Adapting the Texas Energy Grid to Wind

Managing the power grids for variability in wind power generation continues to be an area of opportunity for the new energy economy. Texas is leading the way in adjusting to that variability because of its dominance in the industry. The article linked below discusses some of the things being done to handle the variability.

Texas Adjusts Its Grid for Wind

Better Air and Consistent Growth Through Partnership

Texas often gets a bad rap from other parts of the nation due to the stereotypical image of oil-guzzling rednecks that is often associated with the state. In reality, Texas is leading the nation in development of alternative energy technology and in reducing pollutants in our atmosphere. The free-enterprise, private-initiative attitude of the state in which private industry and government entities can partner to achieve common goals is a model that should be emulated by the rest of the nation. Cooperative efforts, rather than burdensome regulation, are key to the successes.

As North Texas grows, air becomes cleaner

Release date: 10/28/2008
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – October 28, 2008) As the Dallas-Fort Worth area’s economy has grown to one of the nation’s most vibrant, its citizens have also enjoyed improvements in air quality. This summer saw the lowest levels of ozone in three decades, thanks to a campaign to reduce air pollution led by the...(complete news release here).

From Aggie Carrots to Tomatoes

At first glance, one would think that maroon carrots at A&M were just a gimmick based on the school colors. The fact is that the maroon carrots are high in a specific antioxidant that has been shown to be life-prolonging in laboratory mice. The work done there has now been utilized by others to produce maroon tomatoes. Who knows, maybe the world of food will slowly become maroon and white, demonstrating the real impact of Texas A&M's role in feeding the world. Gig 'em!!



A&M's maroon carrot branches out
Based on research at school in the '80s, scientists are starting to develop purplish tomatoes with a life-prolonging antioxidant

Offshore Texas Wind Power Delayed

Wind power development in the Gulf of Mexico is facing a different set of challenges than onshore developments in Texas. To its advantage, it would have much fewer miles for transmitting the power to population centers. On the downside, it is much more expensive to develop and infrastructure to transmit it is more expensive. There is also the threat of hurricanes.

A Few Snags, But Hopes Are Still High for Offshore Wind in Texas

The word on the street is that the Lehman failure has put a halt to T. Boone Pickens wind development plans as well. It's just a rumor -- don't quote me on it.

More Wind Dollars to West Texas

Yet another story on the wind farms in West Texas.

Wind power dollars pour into west Texas economy

By Eileen O'Grady
BLACKWELL, Texas (Reuters) - Millions of dollars in new tax revenue generated from the wind power boom sweeping rural west Texas have helped fund a rash of school building projects, the first signs of an expected economic revival.

"It's the greatest thing that...(complete story here).

Gulf of Mexico Lease Revenue

This is good news for the State of Texas and longer-term, for gasoline prices in the U.S.

Western Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 207 Attracts $487,297,676 in High Bids

Texas RRC Chairman Williams on Coal

Texas Railroad Commission Chairman, Michael Williams, has some interesting thoughts on the use of coal for electrical generation in Texas.

Energy Solutions Part II – Clean Coal

Texas PUF to Benefit From Oil Land Deal

The old boys that sat down and wrote the Texas Constitution back in 1876 certainly created a blessing for the future college students of the state. They probably had no idea what they set in motion -- but they did a good thing.

UT banking on profit from oil land dealsUp to $1 billion possible to beef up its endowment

By JANET ELLIOTT
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — The University of Texas System is looking to trade on high oil prices — and potentially raise up to $1 billion for its endowment — by selling future production from land it manages in West Texas.

The regents this week authorized UT officials to negotiate with one or more parties to sell a portion of its oil and gas production at a fixed price over a set time period.

The buyer would pay up front for...(complete article here).

The Wind Boom in West Texas

New industry is an economic stimulus. In some areas, it may be economic salvation.

In Windy West Texas, An Economic Boom

by Ben Block on July 23, 2008

This is the first feature in a weekly, three-part series on green jobs in various sectors of the global economy.

Growing up in West Texas, Larry Martin became well accustomed to the challenges of living off the land. Raised on a cotton farm outside the small town of Sweetwater, he recalls defending his family's crops from sandstorms after a hard rain. More often, he hoped the region's brutal droughts would not burn the cotton to death.

Cotton farming in West Texas is...(complete article here).

Charging for Wind Infrastructure

OK. So, the majority of Texans are willing to pay an extra $4/month for new transmission infrastructure. Let me ask you -- when was the last time anyone felt like they had a say in what was charged on their electric bill? We just get mad and pay it anyway.

Poll: Majority of Texans open to $4 charge for wind farms

By JANET ELLIOTT
Copyright 2008
Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — A majority of Texans would be willing to pay $4 more on their monthly electric bills to create a network of power lines from wind farms, according to a recent poll.

The survey, commissioned by a group of wind generation companies, is being released in advance of state utility regulators' debate over how much new transmission to require for wind-generated electricity. The Public Utility Commission is...(complete article here).

Power Sources vs Wildlife Risk

There are risks in everything that we do. It is a question of risk management -- although not necessarily in the sense that an investor would think of it.

EnergyResearch finds wind power poses least risk to wildlife

By TOM FOWLER
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Wind and nuclear power plants have the lowest potential impact on wildlife among the major U.S. electricity sources, according to a report examining several decades of research.

Taking into account the entire life cycle of a power project — from extraction of the fuel through plant construction, operation and shutdown — the risks to...(complete article here).

Booming Texas Economy: What to do With the Surplus

Some good economic news is always welcome. My first reaction is "Yeehaw, I can't wait to get my rebate check!" Upon further reflection however, I think this money should be invested in infrastructure. We need to expand the power grid to get the wind-generated electricity from West Texas to the population centers like DFW, Houston and San Antonio. We also would benefit from a pipeline to move ethanol from plants in the Panhandle to the blenders in Corpus Christi and Houston. We could definitely use additional water resource development and the highways seem to always need upgrading (preferably not as tollways). Let's keep the Texas economy booming by investing the anticipated surplus in the infrastructure necessary to handle the growth.

May 7, 2008, 12:20AM

Oil prices help Texas rake in $10.7 billion surplus

Sales tax revenue also aids projected overflow Perry hopes to share with you

By CLAY ROBISON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — The nation may be on the verge of a recession, but the Texas economy is doing well enough for Comptroller Susan Combs to predict Tuesday that the Legislature will have a $10.7 billion surplus when it convenes in January.

Much of the extra money can be attributed to...(complete article here).

Texas Wind Power

It's not "black" gold, it is colorless....(from the NY Times)

Move Over, Oil, There’s Money in Texas Wind

SWEETWATER, Tex. — The wind turbines that recently went up on Louis Brooks’s ranch are twice as high as the Statue of Liberty, with blades that span as wide as the wingspan of a jumbo jet. More important from his point of view, he is paid $500 a month to permit 78 of them on his land, with 76 more on the way.

“That’s just money you’re hearing,” he said as they hummed in a brisk breeze recently.
Texas, once the oil capital of North America, is rapidly turning into the capital of wind power.

After breakneck growth the last three years, Texas has...(complete article here).

Record Wind Power Growth in 2007

Note in the article below that Texas produces in excess of 25% of the wind power generated electricity in the U.S. (I find this interesting coming on the heels of this article posted yesterday).

U.S. wind power grew 45 percent in 2007: AWEA

By Bernie Woodall

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. wind power grew by 45 percent in 2007, blowing away past annual growth marks, industry group American Wind Energy Association said Thursday.

Utilities seeking green alternatives, some in states requiring more renewable power, helped wind power account for $9 billion invested and 30 percent of all new U.S. power generation in 2007, the AWEA said in its annual year-end report.

In 2006, wind power grew by 20 percent. when about $4 billion was spent in the industry.

The AWEA said this year's new wind power installation will be...(complete article here).