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Wind Power News: Texas
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission 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. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
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 »
Fannin County Commissioners Court receives favorable Auditor report
In public forum, Chris Wilson spoke in opposition to the wind farm project. "This project is an economic disaster in my opinion," remarked Mr. Wilson. He said the proposed wind farm represents 20% of the county's tax-bearing acreage and asked that the company receive no tax abatement. Wanda Oliver said residents need specific answers regarding the proposed wind farm, such as what technology Cielo Wind Power plans to use, what noise level residents can expect, where Cielo Wind Power currently has similar projects located and how residents in those areas have been impacted. Complete story »
Bee County owed thousands in taxes from Danish energy company
Bee County officials are all smiles after it was discovered through an investigation that a company putting in a wind and solar farm owes more in taxes than people realized. Several weeks ago 3News went out to a huge wind and solar farm being built in Bee County outside of Beeville, Texas. A Danish company called Orsted is putting up 66 wind turbines and one million solar panels. However, Bee County Commissioner Dennis DeWitt told 3News that the company kept . . . Complete story »
Opposition grows against wind farm planned for Fannin County
Honey Grove, Texas – Opposition continues to grow against a wind farm planned for Fannin County, as evidenced by a standing-room-only crowd of approximately 150 people who filled Lyday Hall Tuesday evening in Honey Grove. Cielo Wind Power is attempting to lease enough land to place 72 wind turbines in Fannin County and 36 wind turbines next door in Lamar County. The wind turbines would be 800-feet tall and be located on productive farmland that will soon be prime real estate . . . Complete story »
Concern grows over proposed wind farm in Fannin County
Fannin County, Texas – An ill wind is blowing through Fannin County as word spreads that a company is planning to place 800-foot-tall wind turbines across 15-16 miles of prime real estate between the two newest lakes in Texas. Honey Grove City Council allowed for a brief presentation of the proposed wind farm project by Cielo Wind during the public forum segment of a special called meeting held Thursday, April 28, 2022. “They approached me at the end of last week,” . . . Complete story »
A new wind farm possibly coming to Fannin County
Fannin County Judge Randy Moore was just made aware of Cielo Wind’s plan last week when a rep from the company told him. “These towers would take place south of Dodd City, across the county east toward honey grove and south of high way 56,” Moore said. Judge Moore is afraid people won’t want to move to the county. “When you put a wind mill system in like this. You’re going to be showing a great disadvantage to people that . . . Complete story »
