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The wind power industry is also creating thousands of jobs for communities and for the state. Wind technology and the various aspects of producing electricity from wind power can help to keep employment in Texas after the rigs stop producing oil.<ref name="SECO" />
The wind power industry is also creating thousands of jobs for communities and for the state. Wind technology and the various aspects of producing electricity from wind power can help to keep employment in Texas after the rigs stop producing oil.<ref name="SECO" />

Terrorism in the United States is a real threat and large, centrally located, power plants provide most of Texas’ electricity. Should one of these plants be attacked, repairs could take more than a year, possibly creating power shortages on a scale that Texans have never experienced before. Coal trains and gas pipelines are also vulnerable to disruption. However, wind power plants are quickly installed and repaired. The modular structure of a wind farm also means that if one turbine is damaged, the overall output of the plant is not significantly affected.<ref>[SEED Coalition and Public Citizen’s Texas office (2002). [http://www.renewabletexas.org/downloads/tx_energy_powerhouse.pdf Renewable Resources: The New Texas Energy Powerhouse] p. 11.


==Wind farms==
==Wind farms==

Revision as of 02:54, 22 August 2007

Wind power in Texas consists of many wind farms with a total installed capacity of 2,749 megawatts (MW) at the end of December 2006. Texas is firmly established as the leader in wind power development in the USA, followed by California with 2,361 MW.[1]

Several forces are working to the advantage of wind power in Texas: the wind resource in many areas of the state is very large, large projects are relatively easy to site, and the market price for electricity is relatively high because it is set by natural gas prices.[2] The wind power industry is also creating many jobs and farmers may earn extra income by leasing their land to wind developers.[3]

The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center (735 MW) in Taylor and Nolan counties is the world's largest wind farm. Other large wind farms in Texas include: the Sweetwater Wind Farm, Buffalo Gap Wind Farm, King Mountain Wind Farm, Roscoe Wind Farm, Desert Sky Wind Farm, Wildorado Wind Ranch, and the Brazos Wind Ranch. As of 2007, 942 MW of wind power is currently under construction in Texas.[4] This expansion will help Texas meet its renewable energy goal of 5,000 new megawatts of power from renewable sources by 2015.[5]

Overview

Wind power has a long history in Texas. West Texas State University began wind energy research in 1970 and this work grew under the auspices of Alternative Energy Institute (AEI), which was formed in 1977. AEI has been a major information resource about wind energy for Texas.[6]

There are many wind farms in Texas, with a total installed capacity of 2,749 MW (at the end of December 2006), and Texas is firmly established as the leader in wind power development in the USA, ahead of California.[1] As of 2007, 942 MW of wind power is currently under construction in Texas[4] and this expansion will help Texas meet its renewable energy goal of 5,000 new megawatts of power from renewable sources by 2015.[5]

The table below lists the larger wind farms in Texas, currently operating or under construction. Wind farms which are smaller than 80 MW in capacity are not shown.

Summary table: Wind farms in Texas[7]
Wind farm Installed
capacity (MW)		 Turbine
Manufacturer		 County
Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center 735 GE Energy/ Siemens Taylor/ Nolan
Sweetwater Wind Farm 585 GE Energy/ Siemens/ Mitsubishi Nolan
Buffalo Gap Wind Farm 353 Vestas Taylor/ Nolan
King Mountain Wind Farm 278 Bonus/ GE Energy Upton
Roscoe Wind Farm 209 Mitsubishi Nolan
Desert Sky Wind Farm 160 GE Energy Pecos
Wildorado Wind Ranch 161 Siemens Oldham/ Potter/ Randall
Woodward Mountain Wind Ranch 159 Vestas Upton/ Pecos
Trent Wind Farm 150 GE Energy Taylor
Champion Wind Farm 126 Nolan
Forest Creek Wind Farm 124 Siemens Glasscock/ Stirling
Sand Bluff Wind Farm 90 Gamesa Howard
Indian Mesa Wind Farm 82 Vestas Upton
Brazos Wind Ranch (also known as Green Mt. Energy Wind Farm) 160 Mitsubishi Scurry/ Borden
Callahan Divide Wind Energy Center 114 GE Energy Taylor
Red Canyon Wind Farm 84 GE Energy Borden/ Garza/ Scurry
Llano Estacado Wind Ranch 80 Mitsubishi Carson

Several forces are working to the advantage of wind power in Texas: the wind resource in many areas of the state is very large, large projects are relatively easy to site, and the market price for electricity is relatively high because it is set by natural gas prices.[2] The broad scope and geographical extent of wind farms in Texas is considerable:

"Wind resource areas in the Texas Panhandle, along the Gulf Coast south of Galveston, and in the mountain passes and ridge tops of the Trans-Pecos offer Texas some of the greatest wind power potential in the United States. Currently there are over 2,000 wind turbines in West Texas alone. Most of the new wind capacity added in the last two years has been in the Abilene-Sweetwater area. The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center is the largest wind power facility in the nation with a total capacity of 735 MW. It is spread across approximately 47,000 acres (190 km2) in Taylor and Nolan County near Abilene."[8]

Wind is a variable resource, but with proper understanding it can be readily incorporated into an electric utility's generation mix. Many areas contain areas with winds presently suitable for electric power generation. The number of commercially attractive sites will expand as wind turbine technology improves and development costs continue to drop.[9]

Texas farmers may lease their land to wind developers for either a set rental per turbine or for a small percentage of gross annual revenue from the project. Although leasing arrangements vary widely, the U. S. Government Accountability Office reported in 2004 that a farmer who leases land to a wind project developer can generally obtain royalties of $3,000 to $5,000 per turbine per year in lease payments. These figures are rising as larger wind turbines are being produced and installed.[3]

The wind power industry is also creating thousands of jobs for communities and for the state. Wind technology and the various aspects of producing electricity from wind power can help to keep employment in Texas after the rigs stop producing oil.[8]

Terrorism in the United States is a real threat and large, centrally located, power plants provide most of Texas’ electricity. Should one of these plants be attacked, repairs could take more than a year, possibly creating power shortages on a scale that Texans have never experienced before. Coal trains and gas pipelines are also vulnerable to disruption. However, wind power plants are quickly installed and repaired. The modular structure of a wind farm also means that if one turbine is damaged, the overall output of the plant is not significantly affected.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).

The first phase of the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center consisted of 213 MW was completed in late 2005; phase two consisted of 223.5 MW was completed in the second quarter of 2006; and, phase three consisting of 299 megawatts, was completed in September 2006.Cite error: The <ref> tag name cannot be a simple integer (see the help page). FPL Energy (through its subsidiaries) currently operates Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center.

The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center was subject to one of the nation's first nuisance lawsuits against a wind farm. Plaintiffs in the area of the wind farm, many of whom live on 100-700 acre properties, originally filed suit in June of 2005, unhappy the appearance of the turbines. Soon after, the judge ruled that under Texas law, they couldn't complain about the look of the wind farm. The complaints then shifted to the sound created by the turbines and extensive noise measurements were made. However, the jury found that the wind farm did not create a private nuisance, and awarded the plaintiffs nothing.[10]

Sweetwater Wind Farm (585 MW)

Construction of the Sweetwater Wind Farm has proceeded in five stages and some of the generating capacity is still being built. Sweetwater stage 4 employs 135 Mitsubishi 1.0 megawatt turbines and 46 Siemens 2.3 megawatt turbines. Its output is being sold to San Antonio’s CPS Energy, a municipally owned energy company providing both natural gas and electric service, under a 20-year purchase agreement. Construction of Sweetwater stage 5 began in February 2007, with completion expected by December 2007. Using 35 Siemens turbines, Sweetwater 5 will have a capacity of 80 MW.[11]

Buffalo Gap Wind Farm (353 MW)

Buffalo Gap 1 is a 120.6 MW wind power station located in Nolan and Taylor Counties, about 20 miles (30 km) south west of Abilene. The facility consists of 67 Vestas V-80 wind turbines, each rated at 1.8 MW. The facility was developed by SeaWest WindPower and is currently owned by AES Wind Generation. The power is sold to Direct Energy under a 15-year power purchase agreement.[12]

Buffalo Gap 2 is a 232.5 MW expansion of the Buffalo Gap Wind Farm consisting of 155 GE wind turbines, each rated at 1.5 MW. The facility was developed by AES Wind Generation and went into commercial operation in June 2007. The power is sold to Direct Energy under a 10-year power purchase agreement.[12]

King Mountain Wind Farm (278 MW)

The King Mountain Wind Farm is a 278.2 MW wind farm, with 214 wind turbines in rows along the south-eastern and north-western edges of a mesa (tabletop mountain) surrounded by deep ravines.[13] Dust, sand and high temperatures place extraordinary demands on the wind turbines. Consequently, the design was modified for the desert-like conditions, providing additional cooling and protection against wind-blown sand. Annual electricity production is more than 0.75 TWh.[13]

Roscoe Wind Farm (209 MW)

The 209 MW Roscoe Wind Farm is scheduled for completion by the end of 2007 and will cost $300 million.[14] It will cover nearly 30,000 acres (120 km²) and stretch into three counties.[5] The Roscoe Wind Farm, Airtricity's third Texas project, will use 209 Mitsubishi 1000A turbines each rated at one MW. Airtricity's fourth Texas wind farm, the 126 MW Champion Wind Farm project, recently commenced construction five miles (8 km) from the Roscoe site.[5]

Wildorado Wind Ranch (161 MW)

The Wildorado Wind Ranch is located near Amarillo and consists of 161 MW of wind turbines (70 Siemens Mk II turbines each with a rating of 2.3 MW). These turbines have the capacity to meet the electricity demand of more than 50,000 households. The Wildorado Wind Ranch was developed by Cielo Wind Power, of Austin, Texas, in conjunction with Edison Mission Group of Irvine, California.[15]

Brazos Wind Ranch (160 MW)

The Brazos Wind Farm, also known as the Green Mt. Energy Wind Farm, has 160 wind turbines, each rated at one MW and supplied by Mitsubishi, and was completed in December 2003. The wind farm sells generated power on a long-term basis, to a local power distributor, TXU Energy, to supply approximately 30,000 homes in Texas. Fifty per cent of the Brazos Wind Farm is owned by Shell Wind Energy Inc.[16]

Desert Sky Wind Farm (160 MW)

The Desert Sky Wind Farm is a 160.5 MW wind farm located near the far West Texas town of Iraan, in Pecos County. The site consists of 107 GE turbines, each rated at 1.5 megawatts, spread over a 15 square miles (39 km2) area. American Electric Power (AEP) owns the facility and CPS Energy of San Antonio purchases all power.[17]

Woodward Mountain Wind Ranch (159 MW)

The Woodward Mountain Wind Ranch in Pecos County has an installed capacity of 159.7 MW and is owned by FPL Energy. The wind farm uses Vestas V47 turbines, each rated at 660 kW, and the project became fully operational in July 2001.[18]

Trent Wind Farm (150 MW)

The Trent Wind Farm is a 150 MW wind farm located between Abilene and Sweetwater in West Texas. The wind farm consists of 100 GE wind turbines each rated at 1.5 megawatts. American Electric Power owns the Trent Wind Farm and TXU purchases the electricity produced under a long-term agreement.[19]

Other wind farms

Airtricity's fourth Texas wind farm, the 126 MW Champion Wind Farm project, recently commenced construction five miles (8 km) from the Roscoe Wind Farm site.[5]

Airtricity North America has officially opened its 124 MW wind farm at Forest Creek. TXU will purchase the electricity generated by the wind farm, which entered commercial operation in March 2007.[20] The Forest Creek Wind Farm will provide the equivalent of 10 full time jobs during its operation over the next 25 years.[21]

Completed in February 2005, the Callahan Divide Wind Energy Center has added 114 MW of wind capacity to the Texas grid. The facility is owned by FPL Energy and uses 76 GE Energy 1.5 MW wind turbines. The project is thought to cost around $100 million. It is built on a 6,000 acre (24 km²) site in Taylor County, about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Abilene.[22]

The Sand Bluff Wind Farm is currently under construction and is expected to begin operations during 2007. The wind farm is located southeast of the City of Big Spring in the heart of West Texas. It consists of 45 Gamesa turbines, each rated at 2.0 MW, for a total installed capacity of 90 MW. This project will provide clean electricity for up to 90,000 homes.[23]

Future developments

In June 2007, Texas was selected by USDOE to be home to one of two large-scale wind turbine research and testing facilities, which aims to accelerate the commercial availability of wind power. The facilities are expected to conduct blade testing and be operational in 2009.[8]

In July 2007, a joint development agreement was signed, between Shell WindEnergy Inc. and Luminant, for a 3,000-megawatt wind project in the Texas Panhandle and to work together on other renewable energy developments in Texas. This project will explore the use of compressed air storage, in which excess power could be used to pump air underground for later use in generating electricity.[24]

See also

Template:EnergyPortal

References

  1. ^ a b American Wind Energy Association (2007). Annual U.S. wind power rankings track industry's rapid growth
  2. ^ a b Wind Riding Favorable Policy Breeze Toward Record Year Renewable Energy Access, 5 June 2007.
  3. ^ a b State Energy Conservation Office. The New Cash Crop
  4. ^ a b American Wind Energy Association. Texas Wind Energy Development
  5. ^ a b c d e Airtricity Finalizes 209-MW Wind Project in Texas Renewable Energy Access, 16 May 2007.
  6. ^ Alternative Energy Institute
  7. ^ Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association. Texas operational wind plants
  8. ^ a b c State Energy Conservation Office. Texas wind energy
  9. ^ Texas Wind Energy Resources
  10. ^ Wind energy scores major legal victory in U.S. inside greentech, 20 December 2006.
  11. ^ GE Energy. GE unit expands wind energy portfolio
  12. ^ a b Direct Energy to Buy 233 MW from AES' Wind Project in Texas Renewable Energy Access, 1 September 2006.
  13. ^ a b Siemens. King Mountain Wind Farm
  14. ^ GE Investing In Texas Wind Farms Manufacturing.Net, 25 May 2007.
  15. ^ Siemens Receives 70-Turbine Order for Texas Project Renewable Energy Access, 22 March 2006.
  16. ^ Mitsui. Mitsui USA's Advance in Wind Power Generation
  17. ^ Desert Sky Wind Farm
  18. ^ Renewable Energy Systems. Woodward Mountain Wind Ranch
  19. ^ Trent Mesa Wind Project
  20. ^ Airtricity Opens 124 MW Forest Creek Wind Farm in West Texas Renewable Energy Access, 1 June 2007.
  21. ^ Airtricity. Airtricity officially opens 124 MW Forest Creek Wind Farm in West Texas
  22. ^ Power Technology. Callahan Divide Wind Energy Center
  23. ^ Airtricity. Sand Bluff
  24. ^ Luminant and Shell Join Forces to Develop a Texas-Sized Wind Farm PR Newswire, 27 July 2007.


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