Apparently there is going to be an expansion in the effort to use wind energy as a source of power. I read that a large area in west Texas is going to be used for the initial survey in determining the efficiency of using wind energy.I know this is not completely new but it seems there may be a major attempt to make this much more large scaled. I personally don’t know much about the topic, but the idea sounds pretty good at first glance. I figured someone on here would know more about it so let’s hear it.

yea, they tried it up by my brother in the northeast and fuking PETA got pissed b/c it was killing too many seagulls.

A couple partners of mines lost thays high-dolla Deer lease 'cause the land owner is gonna make mo money with them wind-mills !!! Thats out in Concho county Texas. Thats all I know 'bout them wind-mills.

That's bad news about the deer leases. The same thing with the sea gulls may be what they're worried about with the prairie chickens here, but even worse sense they are already in such low numbers.

there's a bunch of them out there in west texas already... seems like every other day I see a rig hauling windmill parts on the interstate.

What sux is that they are using condemnation to "take" the land.

It is freakin land theft.

They belong out in the Gulf over water.

Its funny how we are investing so much money in the energy sorces that we have the smallest amount of.

Those guys are leaseing today - but they better watch out tommorrow.

Eminent domain is about to become the standard in the south as it
already is in the north.


http://www.patgray.com/?p=2073

As further reported by Business Week,

On Nov. 6, Roberts County held an election to decide whether to form the new district. Only two people were qualified to take part: Alton and Lu Boone [the couple who manage the Pickens' ranch from which the eight acres were sold]. The vote was unanimous. With that, Pickens won the right to issue tax-free bonds for his pipeline and electrical lines as well as the extraordinary power to claim land across swaths of the state.

The water district also approved "$101 million in revenue bonds to acquire the rights-of-way through up to 12 counties for delivering water and wind-generated electricity." Earlier this years, the new water district and Mesa Power (Pickens' power company) together sent letters to about 1,100 landowners along part of the proposed 320-mile path through 11 Panhandle and Central Texas counties, telling them their "property may be affected" as the water district obtains rights of way for construction of the underground pipeline and aboveground electrical transmission lines, and hosted a number of public meetings telling landowners in Pickens' way how "fair" Pickens wants to be with them as he lays pipe and power lines across 250 foot swathes of their land.

Construction of the pipeline and transmission lines is expected to begin in 2009, to the tune of roughly $2 billion each. Pickens is set to spend $12 billion on the world’s largest wind farm in the Texas panhandle, while he expects his water investment in the area — around a $100 million so far - will earn him about $1 billion.

Funny thang 'bout mines partners Deer lease. The place is 'bout 6,000 acres and in one part of it is this huge "dam". This thang is huge. I ask ... what the heck is that ? It was a goverment program in the years back that was gonna stop water fo some kind of reason. Thay ain't no creek or nothin' there .... just this large dam. I wonder ifin' years will pass and thay will be these rusted up wind-mills settin' out there makin' some East-Texas Red-Neck wonder ....... Whats that thar fo ???

Brooks, you ever thought about runnin for Congress?
I'ma be your campaign manager.

You just summarized eminent domain, federal subsidies and about three other issues we're facing in one sentence and showed the folly of all of it.

Right on man.

Shit

Windmills are a bullshit thing in all but the best locations. It is a feelgood program that the gov't is pumping money into via the granting of tax shelters to those who invest in them. Wind's biggest problem is the inconsistency of generation. Sometimes they work, sometimes the wind just ain't blowing. In the very best, most dependable wind areas the transmission infastructure (big, high voltage power lines) does not exist to carry the power that would be made. To create it would cost billions and can't be done overnight. If, after all of that effort and money, we would have in place a system that would satisfy our increased needs for electical energy going forward, it would be a great thing. But I think if we hit it out of the park on this one, wind wouldn't even make up 20% of our needs.

They are an eyesore, they break up grazing areas, and as confirmed by an article I just read in USA today, they are killing thousands and thousands of birds such as eagles, hawks and yes, migratory birds including waterfowl. Would you like to see the day where your hunting seasons and bag limits were effected in your flyway by the factoring in of windmill mortality on waterfowl?

This country should start building nuke plants again and be done with it.

From what I've heard and some have already stated, windmills won't even come close to supplying the need for power. I also want to know how are they killing birds? Not saying it doesn't happen, but are they really just flying into them? Hard to believe.

Some of those little ones spin really fast... I am guessing that one rock kisser found a few dead birds by one and voila... its all of a sudden genocide.. How many birds do think are killed every day from flying into a pane of glass???

I have been traveling the nation for the last 6 years building wind farms. There is some truth in the above posts but there is plenty of BS as well.

1) They do kill birds because the dumb bastards fly into the rotating blades. Developers are placing a huge emphasis on this and do studies for years to determine flight patterns so that turbines are placed outside of primary flight paths. It seems that there is always a local, liberal college that assigns students to maintain an acre-or-two under some selected turbines and search the areas for dead things daily for some period of time. I have seen geese, eagles, pigeons, doves, etc.... all hit by blades. But the primary issue is bats. A wind turbine will kill some bats. The newer wind tubines are much larger and slower than the smaller, older turbines but even a new turbine with 154' blades at 15 rpm, the blade tip is traveling at about 225 mph.

2) Landowners often quit farming after they get wind turbines. The turbines are generally very profitable for the landowner. Please have a farmer show me another way to legally make 4-6k per year off a 20' diameter circle of land and a 16' wide access road. Some owners will have a flat-rate lease per year, some get a percentage of the power sold, some get a combination. There are instances where landowners have gotten the shaft becuase they got a turbine that wasn't reliable or there were other issues preventing the sale of power- thereby preventing royalties. Additionally, landowners get a flat rate for the disturbance of the land during construction. They also get paid for every foot of underground or overhead utilities.

3) Hunting is not adversely affected by wind turbines. We have even shut down construction of wind farms for dove hunts, pheasant hunts, deer seasons, etc. Hunting continues on wind farms after the turbines are built. Over the last 6 years, I have seen elk killed under turbines, deer killed under turbines, and I have killed countless, ducks, geese, turkeys and pheasants on wind farms- operating or under construction.

Its just like anything else, there are good and bad experiences. Wind is a viable energy source- as stated above, it will never be the sole source but every time a wind turbine is turning, a gas burning "peaker" plant is idled down. Thats how this works. Wind offsets the burning of fossil fuels....when the wind blows. Let me tell you. It blows pretty regularly where we build wind farms.

Also as stated above. The answer to our energy needs is nuclear but wind is a smart and viable alternative with or without government subsidization.

Just for you Brooks....

...I'm studying for my Surveyors License. Basically if the state wants it they can take it!

Eminent domain refers to the power possessed by the state over all property within the state, specifically its power to appropriate property for a public use. In some jurisdictions, the state delegates eminent domain power to certain public and private companies, typically utilities!

Tmorelli ~ Thanks fo yore input and yore hands-on info !!!

4k-6k $$$$ fo each one per year ??? I gots a back yard ya'lls can install 'bout ten of 'em whenever ya'lls want too !!!