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WIND

Wind energy is growing rapidly across the nation, bringing new jobs and a large economic boost to communities where it has developed. Technological advancements in wind turbines, blade designs, telecommunications, computing, and energy storage have made wind energy cost-competitive with other forms of electricity. In a first for any U.S. power grid, wind energy became the leading fuel source for the Southwest Power Pool in 2020, knocking coal from the top. The SPP provides power for 14 states including all or part of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

WIND NEWS

WIND FACTS + RESOURCES

PROVIDES AFFORDABLE, LONG TERM PRICE STABILITY: 

Technological advancements in turbines, blade designs, telecommunications, and computing have made wind energy cost-competitive with other forms of electricity. And, while the price of electricity from other sources can fluctuate due to variable costs like fuel, the fuel price on a wind farm is fixed for perpetuity. This means that wind power can help hedge against fuel price volatility in other forms of generation.

REVITALIZES RURAL ECONOMIES:

Wind energy can diversify the economies of rural communities, adding to the tax base and providing new types of income for farming and ranching communities. Wind energy investments are large and these capital investments add a new source of property taxes in rural areas that otherwise have a challenging time attracting new industry. Communities across our region now actively recruit wind energy development as part of their regional economic development programs.

CREATE JOBS:

Wind energy projects create new jobs ranging from meteorologists and surveyors to structural engineers, assembly workers, lawyers, bankers, and technicians. On a per MW basis, wind energy creates 30% more jobs than a coal plant and 66% more than a nuclear plant. And, as wind development has expanded in the region, wind energy manufacturing has grown as well. Wind energy projects provide an economic boost for communities in which they’re developed. Over the last 20 years, more than $100 billion has been invested in wind energy development, bringing tax revenue and brand-new job opportunities to local communities. Wind energy projects attract major corporations seeking to power their data centers and manufacturing facilities with clean, cheap energy, bringing an extra layer of jobs and economic stimulus to rural communities in need of economic stimulus.

PROVIDES GREATER ENERGY INDEPENDENCE:

Wind turbines diversify our energy portfolio and help reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels. Wind energy is homegrown Texas energy and – because its cost is constant – can help provide a hedge against increases in fossil fuel costs. Regional wind and natural gas resources integrate well, creating opportunities for both markets to grow while unseating dirtier, imported fuels.

SUPPORTS THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY:

Wind farms are spaced over a large geographic area, but their actual “footprint” covers a small portion of the land (less than 5%), meaning they have little impact on agricultural uses. This means that wind turbines can be installed without interfering with people, livestock, or production. In many parts of our state, farmers and ranchers have been able to stay on their land thanks to a new crop, the wind energy they harvest above their land Renewable energy projects are the new “cash crop” across many rural communities in America. Every year, wind energy projects invest billions of dollars into communities across the nation, particularly in rural communities where almost 99% of wind projects are developed. These projects supply a new source of revenue to farmers and ranchers through the millions paid to them in annual land lease payments. Wind farms are spaced over a large geographic area, but their actual “footprint” covers a small portion of the land (less than 5%), meaning they have little impact on agricultural uses. This means that wind turbines can be installed without interfering with people, livestock, or production. In many parts of our state, farmers and ranchers have been able to stay on their land thanks to a new crop, the wind energy they harvest above their land. Developing local sources of energy means our energy dollars are invested back into the local economy. Landowners benefit directly from lease payments, school districts and local governments benefit from a new source of tax revenue, and local workers benefit from job opportunities that are often difficult to find in rural America. A land-lease with a clean energy developer means a farmer or rancher will receive another steady stream of income that helps offset the ever-changing grain and cattle markets. This additional revenue, in turn, is used to make land and equipment payments, hire more hands, buy more seed and ultimately produce more exports.

IS DROUGHT-RESISTANT:

After agriculture, traditional power generation is the nation’s second largest use of water. Wind is an infinite fuel that generates electricity without using water. For example, producing the same amount of electricity can take about 600 times more water with nuclear power than wind, and about 500 times more water with coal than wind.

HELPS PROTECT CLEAN WATER + CLEAN AIR:

Wind turbines produce clean power with no emissions of any kind, which is healthier for all Americans. After agriculture, traditional power generation is the nation’s second largest use of water. Wind is an infinite fuel that generates electricity without using water. For example, producing the same amount of electricity can take about 600 times more water with nuclear power than wind energy, and about 500 times more water with coal than wind energy. Furthermore, wind energy generates clean power with no emissions of any kind, fostering a healthier environment for all Americans.
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Austin, TX 78755

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