there? From a physical standpoint, the Bear River ridge was the best spot to put such a project. But then half the county informing them that it’s a crappy place geologically (not from aesthetics killing) should have helped sway the decision to kill the project.I like wind energy actually. I kinda like seeing tech and nature working, but I could probably bet how soon a rain or quake-induced slide took some of them out.
Thirdeye, the knottiest transportation infrastructure question was the road through Ferndale and up the Wildcat — not getting the parts into Humboldt County.
As land owners on Bear River Ridge and stewards of the property it very unfortunate that the hard economic times killed this project.We have been searching for ways help maintain this unique piece of our heritage with out splitting and devideing to the point where it looks like southern humboldt or even a little closer such as Petrolia and Honey Dew. We thought a green project would be a nice fit for our community as well as our future.
In fact, the wave project wasn’t “squashed,” PG&E didn’t do their environmental work – the state decided not to waive the environmental work – and PG&E ceased working on the project.
Wind energy certainly isn’t dead in Humboldt County, just the Shell project was limited in vision and simply wasn’t a good fit.
At the moment there is a proposal to the US DOE from Makani Power (http://www.makanipower.com/) to install test units of a new type of offshore wind generator several miles offshore of Humboldt County, bringing the power in through the PG&E connector that was put in for their stopped tidal project.
Humboldt was considered by Makani for this project in large part due to the availability of that hookup and the absolutely dreadful offshore conditions in which to test their gear.
That will be a very interesting offshore project, the cost / benefit to Humboldt County as a whole will be a lot greater than from the Shell Project. Plus, it’s new technology, not the 30 year old turbines that were planned for that ridge.
The wind units for the Makani project can come in packed in a 40 foot standard shipper, no extra road widening, no road development and no extra power lines are needed.
The money that stays in Humboldt is not only hospitality, shipping and construction, but engineering and other white-collar work which the Shell project was doing in Texas and San Francisco. So this is a bigger win for the county economy, even before Makani starts generating 4 MW with no interference in daily life.
Oh, and murrelets? They don’t forage as far off shore as the Makani units are going, nor do eagles and bats fly there.
This is new tech, homegrown at Stanford U, designed from the ground up to generate wind power, not endless hassles and disruption for the enrichment of multinational corporations.
The entire county of Humboldt stands to gain from the Makani project and it’s our RCEA that’s been partnering with them to get it “off the ground” literally and making power by flying in endless circles. Do take a look at their website – it’s fascinating !
Do you mean to tell me that I will be able to stand on my mountain top and look out to the ocean and see those dreadful things? God I hope so! Ive actually had Makani engeineers out to bear river property looking for test sites.
Mr. McBride, I’d like to know what kind of precription glasses you have, and if I can purchase a pair. Are they ACME Glasses, and do they require a medicinal prescription?
Surely, something 10-20 miles out from that ridge over the ocean the size of a small car is not visible to us mere mortals!
Perhaps change that ridge name to Eagle Eye ridge then.
Maybe we should ask them to move them in close enough to enjoy them?
The reason is that natural gas prices have plunged.
That is great news!
There can be nothing good to come of Shell in our communities, watershed, lives… Don’t people know about the devastating and murderous record of multinational oil giant Shell?
As someone who has driven on the Wildcat Road and been up to Bear River Ridge Road, I can tell you that I was amazed that they were even imagining getting massive wind turbines up there.
Hair, solving the transportation hurdle up the Wildcat is straightforward. The County just hasn’t been able to justify directing its limited resources at it because the existing economy in that area is adapted to it. The wind farm would have provided both justification and resources. In contrast, the 101/299/199 transportation hurdle affects the logistics costs of installing and maintaining such a project considerably, and would require much more resources to solve.
Elliott, heaven forbid you should see any source for the energy you use.
And people wonder why shit costs so much in Humboldt County.
We lost a tremendous green energy project when Calpine withdrew the attempt at establishing a safe clean lpg terminal. Different naysayers; same wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing; identical result. Hallelujiah!
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