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 do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Wind farm company details project plans to Pawnee trustees
PAWNEE – While one county commissioner says he still doesn’t favor a tax abatement for a wind farm in north Bee County, he wants to ensure the Pawnee and Pettus school districts their have the ability to offer their own such agreement. On Nov. 13, representatives with Lincoln Clean Energy were in Pawnee speaking to members of that school board. “Eighty percent of the wind farm is in the Pawnee school district,” Eric Barnett, director of development with Lincoln, told . . . Complete story »
Commissioners OK letter to wind farm
After tabling the issue last week, the Matagorda County Commissioners Court approved a letter to Peyton Creek Farms regarding the county’s permitting process. “The letter appeared to be pretty straight forward to their questions,” said Matagorda County Commissioner Kent Pollard. According to the letter drafted to Paul Bowman with Peyton Creek Wind Farm, LLC, it appears that the wind farm was requesting Matagorda County Judge Nate McDonald to verify “that there are no county environmental or land use regulations, ordinances . . . Complete story »
The latest from game wardens across the state
Here’s one for the books. Game wardens traditionally look like outdoor type folks in their traditional tan uniforms, harking back to the days portrayed by John Wayne. But game wardens are as much in the modern times as any other law enforcement officer, as proved by the men in Scurry County who had been investigating the cutting of a certain landowner’s fences for several years. Finally, using undercover cameras along one of the country roads, the lawmen connected the fence . . . Complete story »
County to discuss Peyton Wind Farms, Lodestar
Matagorda County Commissioners are expected to authorize County Judge Nate McDonald to sign a letter to Peyton Creek Wind Farm regarding county permits. E.On’s Peyton Creek wind farm is will under construction in Matagorda County with the project expected to be completed by the end of 2019. Richard Saunders of E.On said the project would guarantee 10 jobs with an investment on the bankroll being at $170-180 million. “Peyton Creek will be our 24th wind project in North America and . . . Complete story »
How 100% renewables backfired on a Texas town
An inconvenient truth is hanging over Georgetown, Texas: Its celebrated shift to renewable energy doesn’t look like a national model these days. Electric rates are up. Critics are blasting the costs. And the city north of Austin is trying to figure out how to mitigate the situation. Georgetown, whose green push gained global attention thanks to former Vice President Al Gore and others, can claim to have 100% renewable power thanks to a credit system tied to electricity purchases. In . . . Complete story »
Where the wind blows
BEEVILLE – Another wind farm is being proposed in north Bee County – this time west of Mineral. This is the second time in recent months that a wind farm has tried to lease enough land to build such a facility. The first was to be built closer to Mineral – an area dotted with smaller tracts of land used for ranching. “We had heard that it wasn’t going to make, and they have told us in court that if it didn’t . . . Complete story »
‘Totally unbiased’ power shopping site owned by electricity company
Power Wizard, a new electricity shopping website in Houston, promotes itself as an independent voice on the side of consumers looking for low cost plans, providing unbiased advice to shoppers because Power Wizard has no ties with retail electric providers. Except it does. Power Wizard is owned by NextEra Energy, the nation’s biggest utility company, which also owns two retail electric providers in Houston, Frontier Utilities and Gexa Energy, according to registration records on file with the Texas Secretary of . . . Complete story »
On the topic of wind farms
I am a member of The Cooke County Coalition For Property Rights. We are against EDP Renewables Wildcat Creek Wind Farm being built in Cooke County. We have debunked EDP’s claim that property values will not be affected. Just ask a local real estate agent. We have debunked EDP’s claims of no health side effects. Just ask the people who live near a windmill in Muenster. We have debunked EDP’s claim that our schools and community will gain from the . . . Complete story »
US energy reliability gone with the wind
It is too often assumed that making maximum use of renewables is the answer to addressing environmental goals. So easy is it to buy into this assumption that intermittent wind power is pulling ahead of coal in Texas. Energy analysts forecast that wind turbines in Texas will generate about 87,000 megawatt-hours of electricity next year, eclipsing the anticipated output from coal. Coal power is falling in Texas and nationally, while wind power is on a rapid upward climb. Wind power . . . Complete story »
Wind energy has its drawbacks
In a rousing opinion on wind energy in the Weekly News, Gayla Dovre, Gainesville, praiseswind developers and applauds courageous land owners who would lease their land to them. Dovre also chided a “small, but quite wealthy clique” who want to stop wind development inCooke County. She went on to describe them as a “few people” who don’t like the red blinkinglights. (For the record, I’m not too fond of the red blinking lights either). Dovre then suggestedthat these detractors reconsider . . . Complete story »
