RSSWill Wind Energy Be The Next Texas Energy Rush?
Dec 22
Texas energy, environment, green, Texas, wind No Comments
We’ve heard a lot about the environmental benefits of wind energy. In windy areas of the country, this untapped power source has the potential to produce a lot of electricity. But who else is benefiting? In Texas, a surprising number of oil companies are starting to get into wind. Here’s a look at Texas’s wind energy boom, and the increase in wind power that’s happening in other states.
GE has a one and a half billion dollar contract to supply turbines and maintenance for an Oregon wind farm over the next decade, a project expected to create about four hundred and fifty jobs. T. Boone Pickens, Texas oilman, is getting behind wind power in his state, and wind farms are popping up all over in the American Midwest. That’s because wind is worth a lot of money right now.
The US imports around 70% of the oil we use; and many argue that we need to become independent of foreign suppliers. Combined with the public awareness of the negative effects of burning fossil fuels, wind power has been getting more and more interest. Natural gas, a fossil fuel the US has larger reserves of is being examined as an alternative to foreign energy supplies along with an assist from renewable energies like wind power.
There are already parts of Texas where you can drive for over a hundred miles and see wind turbines everywhere. Not everyone is enamored of how these structures look, but many look at these turbines as the future of US energy independence. In Nolan County, Texas alone, there are around 1,500 wind generators, accounting for around $5 billion worth of wind power infrastructure. This single Texas county generated more wind power annually than is produced in the state of California.
Other areas in the state of Texas are having similar wind booms. The Rolling Plains region has two thousand turbines in operation, and Midland and Odessa’s Permian Basin region produces about six thousand megawatts of electricity from three thousand turbines. New towers in some areas are going up at the rate of three to four a day.
Wind makes an excellent substitute for natural gas in electricity production, and is renewable, unlike fossil fuels. It also produces no pollution while generating that electricity, though the turbines themselves are still made by industrial processes. Oil barons and environmentalists alike are supporting these plans, in an attempt to reduce environmental damage from fossil fuel burning and decrease dependence on foreign oil. Add in solar energy, for when the wind’s not blowing, and the nation’s power requirements will be increased even more.
Is wind a viable alternative for all our energy needs? It depends on who you talk to. However, one thing is sure. Wind is booming all over the country, and producing a lot of energy. It’s definitely worth a look!
About the author: Jerry Dyess specializes in Texas Electricity and has published many articles on Texas Electric rates.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.