Jan 24
20190
commentsBy Neal Spelce
In Austin Letter, Business, Economy, Energy, Politics, Transportation
January 25, 2019
Volume 40, Number 41
The City of Austin has invested heavily in contracts for wind energy to produce electricity. It indicated it may continue to do so in the future. Austin’s commitments have helped Texas emerge as the nation’s leader in wind energy. This is taking place in a state where oil is king, with no signs of relinquishing its crown. So, what is the future for wind as a power source?
Let’s get this out of the way up front: wind power can exist alongside Texas’ abundance of oil and gas. It’s not an either/or situation. In fact, visual evidence exists in West Texas where both giant spinning wind turbines and oil/gas wells dot the same wide-open landscape. It’s a below-ground industry working beside an above-ground dynamic.Back to the original question, what is the future for wind power? Wind energy is an expanding business. And it is not just for generating electricity. For instance, there are nearly 13,000 wind turbines operating in Texas for electricity. Yet, there are still another 80,000 wind turbines spinning in the state that are used for pumping water and other purposes. (Think windmills pumping water in the days of the Old West.)
We focus on Austin’s energy needs, rightly so. But considering the future of wind energy it’s important to note “wind power has become an invaluable tool in the rural economic development space,” reports Powering Texas. It is providing opportunities for landowners and local school districts, as well as creating jobs,The national wind energy association reports Texas is home to nearly four-dozen manufacturing facilities and numerous component suppliers. This is a growing support group for the expanding wind energy industry. Not only this, but eight of the world’s ten largest wind farms are in the US – and five of those are in Texas.
The US Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration this month released bullish 2019 projections. Some of its strong forecast is based on these facts: 1) there is already installed wind capacity in Texas amounting to 23,421 megawatts, 2) Texas wind capacity under construction is 6,148 megawatts, and 3) the wind capacity in advanced development is 1,804 megawatts. Do the math. In the pipeline (so to speak) is a capacity that will increase wind power in Texas by more than one-third. This is a hefty increase, signifying a solid future. Read More