Large wind farm planned for Hale County (Dallas, Austin: 2013, lease)

[shoe01]

Dallas company plans 1,100 MW wind farm - Dallas Business Journal

If it holds up, it could be good for the region.

[JG_Latakia]

I happened across this article this morning. It looks like a wind farm project will be developed in Crosby County. Wind power project coming to Crosby County | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

P.S. I also came across this article, which was posted in July. It says that a wind farm will be developed to the southeast of Lubbock.
Cielo to build wind farm near Lubbock - Austin Business Journal

Altogether, it appears that wind farms are being built to the north, to the east, and to the southeast of Lubbock.

With all of that development, plus the oil-boom around Midland-Odessa bringing in money and people, it would appear likely that property values in the Lubbock area are set to rise.

[High_Plains_Retired]

It's good to see some news on this. My farm is in the footprint of this wind farm, or it was three years ago when I attended a public meeting regarding the proposal. Tri-Global has had a meterorological tower running SW of my house now for a couple of years now. Also, someone has just this past month finished a large high-tension power line a mile north of my farm. I guess I should have walked down to see the names on the trucks and equipment while they were there.

I moved out here to get out of the way of the rat race and I get a wind farm! Oh well, maybe my city-raised daughter may actually be able to sell this old place when I leave for my final home.

[High_Plains_Retired]

In searching C-D, I have seen some posts where people are being hired by these wind farms in Texas. Like anything mechanical, I know wind farms will need mechanics, technicians, or whatever they decide to call the people who keep them running but does anyone have any information on how jobs could be created by a turbine farm such as is proposed by Tri-Global?

[losttechnician]

Originally Posted by High_Plains_Retired

Also, someone has just this past month finished a large high-tension power line a mile north of my farm. I guess I should have walked down to see the names on the trucks and equipment while they were there.

In many cases, and very likely this one, the folks BUILDING the transmission lines are not the owners. They are simply a contractor hired to erect the structures and string the lines. Many of these projects are being built to allow transmission of generation from wind farms in the area that are owned and/or generated for other companies.
Confusing, but think Company A wants/needs wind farm electricity. Company B wants to build a wind farm somewhere outside A's service area, but manages to get a contract with A to provide the wind power. Company C builds the transmission line for Company B, who in turn uses the line to transmit power to Company A.
That is a simplified version of what is happening all over the South Plains through the Panhandle right now.

Originally Posted by High_Plains_Retired

In searching C-D, I have seen some posts where people are being hired by these wind farms in Texas. Like anything mechanical, I know wind farms will need mechanics, technicians, or whatever they decide to call the people who keep them running but does anyone have any information on how jobs could be created by a turbine farm such as is proposed by Tri-Global?

Jobs in that industry are very migrant. Lots of work for erection, and much work for major repair/upgrading that require employees to do a great deal of traveling. There is some work for techs to do regular maintenance on the things, but even then they have a large area to take care of. The pay is pretty good, but in all cases requires a BUNCH of climbing.

[High_Plains_Retired]

That the highline workers were contractors is sort of what I was thinking and the reason I never bothered to walk down to see who it was.

I've continued to think the only local people who will make much money on these things are the large land owners who lease their land. However, according to the payout chart I saw, even they won't make much for years down the road.

I'm certainly not opposed to wind generated power as I am even looking into a small one for this farm. However, one of my primary concerns for the big turbines is what happens to them once they get old? Will they become a forest of rusting eyesores on the landscape where the company has long since taken their profits and vanished? I hope not but as the old saying goes, "I wasn't born under a cabbage leaf."

[js305]

My take (admittedly uneducated) is that the money laid out to build the things is not recovered for many years. And, from what I can understand, would not be cost effective if it were not for grants and the like. As far as the life of the turbines goes, I don't know but I suspect there is an ongoing maintenance program for most all of them. Look at the big area down by Snyder and how long they have been there, still looks the same and most are spinning away. Looks to me like it would take a lot of kilowatts to recoup a million dollars or more for each one.

I have visited with the manager of the site out east of Lubbock where the three turbines are located just outside the loop. He stays on site all the time and has two or three employees dedicated to maintaining just that site. Those have lifts inside, not elevators but assisted climbing harnesses where the user doesn't have to do all the work going up.

Just like everything else, nothing is simple or cheap any more.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Originally Posted by js305

Those have lifts inside, not elevators but assisted climbing harnesses where the user doesn't have to do all the work going up.

Sounds a bit like the old grain elevators with the rotating ladder that you step on and, hopefully, step off when you're supposed to. Sounds dangerous.

[js305]

I guess I was a little too vague on the lift part. I didn't see them but I was told that the worker puts the harness on and then attaches it to the lift/cable or whatever it is. There is still a ladder in the tower. Some of them don't actually pull up, but only assists with 80 to 100 pounds of "lift". It may be like a counter weight of some kind. Just makes it easier to climb the ladder. I'm sure there is some kind of fall protection should the worker slip or let go. When I was there anyone within the shadow of the thing (my words there) had to have clearance and a hardhat. I didn't fit either rule. These are 300 feet tall and each of the blades are 150 feet long, 450 feet at the highest point of rotation, 25 RPM. Now you know just about everything I know about them.

[case44]

My goodness, Lubbock is going to be surrounded by wind turbines. Might not put any gas in the car, but anything to improve and expand energy is fine by me. We need to use as many natural resources as possible. If it goes well in Hale County, then you'd best watch out.