Texas tops in wind energy production

[robbie380]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060725/...sc/wind_energy

suck it california

Texas tops in wind energy production

By STEVE QUINN, AP Business Writer

Tue Jul 25, 12:42 AM ET

DALLAS - Long known as a top oil- and natural gas-producing state, Texas has gained new energy acclaim by becoming the nation's top producer of wind energy.

Texas capacity stands at 2,370 megawatts, enough to power 600,000 average-sized homes a year, according to a midyear report released Tuesday by the American Wind Energy Association.

That puts Texas slightly ahead of California, the nation's leader since 1981. California has 2,323 megawatts of capacity. The total U.S. capacity is 9,971 megawatts.

So far this year, Texas has added 375 megawatts, or 46 percent of the total 822 megawatts brought online nationwide.

Last year, wind energy generation grew 35 percent nationwide, adding 2,431 megawatts, but that fell short of the projected 2,500. The wind association believes it can add 3,000 megawatts nationwide this year, even if that means another 2,178 megawatts by year's end.

"There are substantially more developments in the pipeline," said Randall Swisher, the association's executive director. "We are just about where we thought we would be in terms of appearing to be on course for another industry record for the year."

Texas had slowly been creeping up on California the past few years, so taking the top spot was inevitable, wind energy consultants said. A favorable business and permitting climate along with plentiful land have attracted investments from as far away as Ireland.

Mike Sloan, president of Austin-based Virtus Energy Research Associates, estimates about $2 billion will be invested in wind energy development statewide this year and about $4.5 billion nationwide.

"Wind energy is a prudent hedging vehicle," Sloan said. "So many policy leaders around the country see the importance of energy diversity and how homegrown renewables make a lot of sense."

Next, Texas wants to be home to more than just the place with the most wind energy generation capacity, said Jerry Patterson, the state's land commissioner.

Patterson said he believes Texas can be an industry hub, just as it has been for oil and natural gas.

In addition to significant statewide developments, Texas has signed two agreements since last fall with developers to build offshore wind farms along the Gulf Coast.

Wind energy, however, still has a long way to go before it's considered conventional rather than an alternative. It makes up about 1 percent of the nation's electricity. To become an attractive investment, wind farm developers often rely on federal tax credits.

For the next 18 months, projects coming online receive these credits of 1.9 cents per kilowatt hour. Those incentives are good for 10 years thereafter.

But there is no guarantee that any projects completed after 2007 will receive those tax credits and that discourages long-term development, energy officials said.

Energy consultant Bruce Bailey is confident some kind of subsidy will be available after 2007. Bailey, who is president of AWS Truewind LLC in Albany, N.Y., said federal lawmakers are becoming increasingly more bullish on this renewable energy and won't likely let it expire without an extension.

[wesnesked]

The biggest problem right now facing Wind energy is that everybody wants more of it, but they don't want the windmills in thier backyard.

[Mr. Brightside]

Texas also tops the nation in amount of beans sold. I see some sort of correlation here.

[rhadamanthus]

I have 100% wind from green mountain - its expensive. very much so.

The goal, of course, is too build my own house and get it off the grid entirely.

State rebates and net metering, coupled with continually falling prices for the equipment are gonna make me a happy man.

[Joe Joe]

I've always wondered how these big wind farms affect the climate.

[Buck Turgidson]

Originally Posted by wesnesked The biggest problem right now facing Wind energy is that everybody wants more of it, but they don't want the windmills in thier backyard.

See the "Save Our Sound" coalition in Cape Cod/Martha's Vinyard/Nantucket. Hypocrits.

[bigtexxx]

Originally Posted by rhadamanthus I have 100% wind from green mountain - its expensive. very much so.

No, you simply pay as if you were getting 100% wind energy. There's no transmission/distribution wire that goes from the windmills to your house. Your power comes from the Texas generation mix (coal, natgas, nuke, green) just like anybody else's, but your contribution does go to fund the wind power that's being pushed into the grid.

[mrpaige]

There's so much "middle of nowhere" in Texas that you'd think we'd have plenty of spots for windmill farms without having to put them in people's "backyards".

I had always wondered why there were no windmill farms up in the Panhandle. I was told the reason was that it was too windy up there, which seemed counterintuitive to me.

[thegary]

Originally Posted by bigtexxx No, you simply pay as if you were getting 100% wind energy. There's no transmission/distribution wire that goes from the windmills to your house. Your power comes from the Texas generation mix (coal, natgas, nuke, green) just like anybody else's, but your contribution does go to fund the wind power that's being pushed into the grid.

interesting, but i guess it's the same difference. he's making a sacrifice that hopefully pays off, for all of us, in the long run.

[bigtexxx]

Originally Posted by thegary interesting, but i guess it's the same difference. he's making a sacrifice that hopefully pays off, for all of us, in the long run.

Agreed that it is good for us in the long run. It is the same difference, but once green power is on the grid it is indistinguishable from coal-fired power, nuke power, etc. Hence the reason power is referred to as a commodity.

[thegary]

Originally Posted by bigtexxx Hence the reason power is referred to as a commodity.

gotcha, but it will be distinguishable, when the commodity is made up of more green and less foreign oil.

[A-Train]

Well, I guess this proves that Rick Perry IS full of hot air...

[rhadamanthus]

Originally Posted by bigtexxx No, you simply pay as if you were getting 100% wind energy. There's no transmission/distribution wire that goes from the windmills to your house. Your power comes from the Texas generation mix (coal, natgas, nuke, green) just like anybody else's, but your contribution does go to fund the wind power that's being pushed into the grid.

This is true - I said it wrong.

[rimrocker]

[Dr of Dunk]

The Europeans have been going ape over wind for a while... I think Germany was leading the run. I know some Indian company was setting up wind farms around India as well. As a matter of fact, I think those are the biggest wind energy regions : Europe, US, and India... someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Mr. Brightside]

Originally Posted by Dr of Dunk The Europeans have been going ape over wind for a while... I think Germany was leading the run. I know some Indian company was setting up wind farms around India as well. As a matter of fact, I think those are the biggest wind energy regions : Europe, US, and India... someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I think you are wrong, but I have no facts to prove it.

[Dr of Dunk]

Originally Posted by Mr. Brightside I think you are wrong, but I have no facts to prove it.

This isn't GARM.

[swilkins]

Farts don't count.

[tested911]

Is it me or I don't see a change in the electricity bill... It actually looks like the rate per watt is going up?

So much for #1 in wind energy.

[bigtexxx]

Originally Posted by tested911 Is it me or I don't see a change in the electricity bill... It actually looks like the rate per watt is going up? So much for #1 in wind energy.

Natural gas determines the price of power in Texas since that is the fuel on the margin. Natural gas prices have been very volatile of late, hence your higher prices for electricity. Wind is still an expensive way to produce power (but coming down in price).

The best way to bring your bill down is to conserve power yourself.