Wibaux County became the first county in Montana to adopt countywide zoning to restrict wind development. The new zoning rules require wind turbines to be set back 1,250 from property lines and 1.5 miles from residences. The rules were adopted as part of an effort to block AES’s proposal to construct the 235-MW Wibaux Wind Farm, which would include 50 MW of battery storage.

In a rare move, the Connecticut Siting Council has declined to approve a controversial solar facility proposed along Carter Street. Manchester officials and neighborhood residents both voiced opposition to the petition filed by California-based TRITEC Americas in January, requesting the Siting Council issue a declaratory ruling on a plan to construct a 0.999-megawatt photovoltaic electric generating facility on 7.8 acres of forested land at 250 Carter St. zoned for "rural residential" development. Some stakeholders questioned the location of the proposed facility, which would border a number of single-family homes in the area, as well as the potential impact on the environment as a result of the removal of trees. At a meeting Thursday afternoon, the Siting Council voted unanimously to adopt a decision denying the petition from TRITEC Americas, declining to issue a declaratory ruling that would have allowed for the project to proceed.

Norwegian company Equinor and its Australian partner Oceanex abandoned plans to develop the Illawarra Wind Zone, a 1,000 square kilometer offshore wind project. The decision followed the federal government's reduction of the project area and relocation further offshore, which increased complexity and reduced attractiveness for investors.

In a rare move, the Connecticut Siting Council has declined to approve a controversial solar facility proposed along Carter Street. Manchester officials and neighborhood residents both voiced opposition to the petition filed by California-based TRITEC Americas in January, requesting the Siting Council issue a declaratory ruling on a plan to construct a 0.999-megawatt photovoltaic electric generating facility on 7.8 acres of forested land at 250 Carter St. zoned for "rural residential" development...At a meeting Thursday afternoon, the Siting Council voted unanimously to adopt a decision denying the petition from TRITEC Americas, declining to issue a declaratory ruling that would have allowed for the project to proceed.

A controversial wind turbine proposed in the town of Florida has been denied at the conclusion of a multi-year project review. The Florida Planning Board unanimously determined the potential adverse environmental impacts of the project outweighed the need or any benefits from it. Board members were clear that mitigation measures proposed by the developer were insufficient to address the concerns...The 4.3-megawatt community wind project proposed at 153 YMCA Road would have been visible from various areas in the town of Florida and some points in the city of Amsterdam. Before the proposal came under planning review, the Zoning Board of Appeals in December 2021 granted a variance allowing the 650-foot tall device to exceed the 400-foot maximum height set by the town. That was seemingly before most residents became aware of the proposal. In the years since, the proposal faced intense criticism from townspeople who said the massive turbine was inconsistent with the town’s comprehensive plan and would have forever altered the landscape of the rural community. Locals further objected to potential disturbances from the device, including noise and “shadow flicker” cast by the rotating blades.

A proposed utility-scale solar power project on the edge of Berlin has been rejected by Worcester County leaders, though it still has a chance of being kept alive by state officials in the long run. The developer, TurningPoint Energy, presented plans Tuesday for a 35-acre solar panel farm to the Worcester County Commissioners, who unanimously voted to reject the proposal. District 3 Commissioner Eric Fiori expressed concerned about putting a renewable energy project on a site already designated for future growth and residential development... Regardless of the commissioners’ rejection, the project on its face likely faced an uphill battle anyway: Keener reported that the developer’s plans do not comport with Worcester County’s current zoning regulations – solar farms also aren’t allowed in any residential district without exception – or its comprehensive plan, which favors residential growth. “Given the location of the property, it’s not consistent with our comprehensive plan. It’s in a growth area. I don’t find it consistent with our zoning because it’s in a zoning district that we don’t allow them in,” Keener told the commissioners Tuesday. Despite local rejection of the proposal, the PSC could still green-light the project as it sees fit. Maryland courts held in 2019 that the PSC has final say in the siting of utility-scale projects, preempting local zoning.

Woodbury County supervisors have amended the ordinance covering new wind energy projects in the county. Tuesday night was the third, and final, public hearing on proposed amendments to the ordinance. The changes follow concerns about the existing ordinance, and the future of wind energy in Woodbury County. Some county residents worried the existing ordinance didn’t put enough distance between new wind turbines, and properties in the county. The board unanimously passed the amendments tonight. Among them, an extension of the setback - the distance wind turbines must be from farm homes and towns - to 1 kilometer, 3,280 feet, or approximately 5.45 times the height of the turbine.

Hanover supervisors unanimously struck down a proposal Wednesday to develop what would have been the largest solar farm in the county. The project, submitted by North Carolina–based Strata Clean Energy LLC, was amended after receiving an unfavorable recommendation from the county’s planning commission in July, but residents were still apprehensive about the company’s plans.. ..Strata was asking Hanover to rezone around 1,500 acres of timber land in the Beaverdam District, adjacent to the North Anna River, for the proposed North Anna River Solar Farm. The solar farm would be able to produce up to 72 megawatts of electricity — enough to power over 20,000 homes for a year. The company’s original plan included 342 acres of solar arrays at the site; the revised plan reduced that coverage area to 252 acres, 17% of the proposed area.

Hanover supervisors unanimously struck down a proposal Wednesday to develop what would have been the largest solar farm in the county. The project, submitted by North Carolina–based Strata Clean Energy LLC, was amended after receiving an unfavorable recommendation from the county’s planning commission in July, but residents were still apprehensive about the company’s plans. Strata was asking Hanover to rezone around 1,500 acres of timber land in the Beaverdam District, adjacent to the North Anna River, for the proposed North Anna River Solar Farm. The solar farm would be able to produce up to 72 megawatts of electricity — enough to power over 20,000 homes for a year. The company’s original plan included 342 acres of solar arrays at the site; the revised plan reduced that coverage area to 252 acres, 17% of the proposed area. Raines was joined by more than a dozen residents who said the project would impact Hanover’s rural character, neighboring property values, traffic and roads — as well as the area's natural resources and historic sites. Strata project manager Laura Wilson told the board that the company did its best to strike a balance between the guidelines approved by the board and the demands of residents. “These revisions illustrate our commitment to listening and adapting, ensuring that we address community and environmental concerns,” Wilson said. But the board was united with Beaverdam Supervisor Jeff Stoneman, who moved to deny the project after hearing from his constituents.

Township officials rejected a large solar farm proposed in Newton Twp. Township supervisors denied this week a plan by Newton Solar 1 LLC of Lowell, Massachusetts and Borrego Solar Systems Inc. of Oakland, California to build nearly 12,000 12-foot-high solar panels on 24 acres of a 53-acre parcel on Hillside Drive near Newton Ransom Boulevard and Country Club Drive. The plans were opposed by residents, particularly those who live near the site, who questioned the project's legality, as the deed for the site dictates that only agriculture and open space uses are allowed...Supervisors were also concerned the project would negatively affect the health and safety of more than a dozen residents who live around the property. Although solar farms are allowed under ordinances within the Scranton-Abingtons Planning Association, which the township is a part of, Pallman said supervisors were concerned over how the proposed solar farm impacted the character of the area.