The green seccessionists

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1. Dakota Said,

   Entire State of Texas Could be Powered by Solar
   Written by Jake Richardson
   Published on April 22nd, 2009
   Posted in alternative energy

   A recent study released by Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization, and several environmental organizations has concluded that solar technology alone could supply electricity for the whole state.

   They cite a number of mind-blowing prospects from a variety of sources, all pointing to Texas as having the number one solar generating potential of the US states.

   Concentrating solar power in Texas was found by one study to have a potential capacity of 148,000 megawatts. That is just one solar technology type. (The current total solar power capacity of the US is about 9,000 MW, - wind is 26,000 MW). Their study document also states, ” Photovoltaic plants covering 30 miles by 30 miles could power the entire state.” The types of technology referenced are photovoltaics, thin film photovoltaics, concentrating solar power, parabolic troughs, parabolic dishes/sterling engines, central receivers, linear fresnel reflectors, and solar water heaters.

   Technologies

   Thin film photovoltaics employ semiconductors several millionths of a meter thick and can be applied to many sun-facing surfaces such as building exteriors. Production costs and times are low. The number of thin film modules produced may exceed the crystalline variety within 1-2 years.

   >> Looking for solar? Join the nation’s most effective community solar purchasing program.

   Concentrating solar power uses mirrors to increase energy intensity to heat a liquid to 400 degrees C, which reportedly stores the energy more efficiently that conversion directly to electricity that is stored in batteries. The stored heated liquid can produce energy on cloudy days and at night.

   Parabolic troughs are a type of concentrated solar power that uses shaped mirrors which follow the sun during the day and heat up a liquid which then heats water to make steam in order to move conventional turbines.

   Parabolic dishes are like large satellite dishes with curved mirrors that reflect sunlight to a central point where the energy heats to 750 C. A liquid also heats up and drives a piston to generate electricity.

   Central receivers use an array of mirrors in a tower to heat up a liquid to 650 C. Steam is produced to drive a turbine. Linear fresnel reflectors use long rows of reflectors to heat a liquid or to directly make steam. They don’t generate as much energy but could cost less in production and long-term maintenance. To reduce energy consumption hot waters could be used. For example, over 80% of homes in Israel have solar water heaters, according to the report.

   New Jobs

   Also cited is the job growth potential should Texas become a world leader in solar technology. An institute at the University of Texas at Austin found that 123,000 jobs could be created in the long-term in manufacturing and solar electrical services.

   Texas is already a leader in wind power. Coupled with its’ colossal solar potential, the state is poised to become a true force of nature in the clean energy arena, nationally and perhaps globally.

2. Dakota Said,

   SECO: State Energy Conservation Office

   For the past two years, Texas has been the top wind producer in the United States, with over 3,953 wind-generated megawatts (MW) installed. Texas is also the first state to achieve the milestone of one Gigawatt of wind installations in a single year (2007). The demand for additional wind power has grown so rapidly that the Texas electric transmission grid has a critical need for expansion. In July 2007, the Texas Public Utility Commission announced its approval for additional transmission lines that could deliver as much as 25,000 megawatts of wind energy from remote areas in the state to urban centers by 2012, depending on how many wind farms are built. New transmission infrastructure will allow all Texans to access the the state’s vast wind resources.

   DOE’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that wind power is the fastest growing renewable energy technology, growing by 45% in 2006 due to strong demand, investment of private capital, and the support of federal and state governments. Electric utilities have shown an increased interest in wind project ownership, and wind industry sales to power marketers have become more common. Wind power has consistently remained at or below the average price of conventional electricity such as coal, nuclear, and natural gas.

   AWEA has determined that two-thirds of the predicted growth of wind energy generation in the U.S. will occur in Texas, as three of the five largest wind farms in the nation are located in Texas. Texas already holds the record for the world’s largest wind farm, Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center, which was completed by FPL Energy, Inc. in late 2006. It also is the site for the nation’s second-largest wind farm, the 504.8-megawatt Sweetwater wind project, the fourth phase of which attained commercial operation in May, 2007.

   The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Texas remains the largest wind farm in the world with a total capacity of 735 megawatts (MW) spread across approximately 47,000 acres in Taylor and Nolan counties near Abilene in west central Texas.

   The wind plant consists of 291 1.5-MW wind turbines from General Electric and 130 2.3-MW wind turbines from Siemens.

   One MW is enough electricity to serve 250 to 300 homes on average each day.

   The State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) selected LCRA’s McKinney Roughs Nature Park to participate in a wind energy demonstration project to teach students and other park visitors about various forms of renewable energy. Alternative Energy Institute at West Texas A&M and Meridian Energy Systems installed the residential-sized wind turbine system at the nature park. See the LCRA article with video.

   Power generated by the wind is called a clean source of electricity because its production does not produce pollution or greenhouse gases. The use of wind power for our energy needs displaces approximately 23 million tons of carbon dioxide (the leading greenhouse gas) each year, which would otherwise be emitted by other energy sources. Furthermore, wind projects use no water in the generation of electricity. To see how a wind turbine works, view DOE’s Wind Power Animation and Wind Turbine Animation.

   Roping the Texas Breezes

   Sound economic principles are driving wind energy development in Texas. The fact that wind energy is clean, reliable and inexhaustible is icing on the cake. Jerry Patterson, Texas General Land Office Commissioner

   Immense wind turbines are becoming a familiar sight, silhouetted against Texas skies. Wind power development in Texas has more than quadrupled since the Renewable Portfolio Standard was established in 1999. Wind resource areas in the Texas Panhandle, along the Gulf Coast south of Galveston, and in the mountain passes and ridge tops of the Trans-Pecos offer Texas some of the greatest wind power potential in the United States, with consistently high wind speeds capable of sustaining a productive wind farm. Currently there are over 2,000 wind turbines in West Texas alone, most of them on land leased from farmers and ranchers. Most of the new wind capacity added in the last two years has been in the Abilene-Sweetwater area.

   Texas wind is also being harnessed for small wind systems to provide on-site electricity and working power for ranches, homes and businesses at increasingly competitive costs. Because new technology has created wind turbines that can now generate power from lower wind speeds, land that was previously unsuitable for wind turbines offers a new source of wind energy. Lower requisite wind speeds also allow for turbines to be placed closer to the homes and businesses that need to make use of them. Additionally, many rural landowners, farmers and ranchers are leasing their lands to wind companies for additional income.

   In June 2007, Texas was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to be home to a large-scale wind turbine research and testing facility, accelerating the commercial availability of wind energy. Blade testing is required to meet wind turbine design standards, reduce machine cost, and reduce the technical and financial risk of deploying mass-produced wind turbine models. The Lone Star Wind Alliance, a Texas-led coalition of universities, government agencies and corporate partners, was created to prepare the proposal for submission to the federal government. The Alliance includes the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). A site location just north of Corpus Christi at Ingleside on the Bay was chosen because of its access to the Gulf of Mexico. The facilities are expected to be operational in 2009. See the press releases by Senator Hutchinson and the General Land Office.

   The wind industry is creating thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in royalty income for landowners, for communities and for the Texas Permanent School Fund. A good example is the Indian Mesa wind farm situated on 34,000 acres in West Texas. One of the four landowners for the acreage is the state University of Texas, and royalties from the project go to support the University of Texas system. As an incentive for locating the project in Pecos County, the county provided the project with a full property tax abatement for 5 years; and in return the project owner agreed to donate 10 percent of the abated taxes to a regional technical training center. The owner also agreed to use local companies and labor for the construction of the project. In addition the project paid about $930,000 in local school district taxes in 2003. As of 2004, the project employed 43 people to operate and maintain the four wind projects that the company owns in the area (GAO 2004 Report).

   Texas Permanent School Fund

   Texas has historically been dependent upon oil and gas. But oil and gas won’t last forever. It’s vital that the Land Office finds new ways to earn money for the Permanent School Fund. Jerry Patterson, Texas General Land Office Commissioner

   Publicly owned lands have played a crucial role in Texas’ economic development. From the grants made to early settlers and railroad companies, to the acres generating billions of dollars in oil and gas royalties for public schools, state-owned lands have been an economic asset that few states can match.

   Texas schools earn millions on wind generated on state land, depending on how many megawatts are produced and the current price of electricity. Texas schools benefit from the increase in wind farms, because like oil and gas production on state lands, wind farms on state lands are required to pay land usage fees plus a portion of revenues to the State’s Permanent School Fund, which is constitutionally dedicated to the schoolchildren of Texas.

   From only one wind farm located on state land in West Texas (Texas Wind Power Project), the Permanent School Fund has earned more than $750,000 since installation in 1995. The project is expected to earn more than $3 million for state schools and create $300 million in increased economic activity over the 25-year lease period.

   State Lands for Wind Power Development

   The Texas General Land Office (GLO) manages state lands and mineral-right properties totaling 20.3 million acres. Since 2001, the GLO has been evaluating state lands for wind power development potential through a grant from the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), on upland and offshore sites. The analysis of information gathered from towers installed on state lands provides an information base for wind development companies interested in leasing state lands. The GLO has identified six counties that have good potential for wind power development. Maps of these properties can be viewed here. Developers worldwide may submit proposals for leasing Texas state lands. For more information, contact Bob Blumberg at bob.blumberg@glo.state.tx.us or 512/463-5028.

   Texas Offshore Windfall

   Because of Sam Houston’s foresight we now have the regulatory authority to move forward with less federal red tape. Who would have thought that the hero of San Jacinto would help bring wind energy to Texas? Jerry Patterson, Texas General Land Office Commissioner

   After establishing independence from Mexico in 1836, Sam Houston, the president of the sovereign Republic of Texas, had the foresight to declare for Texas’ future generations sovereignty over all lands in the Gulf Coast out to 10.4 miles, the traditional marker under international law. When Texas joined the United States, the new state’s boundaries were not immediately challenged by the federal government, which recognized a three-mile boundary for other coastal states. In 1948, the U.S. attorney general filed suit to claim offshore lands more than three miles but less than three marine leagues from Texas’ shoreline. For almost two decades, Texas fought to keep its tidelands intact, which had become a valuable source of oil and gas. In 1953, Congress finally recognized Texas’ ownership of the tidelands, which was upheld by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1960. For this reason, there is only one entity in Texas for an offshore wind developer to deal with - the Texas General Land Office.

   Thanks to Sam Houston’s foresight, the Texas Permanent School Fund has the potential to earn millions of dollars from offshore wind generation in the Gulf of Mexico. Development within the 10.36 miles offers proximity to the state’s electrical grid to carry wind-generated power to customers. The state has leased 11,355 acres off the coast of Galveston to a Louisiana company to build a 50-turbine wind farm. The Galveston Island project will receive a minimum of $26.5 million in royalties over the course of the 30-year lease. The Texas General Land Office (GLO) is also planning to lease land off the coast of Padre Island for wind farms. Leasing out this land will earn Texas schools anywhere from $34 million to more than $100 million, depending on how many megawatts are produced and the future price of electricity. Additionally, development within the offshore 10.4 miles offers proximity to the state’s electrical grid to carry wind-generated power to customers.

   Validated onshore wind resource maps have helped accelerate the development of wind energy in many parts of the country. AWS Truewind has provided wind resource modeling for off-shore Gulf of Mexico areas of Texas through a cost-share project between SECO and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). NREL also plans to use this data to analyze the off-shore wind shear plus other wind characteristics for turbine design and performance.

   For an interactive map of planned offshore wind farms in North America, see OffshoreWind.net. The web site includes answers to questions on offshore wind.

   Wind Power for Texas Cities

   Austin Energy
   In 2005 the City of Austin’s municipally owned electric utility, Austin Energy, won the Wind Power Pioneer Award from the U.S. Department of Energy for its leadership and innovation in its wind power program. Austin Energy, buys wind-generated electricity under 10-year, fixed-price contracts. The purchased power is delivered over the statewide electric grid to Austin. Austin Energy is also planning on using night time wind power to charge plug-in hybrid car batteries for day time use. See this article on Austin’s hybrid car program.

   City of Houston
   A contract negotiated in July 2007 by Houston officials ensures that a third of the city’s power would be generated by wind turbines. The City of Houston paid approximately $150 million last year on electricity at $91 per 1,000 kilowatt hours. The City Council overwhelmingly passed the $628 million wind-power plan and electricity contract extension. The deal makes Houston a leader among governments nationwide for using wind sources to get power.

   Tour Texas Wind Farms

   Wind Power Trail
   Ongoing, Self-paced Tours
   The Texas Wind Power Trail is a SECO-sponsored effort to familiarize Texans with working wind farms in their state. The trail takes you to commercial wind farms, vintage windmill collections, and interesting waypoints along the highways and back roads of Texas and Oklahoma with the aid of an interpretive driving map and an audio CD and an informational web site.

   American Wind Power Center & Museum
   The American Wind Power Center in Lubbock is the most comprehensive collection of historic windmills in the world. It will be a site long remembered and is our way of honoring those early settlers who struggled with difficult conditions tempered with the life-giving water pumped by windmills. The newest addition to the museum is the 160-foot tall Vestas Model V47 wind turbine. It supplies immediate power to the museum and 60 surrounding homes. Tours

   Trent Mesa Wind Farm Virtual Tour
   (Windows Media, 2 minutes 23 seconds)
   This web site gives detailed information on the Trent Mesa wind farm project, including a virtual tour that is entertaining and educational. The Trent Wind Farm, also known as the Trent Mesa Wind Project, is a 150-megawatt (150,000-kilowatt) wind power plant located between Abilene and Sweetwater in West Texas. The project uses 100 turbines each rated at 1.5 megawatts (1,500 kilowatts).

   There is plenty of wind out there and plenty of energy to be tapped. It’s just like an oil field that doesn’t run out. Tom Gray, AWEA

   Jump to: Small Wind Systems | Incentives | Transmission | Wind Storage | Cash Crop | Renewable Portfolio Standard | Take a Tour | Connecting to the Grid | Net Metering

   For the past two years, Texas has been the top wind producer in the United States, with over 3,953 wind-generated megawatts (MW) installed. Texas is also the first state to achieve the milestone of one Gigawatt of wind installations in a single year (2007). The demand for additional wind power has grown so rapidly that the Texas electric transmission grid has a critical need for expansion. In July 2007, the Texas Public Utility Commission announced its approval for additional transmission lines that could deliver as much as 25,000 megawatts of wind energy from remote areas in the state to urban centers by 2012, depending on how many wind farms are built. New transmission infrastructure will allow all Texans to access the the state’s vast wind resources.

   DOE’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that wind power is the fastest growing renewable energy technology, growing by 45% in 2006 due to strong demand, investment of private capital, and the support of federal and state governments. Electric utilities have shown an increased interest in wind project ownership, and wind industry sales to power marketers have become more common. Wind power has consistently remained at or below the average price of conventional electricity such as coal, nuclear, and natural gas.

   AWEA has determined that two-thirds of the predicted growth of wind energy generation in the U.S. will occur in Texas, as three of the five largest wind farms in the nation are located in Texas. Texas already holds the record for the world’s largest wind farm, Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center, which was completed by FPL Energy, Inc. in late 2006. It also is the site for the nation’s second-largest wind farm, the 504.8-megawatt Sweetwater wind project, the fourth phase of which attained commercial operation in May, 2007.

   The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Texas remains the largest wind farm in the world with a total capacity of 735 megawatts (MW) spread across approximately 47,000 acres in Taylor and Nolan counties near Abilene in west central Texas.

   The wind plant consists of 291 1.5-MW wind turbines from General Electric and 130 2.3-MW wind turbines from Siemens.

   One MW is enough electricity to serve 250 to 300 homes on average each day.
   Horse Hollow wind farm
   Source: FPL Energy: Horse Hollow wind farm

   The State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) selected LCRA’s McKinney Roughs Nature Park to participate in a wind energy demonstration project to teach students and other park visitors about various forms of renewable energy. Alternative Energy Institute at West Texas A&M and Meridian Energy Systems installed the residential-sized wind turbine system at the nature park. See the LCRA article with video.

   Power generated by the wind is called a clean source of electricity because its production does not produce pollution or greenhouse gases. The use of wind power for our energy needs displaces approximately 23 million tons of carbon dioxide (the leading greenhouse gas) each year, which would otherwise be emitted by other energy sources. Furthermore, wind projects use no water in the generation of electricity. To see how a wind turbine works, view DOE’s Wind Power Animation and Wind Turbine Animation.

   -Return to Top of Page-

   Roping the Texas Breezes

   Sound economic principles are driving wind energy development in Texas. The fact that wind energy is clean, reliable and inexhaustible is icing on the cake. Jerry Patterson, Texas General Land Office Commissioner

   Immense wind turbines are becoming a familiar sight, silhouetted against Texas skies. Wind power development in Texas has more than quadrupled since the Renewable Portfolio Standard was established in 1999. Wind resource areas in the Texas Panhandle, along the Gulf Coast south of Galveston, and in the mountain passes and ridge tops of the Trans-Pecos offer Texas some of the greatest wind power potential in the United States, with consistently high wind speeds capable of sustaining a productive wind farm. Currently there are over 2,000 wind turbines in West Texas alone, most of them on land leased from farmers and ranchers. Most of the new wind capacity added in the last two years has been in the Abilene-Sweetwater area.

   Texas wind is also being harnessed for small wind systems to provide on-site electricity and working power for ranches, homes and businesses at increasingly competitive costs. Because new technology has created wind turbines that can now generate power from lower wind speeds, land that was previously unsuitable for wind turbines offers a new source of wind energy. Lower requisite wind speeds also allow for turbines to be placed closer to the homes and businesses that need to make use of them. Additionally, many rural landowners, farmers and ranchers are leasing their lands to wind companies for additional income.

   In June 2007, Texas was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to be home to a large-scale wind turbine research and testing facility, accelerating the commercial availability of wind energy. Blade testing is required to meet wind turbine design standards, reduce machine cost, and reduce the technical and financial risk of deploying mass-produced wind turbine models. The Lone Star Wind Alliance, a Texas-led coalition of universities, government agencies and corporate partners, was created to prepare the proposal for submission to the federal government. The Alliance includes the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). A site location just north of Corpus Christi at Ingleside on the Bay was chosen because of its access to the Gulf of Mexico. The facilities are expected to be operational in 2009. See the press releases by Senator Hutchinson and the General Land Office.

   The wind industry is creating thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in royalty income for landowners, for communities and for the Texas Permanent School Fund. A good example is the Indian Mesa wind farm situated on 34,000 acres in West Texas. One of the four landowners for the acreage is the state University of Texas, and royalties from the project go to support the University of Texas system. As an incentive for locating the project in Pecos County, the county provided the project with a full property tax abatement for 5 years; and in return the project owner agreed to donate 10 percent of the abated taxes to a regional technical training center. The owner also agreed to use local companies and labor for the construction of the project. In addition the project paid about $930,000 in local school district taxes in 2003. As of 2004, the project employed 43 people to operate and maintain the four wind projects that the company owns in the area (GAO 2004 Report).

   See current and proposed Texas Wind Projects.

   -Return to Top of Page-

   Texas Permanent School Fund

   Texas has historically been dependent upon oil and gas. But oil and gas won’t last forever. It’s vital that the Land Office finds new ways to earn money for the Permanent School Fund. Jerry Patterson, Texas General Land Office Commissioner

   Publicly owned lands have played a crucial role in Texas’ economic development. From the grants made to early settlers and railroad companies, to the acres generating billions of dollars in oil and gas royalties for public schools, state-owned lands have been an economic asset that few states can match.

   Texas schools earn millions on wind generated on state land, depending on how many megawatts are produced and the current price of electricity. Texas schools benefit from the increase in wind farms, because like oil and gas production on state lands, wind farms on state lands are required to pay land usage fees plus a portion of revenues to the State’s Permanent School Fund, which is constitutionally dedicated to the schoolchildren of Texas.

   From only one wind farm located on state land in West Texas (Texas Wind Power Project), the Permanent School Fund has earned more than $750,000 since installation in 1995. The project is expected to earn more than $3 million for state schools and create $300 million in increased economic activity over the 25-year lease period. Culberson County wind farm

   State Lands for Wind Power Development

   The Texas General Land Office (GLO) manages state lands and mineral-right properties totaling 20.3 million acres. Since 2001, the GLO has been evaluating state lands for wind power development potential through a grant from the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), on upland and offshore sites. The analysis of information gathered from towers installed on state lands provides an information base for wind development companies interested in leasing state lands. The GLO has identified six counties that have good potential for wind power development. Maps of these properties can be viewed here. Developers worldwide may submit proposals for leasing Texas state lands. For more information, contact Bob Blumberg at bob.blumberg@glo.state.tx.us or 512/463-5028.

   -Return to Top of Page-

   Texas Offshore Windfall

   Because of Sam Houston’s foresight we now have the regulatory authority to move forward with less federal red tape. Who would have thought that the hero of San Jacinto would help bring wind energy to Texas? Jerry Patterson, Texas General Land Office Commissioner

   After establishing independence from Mexico in 1836, Sam Houston, the president of the sovereign Republic of Texas, had the foresight to declare for Texas’ future generations sovereignty over all lands in the Gulf Coast out to 10.4 miles, the traditional marker under international law. When Texas joined the United States, the new state’s boundaries were not immediately challenged by the federal government, which recognized a three-mile boundary for other coastal states. In 1948, the U.S. attorney general filed suit to claim offshore lands more than three miles but less than three marine leagues from Texas’ shoreline. For almost two decades, Texas fought to keep its tidelands intact, which had become a valuable source of oil and gas. In 1953, Congress finally recognized Texas’ ownership of the tidelands, which was upheld by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1960. For this reason, there is only one entity in Texas for an offshore wind developer to deal with - the Texas General Land Office.

   Thanks to Sam Houston’s foresight, the Texas Permanent School Fund has the potential to earn millions of dollars from offshore wind generation in the Gulf of Mexico. Development within the 10.36 miles offers proximity to the state’s electrical grid to carry wind-generated power to customers. The state has leased 11,355 acres off the coast of Galveston to a Louisiana company to build a 50-turbine wind farm. The Galveston Island project will receive a minimum of $26.5 million in royalties over the course of the 30-year lease. The Texas General Land Office (GLO) is also planning to lease land off the coast of Padre Island for wind farms. Leasing out this land will earn Texas schools anywhere from $34 million to more than $100 million, depending on how many megawatts are produced and the future price of electricity. Additionally, development within the offshore 10.4 miles offers proximity to the state’s electrical grid to carry wind-generated power to customers.

   Validated onshore wind resource maps have helped accelerate the development of wind energy in many parts of the country. AWS Truewind has provided wind resource modeling for off-shore Gulf of Mexico areas of Texas through a cost-share project between SECO and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). NREL also plans to use this data to analyze the off-shore wind shear plus other wind characteristics for turbine design and performance.

   * Offshore Texas, Mean Annual Wind Speed at 10 meters
   * Offshore Texas, Mean Annual Wind Speed at 30 meters
   * Offshore Texas, Mean Annual Wind Speed at 50 meters
   * Offshore Texas, Mean Annual Wind Speed at 90 meters
   * Offshore Texas, Mean Annual Wind Speed at 150 meters
   * Offshore Texas, Mean Annual Wind Speed at 300 meters
   * Offshore Texas, Mean Annual Wind Power Density at 50 meters

   For an interactive map of planned offshore wind farms in North America, see OffshoreWind.net. The web site includes answers to questions on offshore wind.

   South Texas Offshore Wind Farm Nixed June 2007

   -Return to Top of Page-

   Wind Power for Texas Cities

   Austin Energy
   In 2005 the City of Austin’s municipally owned electric utility, Austin Energy, won the Wind Power Pioneer Award from the U.S. Department of Energy for its leadership and innovation in its wind power program. Austin Energy, buys wind-generated electricity under 10-year, fixed-price contracts. The purchased power is delivered over the statewide electric grid to Austin. Austin Energy is also planning on using night time wind power to charge plug-in hybrid car batteries for day time use. See this article on Austin’s hybrid car program.

   City of Houston
   A contract negotiated in July 2007 by Houston officials ensures that a third of the city’s power would be generated by wind turbines. The City of Houston paid approximately $150 million last year on electricity at $91 per 1,000 kilowatt hours. The City Council overwhelmingly passed the $628 million wind-power plan and electricity contract extension. The deal makes Houston a leader among governments nationwide for using wind sources to get power.

   Tour Texas Wind Farms

   Wind Power Trail
   Ongoing, Self-paced Tours
   The Texas Wind Power Trail is a SECO-sponsored effort to familiarize Texans with working wind farms in their state. The trail takes you to commercial wind farms, vintage windmill collections, and interesting waypoints along the highways and back roads of Texas and Oklahoma with the aid of an interpretive driving map and an audio CD and an informational web site.

   American Wind Power Center & Museum
   The American Wind Power Center in Lubbock is the most comprehensive collection of historic windmills in the world. It will be a site long remembered and is our way of honoring those early settlers who struggled with difficult conditions tempered with the life-giving water pumped by windmills. The newest addition to the museum is the 160-foot tall Vestas Model V47 wind turbine. It supplies immediate power to the museum and 60 surrounding homes. Tours

   Trent Mesa Wind Farm Virtual Tour
   (Windows Media, 2 minutes 23 seconds)
   This web site gives detailed information on the Trent Mesa wind farm project, including a virtual tour that is entertaining and educational. The Trent Wind Farm, also known as the Trent Mesa Wind Project, is a 150-megawatt (150,000-kilowatt) wind power plant located between Abilene and Sweetwater in West Texas. The project uses 100 turbines each rated at 1.5 megawatts (1,500 kilowatts).

   -Return to Top of Page-

   Energy Efficiency Recognition

   The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and The State Energy Conservation Office have implemented a program to recognize public institutions for their efforts to reduce energy consumption and improve air quality, while saving tax dollars.

   A public institution can be nominated by a third party or self-nominated. To nominate a public institution, submit this Energy Efficiency Nomination form to provide contact information and a brief narrative describing the institution’s projects and efforts. Recognition will be granted based on the submission. After the nomination has been reviewed and approved, the public institution will receive a letter and a certificate recognizing their efforts. If you have questions regarding this program, please email Stephen Ross.

3. Dakota Said,

   SECO: State Energy Conservation Office

   Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard

   Texas is the nation’s leader in wind energy thanks to our long-term commitment to bolstering renewable energy sources and diversifying the state’s energy portfolio. Rick Perry, Texas Governor

   A Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) ensures that the public benefits of renewable energy, such as wind and solar, continue to be recognized as electricity markets become more competitive. It requires companies that sell electricity to retail customers to support renewable energy generation.The Texas RPS is one of the most effective and successful in the nation, widely considered a model RPS. It is one of the greatest influences on the rapid growth of the Texas wind energy industry.

   When Texas produced its first Renewable Portfolio Standard as part of the state’s electricity industry restructuring legislation in 1999 (Senate Bill 7), it mandated the construction of certain amounts of renewable energy and prompted the renewable energy industry to rapidly accelerate its production on Texas sites. Qualifying renewable energy sources include solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, tidal energy, and biomass, including landfill gas. Also eligible are renewable energy sources on the customer side of the meter that offset electricity demand, such as the installation of photovoltaic panels and solar water heating. The Texas Public Utility Commission implemented the program.

   The RPS mandated that electricity providers (competitive retailers, municipal electric utilities, and electric cooperatives) collectively generate 2,000 megawatts (MW) of additional renewable energy by 2009. The 2005 Texas Legislature increased the state’s total renewable-energy mandate to 5,880 MW by 2015 and a target of 10,000 MW in 2025. Each provider is required to obtain new renewable energy capacity based on the their market share of energy sales times the renewable capacity goal. For example, a competitive retailer with 10 percent of the Texas retail electricity sales in 2009 would be required to obtain 200 megawatts of renewable energy capacity.

   The state of Texas estimates that more megawatts of renewable energy came on-line as a result of the RPS program than has in the past 100 years. After the RPS was implemented, Texas wind corporations and utilities invested $1 billion in wind power, creating jobs, adding to the Texas Permanent School Fund and increasing the rural tax base.

   The Texas RPS has been so successful that its 10-year goal was met in just over six years. Wind power development in Texas has more than quadrupled since the RPS was established. Due to its competitive pricing, available federal tax incentives and the state’s immense wind resources, wind power is expected to remain competitive with coal- and gas-fired plants.

   Renewable Energy Credits

   With an increasing number of states and municipalities introducing renewable portfolio standards, and a large number of high-profile companies looking to improve their image and reduce their environmental impact, the market for green tags in the US has never been stronger. Elisa Wood, U.S. writer on energy issues

   The RPS provides for a Renewable Energy Credit (REC) trading program that will continue through 2019. To meet the RPS targets, utility companies may buy or trade RECs. One REC represents one megawatt-hour of qualified renewable energy that is generated and metered in Texas.

   The REC trading system created great flexibility in the development of renewable energy projects. The renewable energy capacity required by the electricity sellers can be provided directly or through the REC market. If a utility earns extra credits, it can sell the credits to utilities who need credits to meet the RPS requirements. This enables electricity providers that do not own or purchase enough renewable energy capacity to purchase credits instead of capacity.

   RECs are issued quarterly, based on meter readings. The REC market is administered by ERCOT, the Texas electric grid operator. Penalties for non-compliance with the RPS requirements are enforced by the PUCT. The PUCT has the authority to cap the price of RECs and may suspend the standard if necessary to protect the reliability and operation of the grid.

   For an excellent discussion of RECs, see the Renewable Energy World article, Green Trading: Why the Chase Is on for U.S. RECs.

   Senate Bill 20

   This new goal is the next step toward Texas realizing its potential to be the nation’s leading producer of renewable energy. Wind power, in particular, will play a major role in meeting our future energy needs. Tom “Smitty” Smith, Director, Public Citizen

   The Renewable Portfolio Standard proved so successful that in 2005 the Texas Legislature passed a major extension and expansion of the legislation. Senate Bill 20 greatly increased the state’s RPS goal to 5,880 MW by 2015, of which, 500 MW must come from non-wind resources. The legislation also set a goal of 10,000 MW in renewable energy capacity by 2025. The Texas RPS continues to be one of the most effective in the nation, and Texas is now the number one wind energy producer in the nation.

   Non-Wind Renewable Energy Requirement

   This clear-cut policy encouraged construction of some of the world’s largest wind power projects that now deliver clean energy at prices lower than ever before achieved. The current cost competitiveness of wind power has Texas five years ahead of its renewables construction schedule, almost half way to meeting its 2,000 Megawatt goal. Texas Renewable Energy 2007

   Currently wind represents the bulk of renewable energy development occurring under the Texas RPS, largely due to wind’s relatively low cost and the abundance of exceptional wind resources in the state. In an effort to diversify the state’s renewable generation portfolio, Senate Bill 20 includes a requirement that the state must meet 500 MW of the 2025 target with non-wind renewable generation. This provision indirectly promotes solar power and biomass in Texas and provides farmers and ranchers with new revenue sources from the use of crops and animal waste to produce energy.

   Energy Transmission Plan

   Inadequate transmission is frequently cited as the most significant obstacle to (wind power development) in Texas. Public Utility Commission of Texas

   To meet the RPS goal, Senate Bill 20 includes a transmission plan for remote regions such as McCamey that have a tremendous capacity for renewable energy generation but are handicapped by lack of sufficient transmission infrastructure. The goal is to increase transmission capacity to get clean energy (especially wind) from remote areas to the cities. See the wind transmission page.

   Texas Competitive Renewable Energy Zones

   Texas electric regulators voted to designate eight zones as the best sites for construction of new power lines to serve more than 20,000 megawatts of proposed wind generation’ The boldness of the PUC’s decision is hard to overstate. Texas Renewable Energy 2007

   Senate Bill 20 requires that competitive renewable energy zones (CREZ) be designated in the best areas in the state and that an electric transmission infrastructure be constructed to move renewable energy from those zones to markets where people use energy. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the state’s transmission operator, is charged with collecting wind data and nominating a number of CREZs based on transmission cost calculations for each CREZ. See this Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) web page on CREZ for the PUC’s legal language.

4. Dakota Said,

   The California Energy Commission

   California’s Renewable Energy Programs

   California with its abundant natural resources has had a long history of support for renewable energy. In 2007, 11.8 percent of all electricity came from renewable resources such as wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and small hydroelectric facilities. Large hydro plants generated another 11.7 percent of our electricity.

   Around the turn of the 20th century, tens-of-thousands of homes in Southern California took advantage of the “California sunshine” to heat water for their homes. The oil crises of the 1970’s gave rise to a concerns over dependency on fossil fuels. At that time, federal and state tax credits helped establish a new solar and wind industry. Wind turbine farms cropped up on the slopes of hills in three primary locations.

   Following deregulation of the electric utilities in 1998, the California Energy Commission was placed in charge of a new Renewable Energy Program to help increase total renewable electricity production statewide. This followed decades of bi-partisan legislative and gubernatorial support for renewable energy helping to make California a recognized leader in the field.

   From 1998 to December 31, 2006, the Energy Commission’s Emerging Renewables Program funded grid-connected, solar/photovoltaic electricity systems under 30 kilowatts on homes and businesses in the investor-owned utilities’ service areas. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) funded larger self-generation projects for businesses.

   The Energy Commission’s program provided market-based incentives for new and existing utility-scale facilities powered by renewable energy. It also offered consumer rebates for those installing new renewable energy systems. The program also helps educate the public regarding renewable energy. Find out more about the history of the program.

   In January 2006, the CPUC created the California Solar Initiative (CPUC ruling - R.04-03-017), which moved the consumer renewable energy rebate program for existing homes from the Energy Commission to the utility companies under the direction of the CPUC. This incentive program, for renewable systems of less than one megawatt, began in January 2007 and provides a total of $3.3 billion over ten years.

   Beginning in 2007, the California Energy Commission started managing $400 million targeted for solar on new residential building construction. The funds from the Energy Commission will help renewable projects between 2007 and 2011. Called the New Solar Homes Partnership, it focuses on new residential construction.

   Utility Companies and Renewable Energy

   In 2002, California established its Renewable Portfolio Standard Program, with the goal of increasing the percentage of renewable energy in the state’s electricity mix to 20% by 2017. 2003 Integrated Energy Policy Report recommended accelerating that goal to 20% by 2010, and the 2004 Energy Report Update further recommended increasing the target to 33 percent by 2020. The state’s Energy Action Plan supported this goal.

   In 2006 under Senate Bill 107, California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) was created and codified the 20 percent goal. It is one of the most ambitious renewable energy standards in the country. The RPS program requires electric utilities and provicders to increase procurement from eligible renewable energy resources by at least 1% of their retail sales annually, until they reach 20% by 2010.

   On November 17, 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-14-08 requiring that California utilities reach the 33% renewables goal by 2020.
   Timeline for Electricity from Renewable Resources

   * 2002: Senate Bill 1078 establishes the RPS program, requiring 20% renewable energy by 2017.
   * 2003: Energy Action Plan I accelerated the 20% deadline to 2010.
   * 2005: Energy Action Plan II recommends a further goal of 33% by 2020.
   * 2006: Senate Bill 107 codified the accelerated 20% by 2010 deadline into law.
   * 2008: Governor Schwarzenegger issues Executive Order requiring 33% renewables by 2020.

   For assistance regarding the Renewable Energy Program areas, please contact:

   Renewable Energy Call Center
   Toll Free - 800-555-7794
   Outside Calif. - 916-654-4058
   E-mail: renewable@energy.state.ca.us

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