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Wind Power News: Texas
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort 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.
Biden moves to expand offshore wind to Gulf of Mexico
The Biden administration on Wednesday said it had identified 700,000 acres for possible offshore wind energy development in the Gulf of Mexico, seeking to expand a growing clean energy industry to a major U.S. oil and gas hub. It also said President Joe Biden would direct his Interior Department to move ahead with offshore wind development in areas of the Atlantic coast where former President Donald Trump banned oil and gas development. “Today we open up yet another coast and . . . Complete story »
Twisting in the wind: Texas faces blackouts as heat wave strains windmill-reliant power grid
Clean energy proponents are touting the use of solar and wind power in oil-rich Texas, but a summer heat wave is showing the limits of renewables in sustaining a major power grid. Temperatures have climbed into the 100’s this month and Texas energy companies are sending urgent messages to customers to warn of rolling blackouts. They also are asking customers to conserve by raising thermostats, cutting back on using dishwashers and washing machines and limiting electric vehicle charging. Energy Texas, . . . Complete story »
Texas wind power lags as high-pressure system looms over the state
Texas wind power slowed down this week after a high-pressure system bringing triple-digit temperatures depressed winds. While Texas is the biggest wind power state in the U.S., wind turbines tend to generate less energy during high-heat events. But it comes as the demand for reliable energy is exceedingly high. This week, the state’s turbines produced only 8% of their potential output. Brian Eckhouse has been reporting on this for Bloomberg. He joined us to talk about Texas’ wind output and . . . Complete story »
Texas wind power is failing right when the state needs it most
Wind power – a key source of electricity in Texas – is being sidelined just when the Lone Star State needs it most, with turbines generating less than a 10th of what they’re capable of. A scorching heat wave is pushing the Texas grid to the brink. Power demand is surging as people crank up air conditioners. But meanwhile, wind speeds have fallen to extremely low levels, and that means the state’s fleet of turbines is at just 8% of their potential . . . Complete story »
Grid holds up despite wind turbine concerns from ERCOT, DME
Denton and the rest of Texas made it through ERCOT’s requested energy conservation period – 2 to 8 p.m. Monday – despite uncertain grid conditions, with wind turbines being the major trouble spot. Sweltering Texas temperatures have stressed the state’s power grid through high demand. That isn’t uncommon for the summer period, but the Electric Reliability Council of Texas made an ”appeal” for conservation during the hottest part of the day Monday, in hopes of keeping demand from exceeding power generation. ERCOT . . . Complete story »
Texas grid operator urges electricity conservation as heat wave drives up demand
Low winds also made it harder for the grid to keep up with demand during hotter-than-usual July temperatures. Projections showed wind generation coming in at less than 10% of its capacity on Monday, ERCOT said. In the spring, ERCOT forecast that an extremely low wind generation day for the summer would be around 1% of its capacity; a low wind generation day for the summer would be around 11% of its capacity; a normal wind generation day for the summer would be around 36% of its capacity. Winds in Texas often drop during the daytime and pick up overnight, especially in the summer. ERCOT forecasts more wind power will be available to the grid on Tuesday. Complete story »
Foreign wind energy company pursues local landowners
Whether traveling north, south or west, it does not take long on a Texas highway to come across large swatches of land dotted with wind energy turbines. These energy producers stand more than 650 feet tall, or more than 100 feet taller than Enchanted Rock from base to summit. Some Gillespie County landowners near Enchanted Rock recently received letters from Terna Energy, offering to develop wind farm lease agreements in the area. “We have identified one or more parcels of . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine causes brush fire in Erath County Monday
Just before 2 p.m. on Monday, May 30, local firefighters were dispatched to a fire on County Road 397, northeast of Desdemona in Erath County where a fire was reported on the Windmill Farm in the area. Upon arrival, volunteers from the Lingleville VFD reported the fire was near CR 497 and went to work putting out the blaze near a malfunctioning windmill. According to fire officials, one of the mills was experiencing issues and malfunctioned, causing it to lose . . . Complete story »
BISD agrees to review Chapter 313 application
A Chapter 313 application from La Casa Wind, LLC, from NextEra Energy Resources, was approved by Breckenridge ISD last week during a special meeting. The application is related to a 150 MW wind energy farm being considered for the southeast portion of Stephens County. The BISD Board of Trustees last Wednesday unanimously approved the application from La Casa Wind, LLC, for an appraised value limitation on qualified property and authorized the superintendent to review the application for completeness for submission to . . . Complete story »
Wind farm proposal meets headwind in Fannin County
A company called Cielo Wind is interested in bringing power-producing turbines to Fannin and Lamar counties, but the project is meeting with some resistance. Bonham resident Chris Wilson has launched a petition to Stop Fannin-Lamar Wind Development. Cielo Wind’s power generation project has plans to place one turbin every 265 acres along a 30-mile stretch between Lamar and Fannin counties. Wilson said doesn’t have much information about the proposed development, but he believes it would be bad for the local . . . Complete story »
