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.
Searing heat is hurting Texas wind power
Temperatures are soaring across Texas, and that’s bad news for the state’s wind power generators. Wind farms – which now account for about a fifth of the state’s power mix – are forecast to generate significantly less electricity this week as the heat builds and keeps turbines from spinning. Wind generation may peak at about 5,900 megawatts on Thursday and 6,900 megawatts Friday, less than two-thirds of what they totaled a week earlier, according to grid manager Electric Reliability Council of Texas, . . .
GE 1.7-103 turbine collapses at Shannon wind farm in Texas
A GE 1.7-103 turbine collapsed recently at Alterra Power’s 205MW Shannon wind farm in northern Texas, according to local press reports. The wind farm is less than two years old. No one was injured and the only damage was to the turbine itself and the ground beneath it. Press photos of the wrecked turbine show only the bottom portion of the tower remaining in place, with the rest of the machine lying crumpled at the tower’s base. The entire 119-turbine . . .
Letter: We need to protect Sheppard
A recent letter by an out-of-town consultant regarding wind farms was so faulty that I feel obliged to reply. He implied that military leadership is fully educated on a potential wind farm before development moves forward, and that the wind farm industry would never take any action that could harm a military base’s mission. In the case of recent developments near Sheppard Air Force Base, leases were being negotiated with landowners before our local military and business community were even . . .
Wind turbine collapse under investigation
WICHITA FALLS – An official with the energy company that operates the Shannon Wind Farm south of Windthorst said it will take several weeks to determine what caused a turbine to collapse more than a week ago. Paul Rapp, vice president of development with Alterra Power Corp., told the Times Record News during a telephone interview Friday that engineers from the energy production company and the turbine manufacturer have been to the site about 30 miles south of Wichita Falls. He . . .
And the wind turbine comes tumbling down
Last Friday, a wind turbine failed at midpoint and fell to the ground just approximately 5 miles southeast of Windthorst on Oliver Wells Roadjust inside the Clay County line.This is the Shannon Wind Farm E-03 to E-04, managed by Alterra Power Corp. The Archer County News was told by local managemet to contact Peter Lekich in the Vancouver office who offered us the available current informattion at this time. He said that no injuries or damage occured as a result . . .
Wind turbine collapses in Windthorst
Crews are still investigating what caused a wind turbine to collapse in Windthorst last Friday. The wind turbine came crashing down just outside the town on Oliver Wells Road. No one and no livestock was harmed by the turbine. Paul Rapp, Vice President of Development for Alterra Power said, “It’s extremely rare to have this type of failure issue.” Windthorst residents said the wind farms do a lot of good for the community and bring money into the county, but . . .
Navy study: Wind farms could significantly degrade air traffic control radar detection
In a letter to Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the Department of the Navy said a study it commissioned has found that student pilot training operations could be hindered by wind turbine technology. Cornyn has filed legislation in the U.S. Senate that would prohibit wind developers from receiving incentives through the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit as well as the Investment Tax Credit should they build wind farms within a 30-mile radars of military airfields. The senator sent his concerns to . . .
New law prevents tax breaks for some wind projects
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday a piece of legislation has been signed into law that prohibits tax incentives for wind energy projects within 25 miles of military aviation bases that use fixed-wing aircraft. Senate Bill 277, authored by Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), was signed by the governor Thursday and announced during a ceremony in Corpus Christi Friday. Wichita Falls Republican Rep. James Frank authored a version of the bill in the House, but it failed to make it to . . .
South Texas officials praise military base protection bill passage
It was all smiles in the Nueces County Courthouse Friday as officials praised the passage of a state law protecting military aviation bases from wind turbine encroachment, but it wasn’t always that way. South Texas officials left a meeting in the Pentagon last month worried about the future of the military flight operations in Texas. That fear was especially caustic for Corpus Christi and Kingsville where military bases are both economic and cultural backbones. Nueces County Judge Loyd Neal and . . .
Wind turbine catches fire in Texas panhandle
DONLEY COUNTY, Texas – A wind turbine caught fire Wednesday afternoon in the Texas panhandle, but officials are still working to determine what caused it. Cassie Gillies O’Brien, along with several other drivers, stopped on the side of the road to watch it burn. She shot video which shows pieces of fiery debris raining down on the ground below. Officials with Southern Company, which owns the turbine, told ABC affiliate KVII that the fire started around 5:30 p.m. at the . . .
