In 2006, Texas became the leading wind power state in the country, just edging out California. According to the American Wind Energy Association, at the end of 2006 there was enough wind energy coming out of the Lone Star state (2370 megawatts) to power 600,000 American homes.
Ironic, isn't it, that the state synonymous with Big Oil is leading the charge into the future, while the hand-wringers of Nantucket talk a big enviro-game but won't countenance wind turbines in their own back yard?
Of course it's more complicated than that. But no matter which way you cut it, it's ironic. And the questions remain: Are we at war with terrorists who depend on oil money, or not? Is global warming urgent, or not? If we are indeed locked in a battle on these two connected flanks, then we need to get serious. Not interested in having a wind turbine in your back yard? Could we interest you in the 55-mph speed limit? No? How about gas rationing and a return of the draft?
The people who ranch and farm and live in the plains of Texas north of Amarillo and south of the Oklahoma panhandle are serious about these things. They want wind turbines on their land so as to thwart the terrorists, do right by the environment, and make money -- all valid reasons in whatever order they come on a given day.
Last summer (2007) we had a chance to help the folks at Lorax Energy and Higher Power Energy LLC set up two meteorological towers in Texas. Here are a few photos. One shows a 60-meter (200') tower in the early stages of assembly; the next shows the tower rigged and almost ready for hoisting; the last shows the tower upright, before the guy wires are fully tuned.
These towers are tall but skinny. With the use of gin poles (a 50-foot one to lever the main tower, and a shorter one to raise the main gin pole) they can be hoisted with a farm tractor.
Meteorological (MET) towers gather and log wind data at several levels, and are typically left in place for months, or even years, so that wind-power companies and investors can determine whether an area or a specific site will be good for wind energy. If our experience was an indicator, the Higher Power Energy sites will be great. As someone on the crew said, working on these plains at the height of summer is like standing in front of a giant blow dryer.
~ Doug Logan, New Energy Watch
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