Wind power in Texas - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Wind power in Texas consists of many wind farm

Wind farm

A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...

s with a total installed nameplate capacity

Nameplate capacity

Nameplate capacity, also known as the rated capacity, nominal capacity, installed capacity or maximum effect, refers to the intended technical full–load sustained output of a facility such as a power plant, a chemical plant, fuel plant, metal refinery, mine, and many others.For dispatchable power,...

of 10,223 MW from over 40 different projects. Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

produces the most wind power

Wind power in the United States

As of the third quarter of 2011, the cumulative installed capacity of wind power in the United States was 43,461 megawatts , making it second in the world, behind China. In 2010 wind power accounted for 2.3% of the electricity generated in the United States...

of any U.S. state, followed by Iowa

Wind power in Iowa

Iowa is a leading U.S. state in wind power generation of electricity. Wind power in Iowa has 3,675 megawatts of capacity in 2011, second only to Texas. Wind power accounted for almost 20 percent of the state’s electricity generation in the first quarter of 2011...

with 3,708 MW. The wind boom in Texas was assisted by expansion of the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard

Renewable Portfolio Standard

A Renewable Portfolio Standard is a regulation that requires the increased production of energy from renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal...

, use of designated Competitive Renewable Energy Zones, expedited transmission construction, and the necessary Public Utility Commission rule-making.

The Roscoe Wind Farm

Roscoe Wind Farm

The Roscoe Wind Farm in Roscoe, Texas, owned and operated by E.ON Climate & Renewables is the world's largest capacity wind farm with 627 wind turbines and a total installed capacity of 781.5 MW, which surpasses the nearby 735.5 MW Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center.Roscoe was constructed in four phases...

(781 MW) is the world's largest wind farm. Other large wind farms in Texas include: Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center

Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center

Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center is a large wind farm with 735.5 megawatt capacity. It consists of 291 GE 1.5 MW wind turbines and 130 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines spread over nearly 47,000 acres of land in Taylor and Nolan County, Texas....

, Sherbino Wind Farm

Sherbino Wind Farm

The Sherbino Wind Farm is located in Pecos County in west Texas. The first 150 megawatts of the project, which has a potential capacity of 750 MW, is in operation. Phase I utilizes 50 Vestas V-90 wind turbine generators, each with a rated capacity of 3 MW...

, Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm

Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm

The Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm is located in Sterling and Coke counties, Texas. It is a 662.5 MW wind farm, with 342 GE 1.5 MW wind turbines and 65 2.3 MW Siemens turbines that are capable of generating enough electricity for more than 220,000 homes...

, Sweetwater Wind Farm

Sweetwater Wind Farm

Sweetwater Wind Farm is one of the largest wind farms in Texas. Construction of the 585 MW wind farm has proceeded in five stages, and some generating capacity is still being built....

, Buffalo Gap Wind Farm

Buffalo Gap Wind Farm

The Buffalo Gap Wind Farm is located in Nolan and Taylor Counties, about south west of Abilene, Texas. It was constructed in three phases and has a total wind generation capacity of 524 megawatts ....

, King Mountain Wind Farm

King Mountain Wind Farm

The King Mountain Wind Farm is a 278.2 megawatt wind farm in Upton County, Texas, United States. 214 Siemens 1.3 MW wind turbines are sited in rows along the south-eastern and north-western edges of a mesa surrounded by deep ravines. The project was completed in December 2001. Annual...

, Desert Sky Wind Farm

Desert Sky Wind Farm

The Desert Sky Wind Farm is a 160.5 megawatt wind power station located near the far West Texas town of Iraan, in Pecos County. The wind farm consists of 107 GE wind turbines, each rated at 1.5 megawatts spread over a area...

, Wildorado Wind Ranch

Wildorado Wind Ranch

The Wildorado Wind Ranch is located on approximately west of Amarillo, Texas and consists of 161 MW of wind turbines . These turbines have the capacity to meet the electricity demand of more than 50,000 households...

, and the Brazos Wind Farm

Brazos Wind Farm

The Brazos Wind Farm, also known as the Green Mountain Energy Wind Farm at Brazos, is located in Borden and Scurry counties in Texas. It has 160 wind turbines, each rated at one megawatt and supplied by Mitsubishi, and was completed in December 2003...

Overview

Wind power has a long history in Texas. West Texas State University began wind energy research in 1970 and led to the formation of the Alternative Energy Institute (AEI) in 1977. AEI has been a major information resource about wind energy for Texas.

There are many wind farms in Texas and, as of March 2010, Texas has 9,410 MW of capacity, which is the most wind power capacity of any U.S. state, followed by Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

with 3,670 MW. The expanding wind power market will help Texas meet its 2015 renewable energy goal of 5,000 new megawatts of power from renewable sources.

The table below lists the larger wind farms in Texas, currently operating or under construction. Wind farms which are smaller than 120 MW in capacity are not shown.

**Summary table: Large wind farms in Texas**
Wind farm	Installed capacity (MW)	Turbine Manufacturer	County
Barton Chapel Wind Farm	120	Gamesa Gamesa Gamesa is Mexico's largest manufacturer of cookies . The company also makes pasta, flour, ready to eat cereals and other related products. It is headquartered in San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, and have production facilities in eight states across Mexico and one in Colombia...	Jack
Brazos Wind Ranch (Green Mt. Energy Wind Farm)	160	Mitsubishi	Scurry/ Borden
Buffalo Gap Wind Farm Buffalo Gap Wind Farm The Buffalo Gap Wind Farm is located in Nolan and Taylor Counties, about south west of Abilene, Texas. It was constructed in three phases and has a total wind generation capacity of 524 megawatts ....	523	Vestas Vestas Vestas Wind Systems A/S is a Danish manufacturer, seller, installer, and servicer of wind turbines. It is the largest in the world, but due to very rapid growth of its competitors, its market share decreased from 28% in 2007 to 12.5% in 2009...	Taylor/ Nolan
Bull Creek Wind Farm	180	Mitsubishi Mitsubishi The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...	Borden
Camp Springs Wind Energy Center	130.5		Scurry
Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm The Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm is located in Sterling and Coke counties, Texas. It is a 662.5 MW wind farm, with 342 GE 1.5 MW wind turbines and 65 2.3 MW Siemens turbines that are capable of generating enough electricity for more than 220,000 homes...	662	GE Energy/ Siemens Siemens Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...	Sterling/ Coke
Champion Wind Farm	126	Siemens	Nolan
Desert Sky Wind Farm Desert Sky Wind Farm The Desert Sky Wind Farm is a 160.5 megawatt wind power station located near the far West Texas town of Iraan, in Pecos County. The wind farm consists of 107 GE wind turbines, each rated at 1.5 megawatts spread over a area...	160	GE Energy	Pecos
Elbow Creek Wind Project Elbow Creek Wind Project The Elbow Creek Wind Project is a 122 megawatt wind farm in Howard County near Big Spring, Texas. The project uses 53 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbine generators, which provide enough electricity for nearly 100,000 households....	122	Siemens	Howard
Forest Creek Wind Farm	124	Siemens	Glasscock/ Sterling
Goat Mountain Wind Ranch	150		Coke/ Sterling
Gulf Wind Farm Gulf Wind Farm The 283 megawatt Gulf Wind Farm is located on the Texas Gulf Coast in Kenedy County. It is owned by the Pattern Energy Group which is based in San Francisco. Most of the wind farm’s output has been contracted under long-term power purchase agreements....	283	Mitsubishi	Kenedy
Hackberry Wind Project Hackberry Wind Project The Hackberry Wind Project is a US $350 million wind farm in Shackelford County, Texas. The project consists of 72 Siemens wind turbines with a total capacity of 166 megawatts. The energy is used by residents of the City of Austin and surrounding communities...	165	Siemens	Shackelford
Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center is a large wind farm with 735.5 megawatt capacity. It consists of 291 GE 1.5 MW wind turbines and 130 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines spread over nearly 47,000 acres of land in Taylor and Nolan County, Texas....	735	GE Energy/ Siemens	Taylor/ Nolan
Inadale Wind Farm	197	Mitsubishi	Scurry/ Nolan
King Mountain Wind Farm King Mountain Wind Farm The King Mountain Wind Farm is a 278.2 megawatt wind farm in Upton County, Texas, United States. 214 Siemens 1.3 MW wind turbines are sited in rows along the south-eastern and north-western edges of a mesa surrounded by deep ravines. The project was completed in December 2001. Annual...	278.5	Bonus/ GE Energy	Upton
Langford Wind Farm	150	GE Energy	Tom Green/ Schleicher/ Irion
Lone Star Wind Farm Lone Star Wind Farm The Lone Star Wind Farm in Shackelford and Callahan Counties in Texas was officially opened by Horizon Wind Energy in June 2008, with an installed generating capacity of 400 MW. The site's 200 Gamesa 2 MW wind turbines produce enough electricity for at least 120,000 homes, with environmental...	400	Gamesa	Shackelford/ Callahan
McAdoo Wind Farm	150	GE Energy	Dickens
Notrees Windpower	150	Duke Energy Duke Energy Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...	Ector/ Winkler
Panther Creek Wind Farm Panther Creek Wind Farm The Panther Creek Wind Farm in Big Spring, Texas, USA consists of 305 wind turbines and has an installed capacity of 457.5 megawatts, making it one of the ten largest wind farms in the United States. Phases I and II of the wind farm became operational early in 2009, with the completion of the...	458	GE Energy	Howard/ ...
Papalote Creek Wind Farm Papalote Creek Wind Farm Construction of Phase II of the Papalote Creek Wind Farm near Taft, Texas was completed in 2011, adding 87 turbines to the 109 that went into service in 2009. Together the 196 turbines can produce 380 megawatts of power, enough to serve approximately 115,000 homes...	380	Siemens	San Patricio
Peñascal Wind Farm	404	Mitsubishi	Kenedy
Pyron Wind Farm	249	GE Energy	Scurry/ Fisher/ Nolan
Roscoe Wind Farm Roscoe Wind Farm The Roscoe Wind Farm in Roscoe, Texas, owned and operated by E.ON Climate & Renewables is the world's largest capacity wind farm with 627 wind turbines and a total installed capacity of 781.5 MW, which surpasses the nearby 735.5 MW Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center.Roscoe was constructed in four phases...	781	Mitsubishi	Nolan
Sherbino Wind Farm Sherbino Wind Farm The Sherbino Wind Farm is located in Pecos County in west Texas. The first 150 megawatts of the project, which has a potential capacity of 750 MW, is in operation. Phase I utilizes 50 Vestas V-90 wind turbine generators, each with a rated capacity of 3 MW...	150	Vestas	Pecos
Stanton Energy Center	120	GE Energy	Martin/ Howard
Sweetwater Wind Farm Sweetwater Wind Farm Sweetwater Wind Farm is one of the largest wind farms in Texas. Construction of the 585 MW wind farm has proceeded in five stages, and some generating capacity is still being built....	585	GE Energy/ Siemens/ Mitsubishi	Nolan
Trent Wind Farm Trent Wind Farm The Trent Wind Farm, also known as the Trent Mesa Wind Project, is a 150 megawatt wind power station located between Abilene and Sweetwater in West Texas. The wind farm consists of 100 GE wind turbines each rated at 1.5 megawatts...	150	GE Energy	Taylor
Turkey Track Energy Center	169.5		Nolan/ Coke/ Runnels
Wildorado Wind Ranch Wildorado Wind Ranch The Wildorado Wind Ranch is located on approximately west of Amarillo, Texas and consists of 161 MW of wind turbines . These turbines have the capacity to meet the electricity demand of more than 50,000 households...	161	Siemens	Oldham/ Potter/ Randall
Woodward Mountain Wind Ranch	159	Vestas	Pecos

Several forces are driving the growth 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 set by natural gas prices and so is relatively high. 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 47000 acres (190 km²) in Taylor and Nolan County near Abilene."

Wind is a highly variable resource. With proper understanding it can be incorporated into an electric utility's generation mix. When providing for the generating capacity to meet the peak demand in summer, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which manages the Texas power grid

Texas Interconnection

The Texas Interconnection is one of the three minor alternating current power grids in North America. The other two minor interconnections are the Québec Interconnection and the Alaska Interconnection...

, counts wind at 8.7% of nameplate capacity

Nameplate capacity

.
Many areas in Texas have wind conditions allowing for development of wind power generation. The number of commercially attractive sites will expand as wind turbine technology improves and development costs continue to drop.

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. This offers farmers a fresh revenue stream without impacting traditional farming and grazing practices. 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.

The wind power industry is also creating thousands of jobs for communities and for the state. Increases in the deployment of wind technology and the various aspects of producing electricity from wind power may help to offset lost jobs in Texas if oil drilling activity on land and in the Gulf of Mexico subsides.

Terrorism and industrial accidents can be potential threats to the large, centrally located, power plants that provide most of Texas’ electricity. Should one of these plants be damaged, 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.

A drop in West Texas wind, as well as a failure of several energy providers to reach scheduled production, and a spike in electricity usage, caused supply problems one evening in February 2008. This resulted in interruptible customers

Demand response

In electricity grids, demand response is similar to dynamic demand mechanisms to manage customer consumption of electricity in response to supply conditions, for example, having electricity customers reduce their consumption at critical times or in response to market prices...

being cut off and the threat of rolling blackout

Rolling blackout

A rolling blackout, also referred to as load shedding, is an intentionally-engineered electrical power outage where electricity delivery is stopped for non-overlapping periods of time over geographical regions. Rolling blackouts are a last-resort measure used by an electric utility company in order...

s. The American Wind Energy Association

American Wind Energy Association

Formed in 1974, the American Wind Energy Association is a Washington, D.C.-based national trade association representing wind power project developers, equipment suppliers, service providers, parts manufacturers, utilities, researchers, and others involved in the wind industry.With over 2,500...

(AWEA) has said that technological advances will make it easier in the future to forecast wind energy, and that it would help to locate wind turbines in geographically diverse areas of the state.

The wind power boom in Texas has outstripped the capacity of the transmission systems in place, and predicted shortages in transmission capability may dampen the growth of the industry in years to come. It is said that until now, the growth in wind power "piggybacked" on existing lines, but has now almost depleted spare capacity.
As a result, in winter the west Texas grid often has such a local surplus of power that the price falls below zero.
According to Michael Goggin, electric industry analyst at AWEA, "Prices fell below US −$30/MWh (megawatt-hour) on 63% of days during the first half of 2008, compared to 10% for the same period in 2007 and 5% in 2006."
In July 2008, utility officials gave preliminary approval to a $4.9 billion plan to build new transmission lines to carry wind-generated electricity from West Texas to urban areas such as Dallas. The new plan would be the biggest investment in renewable energy in U.S. history, and would add transmission lines capable of moving about 18,000 megawatts.

Installed capacity growth

The following table compares the growth in wind power installed nameplate capacity

Nameplate capacity

in MW for Texas, California

Wind power in California

Wind power in California has been an area of considerable activity for many years. California was the first U.S. state where large wind farms were developed, beginning in the early 1980s. By 1995, California produced 30 percent of the entire world's wind-generated electricity...

, and the entire United States

Wind power in the United States

since 1999.

Year	Texas	California	US
1999	180	1,646	2,500
2000	181	1,646	2,566
2001	1,096	1,714	4,261
2002	1,096	1,822	4,685
2003	1,293	2,043	6,374
2004	1,293	2,096	6,740
2005	1,995	2,150	9,149
2006	2,739	2,376	11,575
2007	4,296	2,439	16,596

Roscoe Wind Farm (781 MW)

The Roscoe Wind Farm

Roscoe Wind Farm

in Roscoe, Texas

Roscoe, Texas

Roscoe is a town in Nolan County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,378 at the 2000 census, but has decreased to only 900.-Geography:Roscoe is located at ....

is the world's largest wind farm

Wind farm

(as of September 2009) with 627 wind turbines and a total capacity of 781 MW, which is enough to power more than 250,000 average Texan homes.

Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center (735 MW)

The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center

Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center

is a large wind farm

Wind farm

with 735.5 MW of installed capacity. It consists of 291 GE Energy 1.5 megawatt wind turbines and 130 Siemens

Siemens

Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...

2.3 megawatt wind turbines spread over nearly 47,000 acres (190 km²) of land in Taylor and Nolan Counties.

The first stage 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. FPL Energy (through its subsidiaries) currently operates Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center.

Sweetwater Wind Farm (585 MW)

Construction of the Sweetwater Wind Farm

Sweetwater Wind Farm

Sweetwater Wind Farm is one of the largest wind farms in Texas. Construction of the 585 MW wind farm has proceeded in five stages, and some generating capacity is still being built....

has proceeded in five stages and some generating capacity is still being built. Sweetwater stage 4 employs 135 Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi

The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...

1.0 megawatt turbines and 46 Siemens 2.3 megawatt turbines. Its output is being sold to San Antonio’s CPS Energy

CPS Energy

CPS Energy of San Antonio, Texas is the United States' largest municipally owned utility company, with combined natural gas and electric service. Fourteen percent of all utility revenues are returned to the City of San Antonio, and those revenues make up more than 20 percent of the City of San...

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.

Buffalo Gap Wind Farm (523 MW)

The Buffalo Gap Wind Farm

Buffalo Gap Wind Farm

is located in Nolan and Taylor Counties, about 20 miles (32.2 km) south west of Abilene. It was constructed in three phases and has a total wind generation capacity of 523 MW. All of the electricity Buffalo Gap produces is sold to Texas retail electric provider Direct Energy.

King Mountain Wind Farm (278 MW)

The King Mountain Wind Farm

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

Mesa

A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....

(tabletop mountain) surrounded by deep ravines. 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.

Other wind farms

The Wildorado Wind Ranch

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.

The Brazos Wind Ranch, 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.

The Desert Sky Wind Farm

Desert Sky Wind Farm

is a 160.5 MW wind farm located near the far West Texas

West Texas

West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....

town of Iraan

Iraan, Texas

Iraan is a city in Pecos County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,238 at the 2000 census. The correct pronunciation is "Eye-ruh-ann"; it was named for Ira and Ann Yates, owners of the ranchland upon which the town was built.-Geography:...

, in Pecos County. The site, visible to travelers on Interstate 10

Interstate 10

Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...

, consists of 107 GE turbines, each rated at 1.5 megawatts. American Electric Power (AEP) owns the facility and CPS Energy of San Antonio purchases all power.

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.

The Trent Wind Farm

Trent Wind Farm

The Trent Wind Farm, also known as the Trent Mesa Wind Project, is a 150 megawatt wind power station located between Abilene and Sweetwater in West Texas. The wind farm consists of 100 GE wind turbines each rated at 1.5 megawatts...

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.

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.

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. The Forest Creek Wind Farm will provide the equivalent of 10 full time jobs during its operation over the next 25 years.

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.

In July 2007, a joint development agreement was signed, between Shell WindEnergy Inc. and Luminant

Luminant

Luminant is a Texas-based electric utility. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings Corporation. Luminant's operations include electricity generation and wholesaling, mining, construction, and development...

, for a 3,000-megawatt wind project in the Texas Panhandle. This project will explore the use of compressed-air energy storage, in which excess power could be used to pump air underground for later use in generating electricity.

After evaluating the potential for wind-generation in about 25 areas in the state, the Texas Public Utility Commission voted on 20 July 2007 to designate eight zones as the best sites for construction of new power lines to serve more than 20,000 megawatts of proposed wind generation. The eight areas are called "Competitive Renewable Energy Zones".

In a bid to block construction of two large wind energy projects on the South Texas coast, an alliance of environmental groups and landowners is opposing the high-voltage transmission line required for the project. However, none of the alliance members owns land where the wind project and transmission line would be constructed, and thus cannot demonstrate a "justifiable interest" in the matter.

Transmission lines

In 2008, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) of Texas approved a $4.93 billion plan to build transmission lines to carry up to 18,456 megawatts (MW) of wind power from West Texas and the Texas Panhandle to metropolitan areas of the state. The PUC estimates that the new lines will be in service between 2011–2013, at which point residential customers will be charged about $4 per month to pay off the cost of the transmission lines. The plan included 6,903 MW of existing or already in development wind power capacity, plus 11,553 MW of future capacity. Additionally, the plan, allows for 2,393 MW of wind power to be transmitted from the so-called "Panhandle B" zone. The first lines to be run will stretch the western side of the Amarillo-Lubbock corridor, with construction expected to begin in the latter half of 2011.

External links

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Overview

Installed capacity growth

Roscoe Wind Farm (781 MW)

Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center (735 MW)

Sweetwater Wind Farm (585 MW)

Buffalo Gap Wind Farm (523 MW)

King Mountain Wind Farm (278 MW)

Other wind farms

Future developments

Transmission lines

See also

External links