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Known for decades as an oil-drilling state, Texas has now become a renewable-energy leader on the national and world stage, and it’s doing it “Texas-style.”
Not long after blowing past California as the nation’s leader in wind energy production, Texas recently dedicated the world’s largest wind farm.
In October, public officials and representatives from private industry helped commemorate the commercial operation of the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center. The 735 megawatt (MW) facility is located in Taylor and Nolan Counties, Texas. Spread across 47,000 acres, it comprises 291 GE 1.5 megawatt wind turbines and 130 Siemens 2.3 megawatt wind turbines. The first phase of 213 MW was completed in late 2005. A second phase consisting of 223.5 MW was completed in the second quarter of 2006. A third phase consisting of another 299 MW was completed in September.
The facility is owned and operated by the Juno Beach, Fla.-based FPL Energy, a subsidiary of the FPL Group.
The Lone Star State officially became the national leader in wind power with 2,370 MW of generating capacity. The breakthrough was announced in the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) Second Quarter Market Report, which was released this summer. EC
About The Author
LAEZMAN is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer who has been covering renewable power for more than 10 years. He may be reached at [email protected].
