Big news in the alternative energy world: Texas Tech is establishing a wind energy institute:

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2010/may/24/tech-announces-wind-energy-institute/

“Texas Tech University has announced it will become the research hub for the newly formed National Institute for Renewable Energy, a wind energy consortium started with financial help from West Texas organizations such as the Development Corporation of Abilene.”

This is a great next step in the development of alternative energy research. We also need to research renewable sources other than wind, like biomass. That’s why I’m here this week at the University of Idaho looking into the research that the university is doing with my Advanced Trailer for Biomass.

I’m excited about what biomass is and what it could mean to our future.

Today we conclude our series on the myths of wind power by discussing the top three complaints.

First, we are often told that wind turbines are too noisy. Not so according to Appalachian State University:

“Today’s large wind turbines make less noise (about 45 decibels-dB) than the background noise you hear in your own home (50 dB)! According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), today an operating wind farm at a distance of about 750 to 1,000 feet is no noisier than a kitchen refrigerator or a moderately quiet room.”

Second, we sometimes hear that lots of turbines are needed just to generate minimal energy. Again, not so:

“Improved technology has enabled far fewer turbines to produce more electricity. The standard output of a turbine grew from .5 mW in 1995 to 1.5 mW in 2003.”

And last but not least, we always hear that wind turbines are not very pretty. Not true at all:

“In North Carolina, a study to determine public attitudes towards wind energy was recently conducted. The study found that 77.1% of participants who had seen first hand a utility scale turbine said that they liked its appearance. Studies from numerous US states and other countries report that a majority of people think wind turbines are graceful, elegant structures. Many people find turbines to be interesting features in the landscape, enhancing the vista overall. In the UK, the British Wind Energy Association notes that wind farms are popular tourist attractions, with thousands of people each year flocking to visit attractions.”

So the myths against wind power are just that: myths. The reality is wind is a reliable, affordable and effective way to create supplemental energy power in the United States. So what are we waiting for? Part of the answer to our domestic energy challenge can be found blowin’ in the wind!

Today we conclude our series on the myths of wind power by discussing the top three complaints.

First, we are often told that wind turbines are too noisy. Not so according to Appalachian State University:

“Today’s large wind turbines make less noise (about 45 decibels-dB) than the background noise you hear in your own home (50 dB)! According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), today an operating wind farm at a distance of about 750 to 1,000 feet is no noisier than a kitchen refrigerator or a moderately quiet room.”

Second, we sometimes hear that lots of turbines are needed just to generate minimal energy. Again, not so:

“Improved technology has enabled far fewer turbines to produce more electricity. The standard output of a turbine grew from .5 mW in 1995 to 1.5 mW in 2003.”

And last but not least, we always hear that wind turbines are not very pretty. Not true at all:

“In North Carolina, a study to determine public attitudes towards wind energy was recently conducted. The study found that 77.1% of participants who had seen first hand a utility scale turbine said that they liked its appearance. Studies from numerous US states and other countries report that a majority of people think wind turbines are graceful, elegant structures. Many people find turbines to be interesting features in the landscape, enhancing the vista overall. In the UK, the British Wind Energy Association notes that wind farms are popular tourist attractions, with thousands of people each year flocking to visit attractions.”

So the myths against wind power are just that: myths. The reality is wind is a reliable, affordable and effective way to create supplemental energy power in the United States. So what are we waiting for? Part of the answer to our domestic energy challenge can be found blowin’ in the wind!

Another classic myth that you often hear about wind turbines is that they kill birds. Well, maybe a few birds.  But comparatively speaking, not many.

The North Carolina Wind Energy Site at Appalachian State University has thoroughly refuted this claim:

http://www.wind.appstate.edu/windpower/myths.php

The website notes that:

“Although birds do infrequently collide with turbines, wind energy poses less of a threat to birds than many other commonplace structures. In fact, the National Audubon Society has stated that it supports the development and use of wind power. Based on numerous studies that have taken place in Vermont, Colorado, Wyoming, Minnesota, and California, collision with turbines result in 1-2 bird deaths or less per turbine per year. For comparison, each year at least 60 million birds die in collisions with vehicles; at least 98 million in collisions with buildings and windows; and at least 4 million in collisions with communication towers. Important consideration should be given to placement of wind turbines to ensure that turbines are not located along migratory bird flight paths or the flight paths of threatened or rare species.”

So yes, I guess wind turbines do kill birds.  But not nearly as many as buildings, windows and cars.  And no one seems to be opposed to those.

The argument that wind power kills birds gets blown away by the wind.

Another wind myth is that wind power is just a fad and can’t really produce energy.

The reality is, this past year the United States surpassed Germany to become the world leader in wind power:

http://www.bradenton.com/living/living_green/story/1657982.html

Wind is here, wind is working and wind is growing.  According to this article:

“- Wind projects accounted for 42 percent of all new electric generating capacity in the United States last year.

“- Growth is distributed across much of the country. Texas leads the nation with 7,118 megawatts of new wind capacity installed, followed by Iowa (2,791 megawatts) and California (2,517 megawatts). For a long time, California led the United States in installed wind capacity.”

So America is leading the world and Texas leading America when it comes to wind power. And the growth of wind energy is not a fad…it’s a fact.

This week we continue our series on renewable energy and why you shouldn’t believe the myths generated by its critics.

Another key myth is that wind turbines are ugly, ruin the view and make too much noise. Here is an article about a rancher in Wyoming who wants to lease his land for wind turbines. The only problem is his neighbors don’t like the idea much:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hPppDb6c_44-I-7TjoNgGhoSD3TwD9A8RKMG1

If you were to go back in time, you might have heard some of these same arguments when the oil boom was hitting: The derricks are ugly…they ruin the view…they make noise! But before long, people realized that derricks created economic opportunity. At that point, they didn’t look so bad anymore. Soon, the derricks became part of the landscape.

And by the way, we’ve had windmills on farms for years and years and they’ve also become iconic parts of the rural landscape. The wind turbine is the same basic concept. And as for the noise, it’s a low level hum that is quite soothing.

By the way, I know what I’m talking about: I’ve had wind turbines on my ranch.

One of the myths about wind power is that it is too expensive.  The reality is, it’s one of the most affordable sources of energy around.

Consider the folks out in Sweetwater, Texas who are hoping to build a new clean coal plant:

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2009/apr/21/tenaska-coal-plant-will-need-more-than-carbon/

Talk about costly!  It is estimated that the plant will cost $3.5 billion just to build.

As the article notes:

“The plant will use low-sulfur coal from Wyoming to generate 600 megawatts electricity, losing perhaps 200 megawatts in the process of capturing carbon dioxide.

“Tenaska then plans to sell 85 percent to 90 percent of carbon emissions captured from the plant for use in oil production in West Texas – location of the world’s largest market for carbon.”

In other words, this coal plant ain’t paying for itself. The idea is to use cap-and-trade sales to cover the deficit. Talk about expensive!

In contrast. wind power does pay for itself. The turbines are relatively affordable to build. And then the electric company begins paying fees to the owner of the land. Everybody wins.

So don’t believe the myth that wind power is too expensive.

Today let’s talk about what wind power means for landowners, state taxes and economic development.

Very few of the wind farms are constructed on land owned by the owner of the wind turbines. Wind development companies lease the land from the owners. Many of the locations across Texas with great wind have sparse populations with depressed economies. When oil and cotton were kings many of these small towns prospered. Today many are on the brink of blowing like dust in the wind.

But wind is revitalizing small towns and communities all across Texas. With the wind blows in new jobs, increased tax valuations and new funds for public schools. Landowners lease their properties to wind developers like the oil tycoons did in the 40’s; but this time there are no dry holes. Landowners get an upfront fee for each site (location) that a turbine will go up on their properties, ranging from $1200 to $2000 each.

The landowner will also get a royalty percentage of the energy production. This could range from 2.5% to 6% depending on the company and how good the wind is in your area.

Here is an example from the Callahan Divide Wind Farm located southwest of Abilene. FPL installed GE 1.5 meg wind turbines that produce about $20,000 per month per turbine. This is calculated at a wholesale electricity rate of 4.9 per kwh. Most of us in Texas are paying .10cents to .13cents per kwh retail. If a landowner’s lease was at 2.5% then his monthly royalty payment would be $500 per month per turbine. You can see this isn’t a lot of money, and your not going to hit any gushers and make a million in a month. But remember there are no “dry holes.” The wind is very consistent and easily discovered. And if you were a rancher with a few thousand acres trying to scratch out a living with 50 head of cattle, you can see how 30 or 40 turbins on land that is worth just a few hundred dollars per acre could change lives and the economies where they spend their money.

Thanks to wind power, local tax values increase and so does the tax revenue for schools. Across West Texas schools like Clyde and Trent are building new schools, stadiums and rebuilding their once powerful football programs. But don’t take my word for it. Check out what Clyde just built with it’s money: http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/aug/15/clyde-builds-on-its-success-in-new-digs/

No doubt about it: wind power is changing the world.