Wind power coming to Texas

[FoUTASportscaster]

Wind power coming to Texas
Irish firm plans to make Texas a player in clean energy



10:28 AM CDT on Tuesday, April 4, 2006
By ELIZABETH SOUDER / The Dallas Morning News


Airtricity Inc. plans to build enough wind-powered electricity plants here to make Texas the No. 1 wind state next year.


FILE
Wind turbines spin in the Columbia River Gorge on the Oregon-Washington border.
And the Irish company has hired Pat Wood to help. Airtricity named Mr. Wood to the board.

He's a former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and he is the guy who deregulated the Texas electricity industry as chairman of the Public Utility Commission.

Today, Airtricity will announce its new board member, as well as plans to build about 600 megawatts of wind-generation capacity, almost entirely in Texas.

Further, the Irish company plans to become a retail electric provider in Texas.

"The clean technology space, which is what wind and solar and fuel cells fall under, is just going bonkers," said Mr. Wood, who also sits on the board of a solar-energy company.

"The kind of private equity investor and pension fund money that's coming into the clean tech space looks like a tsunami," he said.

Airtricity doesn't have any wind generators yet. Chief executive Eddie O'Connor plans to build 200 megawatts of wind generation this year and about 400 next year, mostly in Texas.

He has about 2,000 megawatts of capacity in various planning stages.

"Texas has great winds, good grids and a very positive attitude toward development," Mr. O'Connor said. "We're going to try to make a difference here in Texas, create energy self-sufficiency here in Texas."

Texas has about 2,000 megawatts of wind generation, so the Airtricity capacity would make Texas the No. 1 wind generation state next year, he said.

Mr. O'Connor declined to say where he would build more capacity.

Already Airtricity is building a wind farm in West Texas.

Mr. O'Connor also said he plans to enter the retail electricity market in about two years.

Many Texans are willing to pay a bit more for wind-generated electricity for environmental reasons.

But Mr. O'Connor pointed out that the rise of the price of natural gas, which generates about half of the electricity in Texas, has put wind energy in a position to compete on price.

[drumguy8800]

Well, I'm glad to see investment in it, even though it isn't exactly "coming to Texas" as there are plenty of wind farms out there. If scientists ever develop a cheap way to make high-voltage long-distance power line that doesn't suffer from immense energy-loss in transit, we could drop power consumption drastically and millions of tons of carbon wouldn't enter the atmosphere. Some investors wanted to fund a solar farm on something like 40 square miles of New Mexico desert that could generate power for tens of millions of people, but the long distance thing made it unfeasible..

[tamtagon]

Well, I'm glad to see investment in it, even though it isn't exactly "coming to Texas" as there are plenty of wind farms out there. If scientists ever develop a cheap way to make high-voltage long-distance power line that doesn't suffer from immense energy-loss in transit, we could drop power consumption drastically and millions of tons of carbon wouldn't enter the atmosphere. Some investors wanted to fund a solar farm on something like 40 square miles of New Mexico desert that could generate power for tens of millions of people, but the long distance thing made it unfeasible..

Some while back, I saw a Discovery Channel (or other similar media...?) story on supercooled ceramic power lines which last longer, carry more electricity, virtually eliminates transit energy-loss and would be fantastically expensive.... I guess 'they're' working on it.

I'm kinda disappointed that T. Boone Pickens or Stanley Marsh or some other Panhandle rich person hasnt taken this industry to the bank.

[dfwcre8tive]

Texas plans nation's largest offshore wind farm
11:50 AM CDT on Thursday, May 11, 2006
Associated Press

AUSTIN - The nation's largest offshore wind farm will be built off the Padre Island seashore in South Texas, a critical migratory bird flyway, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said Thursday.

Patterson lauded what he said would be an 40,000-acre span of turbines about 400 feet tall able to generate energy to power 125,000 homes.

"The wind rush is on," Patterson said. "We want to be number one. We want to attract the businesses that build the turbines, that build the blades. ... We want to be the leader in the United States, if not the world."

But environmentalists say the promise of clean energy may not be worth the deaths of countless birds of rare species that migrate through the area each year on their way to and from winter grounds in Mexico and Central America.

"You probably couldn't pick a worse location, unless you're trying to settle the issue as to how damaging they are to migratory birds," said Walter Kittelberger, chairman of the Lower Laguna Madre Foundation. Laguna Madre is the strip of water between the mainland and Padre Island.

The offshore farm is the second Patterson has announced in less than a year for the Texas Coast, with 50 wind turbines planned off Galveston.

But the one announced Thursday would be the largest in the nation, with up to 500 turbines looming off Texas ranch land spinning up to 500 megawatts of electricity.

The announcement comes amid a bitter fight over a proposed wind farm off Cape Cod, Mass., where the residents fear the turbines will be unsightly.

Patterson said this project would be located off a remote, unpopulated part of Padre Island National Seashore. "Those who are concerned about view sheds shouldn't have a problem," he said. "There's nobody there to look at it."

[RobertB]

I consider myself among the environmentally-sensitive crowd, and I've even been known to hug a tree from time to time. But when I hear environmentalists rail against wind turbines because they're afraid for the birds, I start to wonder if they've been spraying Roundup on their home-grown wacky tobaccy.

The alternative to wind power is more of what we're currently using: coal, natural gas, hydropower, and nuclear. Coal-fired plants belch tons of smoke into the air -- and even a brand-new totally clean coal burning plant releases CO2. Same with natural gas. Think birds like smoke? How 'bout global warming -- or did you figure the penguins might appreciate a break from the cold? Hydropower is great, until you consider that you have to build a dam -- how well do birds do when their nesting grounds are under 20 feet of water? That leaves nuclear -- possibly the best option, really, for a number of reasons. Let's see how far the environmental folks get, with whoever they're trying to impress, when they go pro-nuclear.

Do study the issue, of course. Maybe some locations are more bird-friendly than others. But failure to develop offshore wind power isn't the option -- unless you prefer more oil rigs, so that the birds die from oil slicks after they land.

[tamtagon]

Anchoring the 400' towers in offshore mud would provide a new home for all sorts of marine life. I guess that's the trade off???

[Tnekster]

Do study the issue, of course. Maybe some locations are more bird-friendly than others. But failure to develop offshore wind power isn't the option -- unless you prefer more oil rigs, so that the birds die from oil slicks after they land.

It isn't that they should not build the things it is concern over placing them right smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest migratory routes on the planet. The concern over bird killings is real. Many are rare species that are already in decline, adding 500 spinning turbines would accelerate the decline. Unless they can come up with some compromise to keep them off during migratory times (twice/year) or move the farm to some other location then the project should be stopped. I would expect to see some major protests over this one but Texas is so enviro-unfriendly I expect the state will just build it anyway birds be damned.

[msutton]

I'm curious: the birds would just fly directly into these things? They have no sense of "there is something in front of me, I should go a little bit higher"? Or is it that these would suck the birds in? I'm just curious, as it seems that most animals are pretty good at adapting, and as long as they took some precautions (maybe trying to put these a little bit lower than the birds typically fly, or something like that), it shouldn't pose that much of a problem. I agree, though, if the birds really will not be able to adapt and all of a sudden there are just thousands or millions of dead birds falling from the sky, this project probably should be canned or at least relocated.

[grantboston]

They've been trying to build something similar to that here in the Boston area, off Nantucket I believe. But since there are a lot of powerful residents there with VERY expensive homes (Walter Cronkite, Kennedys, etc) there's been some vocal opposition even though most people see it as a good idea.

Hope this goes through, Texas needs more renewable energy sources. It would be great if the state could become as much a leader in that field as it has in oil and natural gas over the years.

[Tnekster]

I'm curious: the birds would just fly directly into these things? They have no sense of "there is something in front of me, I should go a little bit higher"? Or is it that these would suck the birds in? I'm just curious, as it seems that most animals are pretty good at adapting, and as long as they took some precautions (maybe trying to put these a little bit lower than the birds typically fly, or something like that), it shouldn't pose that much of a problem. I agree, though, if the birds really will not be able to adapt and all of a sudden there are just thousands or millions of dead birds falling from the sky, this project probably should be canned or at least relocated.

Birds don't always react the way one would think they would. Part of the problem is that they often times fly at night and they just can't see them. Plus they are very quiet so they would also not hear them. Putting lights on them doesn't work because it can confuse them and then they could end up flying around them in circles until a nearby turbine takes them out. One example of what one city does. Skyscrapers are a big problem since the migratory patterns are millions of years old so now you have these man made mountain ranges where there once were none. Chicago practices turning the lights out on major high rises during migratory peaks to miminize them slamming into the glass. Again, the lights confuse them somehow and the don't fly around them but when the lights are out I guess it is less of a problem. They also have people that collect injured birds from the bases of high rises and try to save those that can be saved.

I have not heard of it being a big problem downtown here but the migratory patterns may not take them over downtown Dallas or Fort Worth.

[VectorWega]

Do that many birds fly through West Texas? If they do, then those are some really stupid birds because they are flying through sub-desert and desert areas. The only birds that really seam to survive out there are vultures.

The reason I mention that area is because it is an excellent place to put wind farms due to it's flat terrain and strong winds. There are already a lot out there (in places like Big Spring) but certainly more could be built.

I'm still hopeful that one day we'll get a Solar Tower in Texas. Regardless, I think Texas will be a leader in clean energy solutions.

[Tnekster]

Do that many birds fly through West Texas? If they do, then those are some really stupid birds because they are flying through sub-desert and desert areas. The only birds that really seam to survive out there are vultures.



I don't know if west Texas is really a major migratory path. There are some major birding gatherings down around Brownsville every year that attract thousands of birders from around the world. So I tend to believe the coast is the real path, not out west. Plus they need places to stop and eat...not stop and be eaten.

Birds operate on instinct so they don't always do things that make sense to us.

[hamiltonpl]

Why are they building this off of Texas' cleanest beaches? Put it off of Galveston Island. Nobody would even notice the turbines after they stepped in their third syringe.

[RobertB]

Why are they building this off of Texas' cleanest beaches? Put it off of Galveston Island. Nobody would even notice the turbines after they stepped in their third syringe.
Actually, I heard a report on the radio (NPR, probably) that mentioned Galveston instead of Padre. Even putting aside the awful condition of Galveston (I always go to Matagorda (http://www.matagordabay.com/) instead, because I go for the kids and not the babes), there shouldn't be any objection on visual grounds -- you can *already* see massive man-made objects on the horizon. I'd much prefer knowing that the contraption on the horizon is a quiet, clean (though sometimes deadly) wind turbine than a noisy, polluting (and still sometimes deadly) oil platform.

(Sorry if I pop my head into this thread too often -- it's just that the NIMBYism on this topic, especially in other parts of the country, baffles and infuriates me!)

[hamiltonpl]

(Sorry if I pop my head into this thread too often -- it's just that the NIMBYism on this topic, especially in other parts of the country, baffles and infuriates me!)

Your comments are always appreciated. I got the impression these turbines would be close to the beach. Not off on the horizon.

[AndyIvey]

1- We already have wind farms in West Texas. Here's a chart: http://www.treia.org/pdf_files/Wind%20Plant%20Chart.pdf

2- What affect does power line and turbine noise have on fish? http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=11411&channel=0

[dfwcre8tive]

Massive wind farm may endanger birds
Would be largest in nation, topping farm in Oregon/Washington
Friday, May 12, 2006 Posted: 0109 GMT (0909 HKT)

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (AP) -- Texas officials announced plans Thursday for the nation's largest offshore wind farm, consisting of as many as 170 windmills in the Gulf of Mexico.

Houston-based Superior Renewable Energy will build and operate the project, which will be situated within about 10 miles of Padre Island. It is expected to cost $1 billion to $2 billion and should be ready in five years.

Its 400-foot turbines would generate a total of 500 megawatts of electricity, or enough energy for 125,000 homes.

"The wind rush is on," Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said. "We want to be No. 1. We want to attract the businesses that build the turbines, that build the blades."

Some environmentalists said the spinning blades could kill countless rare birds that migrate through the area each year on their way to and from winter grounds in Mexico and Central America.

"You probably couldn't pick a worse location," said Walter Kittelberger, chairman of the Lower Laguna Madre Foundation, an environmental group named for the strip of water between the mainland and Padre Island.

John Calaway, Superior's chief executive, said the company would do everything possible to reduce the threat to migrating birds. "Of course there's going to be some mortality, but we don't think it will be significant," he said.

Patterson said the wind farm would be situated off a remote, unpopulated part of Padre Island National Seashore. People who are concerned about the farm obstructing the ocean view "shouldn't have a problem," he said. "There's nobody there to look at it."

The offshore farm is the second announced in less than a year for the Texas coast, joining 50 wind turbines planned off Galveston.

Jerome Collins of the Sierra Club said his and other groups support wind energy and hoped to work with energy producers to prevent bird deaths and protect the scenic landscape.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, the U.S. produces 9,149 megawatts of wind power, enough to power 2.3 million homes annually. The largest U.S. wind farm is the Stateline Wind Energy Center on the Oregon-Washington line, producing 300 megawatts of electricity.

The Texas announcement comes amid a bitter fight over a proposed 130-turbine wind farm off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where residents fear the turbines will be unsightly.

[tamtagon]

Tonight on an Atlanta TV station, I saw a T. Boone Pickens commercial suggesting the US dependancy on foreign oil can be reduced by generating energy from wind power. He's got a website, PickensPlan (http://www.pickensplan.com/index.php), and said the next President and Congress must make energy self-sufficiency a priority (or something like that).

[ksig121]

Tonight on an Atlanta TV station, I saw a T. Boone Pickens commercial suggesting the US dependancy on foreign oil can be reduced by generating energy from wind power. He's got a website, PickensPlan (http://www.pickensplan.com/index.php), and said the next President and Congress must make energy self-sufficiency a priority (or something like that).

I saw that same commercial in Cleveland as well.

[tamtagon]

I hope this bit of business environment propoganda works for T.Boone. He stands to make billions of dollars from Wind Power, so it's pretty easy to see why he's taking a grass roots political approach to create a better business development climate for his wind farms. The livelyhood of millions of families in this country depends on the use of oil and coal for energy production; and to change/make laws that promote non-oil & coal industry will take an amazing amount of political pressure.

Of course, I also like that T. Boone is set up in Dallas, and I really like the potential to have Dallas emerge as the "Houston" of renewable energy companies. T. Boone is also one of those rich old guys who likes to give his money away to public improvement projects.

[Mballar]

I saw that same commercial in Cleveland as well.
I saw the commercial here in Dallas a few days ago, too.

[Trae]

I hope this bit of business environment propoganda works for T.Boone. He stands to make billions of dollars from Wind Power, so it's pretty easy to see why he's taking a grass roots political approach to create a better business development climate for his wind farms. The livelyhood of millions of families in this country depends on the use of oil and coal for energy production; and to change/make laws that promote non-oil & coal industry will take an amazing amount of political pressure.

Of course, I also like that T. Boone is set up in Dallas, and I really like the potential to have Dallas emerge as the "Houston" of renewable energy companies. T. Boone is also one of those rich old guys who likes to give his money away to public improvement projects.
Houston is still going to be where most of the energy companies will be located. Dallas will just be a branch. Sort of like Dallas being the head of the Federal Reserve Bank, and Houston just having a branch. A lot of these big windmills are going to be setup along the Gulf Coast around Houston, and they are being shipped it and railed out to the rest of the state.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121496500652721955.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[tamtagon]

Houston is still going to be where most of the energy companies will be located. Dallas will just be a branch. Sort of like Dallas being the head of the Federal Reserve Bank, and Houston just having a branch.

Well, okay. I still really like the potential to have Dallas emerge as the "Houston" of companies which generate energy from renewable sources - like Mesa Power. Anyway....

Dallas Morning News: Texas PUC OKs $4.93B in wind power transmission lines (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/071808dnbuspucwindpower.645616e5.html)


10:38 PM CDT on Thursday, July 17, 2008
By ERIC TORBENSON / The Dallas Morning News
etorbenson@dallasnews

Texas cemented its role as the nation's top wind power producer Thursday when the Public Utility Commission authorized nearly $5 billion of new transmission lines.

The commission told its staff to create the order picking the middle scenario out of five to harness the wind. A lattice of wires will connect West Texas' and the Panhandle's fast-growing wind farms to power-hungry cities to the east and southeast. Texas already generates nearly 7,000 megawatts of wind, the most of any state, and the new lines will boost that by 18,456 megawatts.
...

The state next needs to choose who builds the expensive lines and how quickly; Mr. Hudson, who will leave the commission in a few weeks, guessed that much of the benefits of harnessing more wind could be here by 2012 or 2013.