Wind Power News: Texas
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Crockett wind farm: A new spin on wind in county
The Crockett County Commissioners Court is studying a proposal from an Austin-based wind energy company to install wind turbines in the county. Representatives from Spinning Star Energy presented the commissioners with tax abatement contracts and a map of the proposed project during their regular meeting Monday. The project calls for 45 wind turbines to be erected in the northwest part of the county. Fifty-five turbines proposed in neighboring Upton County also are part of the project, and commissioners there already . . .
Industrial accident on wind farm
A worker with GE Wind Services was involved in an industrial accident on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at the Trent-Mesa Wind Farm, located east of Sweetwater and off of Adrian Road at County Road 131. The incident took place as the employee was working on a transformer. An electrical discharge occurred, letting off a bright flash at the scene. The worker was wearing a protective suit at the time, and the machine was still in tact after the accident. While . . .
Sinton City Councilman unsuccessfully tries to block swearing in of council members
A Sinton City Councilman unsuccessfully tried to block the swearing in of council members Tuesday. Building on rancor that has emerged in the past five months in a dispute over a wind turbine project, Councilman Eloy Lopez said it was wrong to swear in Pete Gonzales as mayor and Linda Guzman-Alaniz as mayor pro-tem. Lopez and Gonzales have aired out disagreements as the city and the Sinton school district navigated the conflict over the school’s plan to build two turbines . . .
District judge throws out lawsuit about Sinton wind turbine dispute
SINTON — A judge dismissed a lawsuit about a Sinton wind turbine project today, saying the court doesn’t have jurisdiction to hear the case. The ruling effectively halts the Sinton school district’s plan to build two turbines on its high school campus unless the district decides to appeal to a higher court. Superintendent Steve VanMatre and the district’s attorney, Roger Hepworth, said they would discuss the situation with the school board. The district sued the city of Sinton to try . . .
Judge refuses to hear Sinton wind turbine lawsuit
SINTON — A judge dismissed a lawsuit between Sinton I.S.D. and the City of Sinton over a controversial wind turbine project Thursday, likely ending the months-long dispute that bitterly divided school officials and the city council. Last year, the school district proposed installing two wind turbines at Sinton High School using funds from a federal grant that would have covered about 80 percent of the project. The proposal was met with mixed reaction from residents — some welcomed it while . . .
TSTC talks turbine safety
“It’s an environment if you’re not careful and you’re not aware of your surroundings, you can definitely get hurt,” said Keith Plantier, director of energy systems. Wind turbine technicians put themselves in situations that can be dangerous. That’s why TSTC teaches their students real-life lessons about day-to-day safety. “Get the students familiar with the hazards around them. As well as build in a sense of awareness around them,” said Plantier Though storms seem like the biggest threat, the height and . . .
Man working in turbine struck by lightning is hospitalized
A man working inside a wind turbine in Nolan County when it was struck by lightning Monday was listed in stable condition at a Sweetwater hospital, according to fire officials. The Sweetwater Fire Department was called out to a wind farm about nine miles south of town just after 3 p.m. Monday, said Assistant Chief Russell Reeves. “When we arrived on scene, the man was already off the turbine. He appeared alert and oriented,” Reeves said. The man was taken . . .
Wind farms, climate linked; Turbines blend air layers, report claims
ABILENE — A study published Sunday in a national journal has linked wind farms to an increase in surface temperature in a portion of the Big Country. The report does not suggest that wind farms are playing a role in climate change or contributing to a net warming of the air. Rather, wind turbines appear to be blending warm and cool layers of air in the atmosphere, which may be leading to an increase in the temperature of the surface . . .
Falcons threatened
Researchers have been studying the migration of peregrine falcons on South Padre Island for some 30 years, and have just completed their spring work, which included placing innovative transmitters on three falcons. Two of the birds have already flown north of Dallas on their journey to arctic breeding grounds. Mike Yates, an Earthspan Research Biologist, said, “The other one has hung around South Padre Island quite a bit, and interestingly enough this bird has spent most of its time offshore . . .
Navy erred in wind farm decision
I found it quite interesting that our Navy has signed an agreement with a wind developer proposing to build a wind farm in proximity to the Kingsville Naval Air Station. The proposed wind farm had significant resistance from the Navy over the last year, but recently the Navy has “stood down” as nationally our current administration has issued the call for the Navy to be “greener.” The initial Navy resistance was based on the fact that wind farms cause radar . . .
