Texas wins federal funding for wind technology center

Associated Press ^ | 6/25/2007 | AP

[P-40]

Texas is one of two states chosen to receive federal support to build wind technology testing centers. The $20 million projects are backed by public colleges.

U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman says each project will receive up to $2 million from the Energy Department to test equipment to develop large-scale wind blade testing centers.

Selected for the federal funds are the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Partnership and the Lone Star Wind Alliance. The Massachusetts project involves building a center along Boston Harbor. The Lone Star Wind Alliance proposes a test facility just north of Corpus Christi, at Ingleside-on-the-Bay.

BP, which has a history of developing cutting edge technologies and is an acknowledged leader in the development of alternative energy, generously donated 22 acres of land for the effort. BP also donated $250,000 toward funding the facility.

The facility will test large wind blades, with an ultimate goal of testing blades up to 330 ft. long. This capability will help the wind industry have the potential to supply up to 20 percent of the electricity consumption in the United States.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, Texas is firmly established as the leader in wind power development, with over 2,700 megawatts installed at the end of 2006 and some 1,000 megawatts currently under construction.

The facility will be a public-private partnership, organized through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy. Private wind turbine and blade manufacturers are expected to fully fund the operations of the facility within five years of construction.

The Texas Legislature played a crucial role in securing the facility, pledging $5 million toward its construction. State Sen. Judith Zaffirini carried the $5 million request, and Gov. Perry signed off on it in the final budget. Another $5 million is pending final approval through the state's Emerging Technology Fund.

General Land Office Commissioner Jerry Patterson compared the potential impact of the test facility to that of NASA in Houston during the space race in the 1960s.

[CharlesWayneCT]

So, why does the Federal Government have money to be “won” to develop products? Aren’t there any ambitious entrepeneurs out their who will fund this kind of research in the hopes of making millions of dollars on free energy?

How much has the government spent developing “alternative energy sources” now, and how many of those sources can I buy off the shelf?

[Don Corleone]

Put the damn things outside the halls of congress. There is more hot air and wind emanating from there than anywhere else in the country.

[P-40]

It sounds like BP is contributing a hefty chunk.

[CindyDawg]

If they work, great. I just wish they could change how they look though. There are some as you go towards El Paso. They look like ghosts , waving their arms to me. I had suggested making them clear but someone said birds wouldn’t see them.

[P-40]

I just wish they could change how they look though.

They could have a little fun with paint. I bet some pinwheel designs would look cool. I guess they are afraid they would attract too many people on acid. :)

[CindyDawg]

We could paint them red, white and blue:’)

[P-40]

That would be nice. :)

[montag813]

So, why does the Federal Government have money to be “won” to develop products?

The Bushies have $20 mil to toss around for wind power, and $500 billion to throw at Iraq. Yet Bush's phony $4.4 billion "border security" plan must be paid from "fees" which would never be paid by illegals on the "path to citizenship" that few of them want. To protect our border, Bush can't find a single dime in the Treasury.

[P-40]

The DOE partially funds research into some rather interesting technology. Their work in coal-to-liquids and coal gasification had truly been interesting.

[Dr._Joseph_Warren]

Why Texas?

When you look at a map showing the average wind power in America, Texas would not be your first choice to place our wind power investment. Massachusetts has the coastal winds (if the Kennedys allow anything to be built), but Texas has far less wind than the Dakotas or Oregon.

So why Texas?

[thackney]

So why Texas?

Business and Energy Friendly

[rollo tomasi]

“Texas is one of two states chosen to receive federal support to build wind technology testing centers.”

If this project does not yield sufficient results will they reimburse the American taxpayer? Or just pocket the money and buy bling-bling/fancy cars/ real estate etc...

[P-40]

Business and Energy Friendly

That's about as accurate as one can get.

[P-40]

If this project does not yield sufficient results will they reimburse the American taxpayer?

What do you mean by 'yield sufficient results?' If the experiment does not produce the desired result they will take what they have learned and try something different.

[deport]

Texas offers areas of excellent potential for wind generation based upon the map below. The areas in green, yellow, orange, red are the top locations... This project is only to test blades so I'm not sure that Texas would be disqualified based upon your graphic. But the question of why....... I suspect to be realistic the answer maybe rooted in the political arena.

TABLE 3. Potential Electricity Production on Windy Lands in Texas

WIND POWER CLASS	AREA (km2)	PERCENT OF STATE LAND	POTENTIAL CAPACITY (MW)	POTENTIAL PRODUCTION (Billion kWh)	% OF TEXAS ELECTRIC CONSUMPTION
3	143,400	21.13%	396,000	860	371%
4	29,700	4.38%	101,6000	231	100%
5	5,000	0.74%	21,600	48	21%
6	300	0.04%	1,600	4	2%
Total	178,400	26.29%	524,800	1,143	493%

[P-40]

Texas has a lot of great wind because Mexico blows and Oklahoma University (OU) sucks! :)