Texas continues to lead nation in wind power

[MazeRat7]

Texas continued to add substantially to its wind power generation last year bringing online 2,671 megawatts of new capacity — a mark that ranks it above all other states.

That’s according to the latest report from the American Wind Energy Association. More new wind capacity was added in Texas during the year than in any country, except China and the United States as a whole. In fact, if Texas were a country, it would rank sixth in the world for wind capacity, behind Germany, the rest of the U.S., Spain, China and India.

Among the other states, Iowa surged in to second place in terms of total wind-power generation. California, once the nation’s epicenter for wind power activity, dropped to third place.

Seven states now have more than 1,000 megawatts of capacity installed: Texas, Iowa, California, Minnesota, Washington, Colorado and Oregon.

Nationally, the US now produces about 25,300 megawatts of clean wind energy after the 50% increase last year alone. This is all great news and I hope to see this number double in the next year.

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2009/04/13/daily5.html

Peace,
MZr7

edit: added link to article

[NeedleCast]

1. Positive Article on Texas?

I'm confused...

[Liberal In Texas]

2. And some of us don't like pirates either.

[denem]

3. Is T Bone involved?

[Liberal In Texas]

4. No.

We were on 100% wind power for years. Recently we changed companies and are on 100% renewable. Not sure how much is wind, but probably most of it.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. His company is Mesa Power LP

They project their plant to come online sometime around 2011. Frankly, I don't trust the man either and take no exception to your asking. A person was telling me the other day his reason for backing wind power somehow is linked to water and mineral rights on certain land. I haven't checked to see if it's true yet or not, so take it with a grain of salt.

[Statistical]

8. His reason for backing wind power is to free up natural gas.

Pickens has about $500 million invested in........ <drum roll> natural gas.

When all cars run on natural gas the same price explosion will happen and the $500 million will be more like $10 billion.

Wind power is just a means to a "solution".

Of course the US does have more natural gas than oil and natural gas is less polluting but I wish Pickens would be more transparent.

[blogslut]

9. That is exactly what Boone wants

His "wind power" scam is a front for draining the Ogallala aquifer dry under the aegis of eminent domain.

Despite that old snake, Texas has a lot of legitimate wind energy resources and companies.

http://www.windenergy.org/

[madrchsod]

6. we have an organized group against wind farms

here in northern illinois we have wind farms in many counties but the largest proposed farm is running into opposition by a well funded group. it`s the same crap--killing the birds,noise,and the sound and lights will drive you insane. the company said it will look for another county in northern illinois to build it`s 50 or more turbine farm

[Liberal In Texas]

7. I generally think these groups and their reasons are nutty as fruit cakes, but

I also don't think wind farms are necessarily a solution in denser areas. Out in the west there are miles and miles of nothing where they don't bother anyone. The only issue is transmission of the power.

Denser areas could use solar panels (like in Germany) on houses and office buildings to put power on the grid. And I suspect that there are people who wouldn't like that either.