Image Courtesy of NREL
Landowners need to understand that they are marketing their land to the wind developers.
These developers purchase the turbines from the manufacturers, lease the land to place the turbines, construct and operate the development, and then sell the electricity to a utility or distribution company. Wind developers analyze the location by looking for availability of transmission lines, the amount of open space, the strength of the wind resource and several other factors.
There are two categories that divide wind projects: commercial (<100kW) and small scale (>100kW.) Commercial scale projects usually sell their electricity while small-scale projects (small wind) produce power for on-site usage.
For a complete list of developer contacts, click here.
There are three models of ownership in wind power:
- Lease your land to a wind developer: Landowners lease their land to wind developers for commercial scale projects. Land leases vary upon location of land and quality of its wind resource. Landowners receive compensation from project developers when they lease land for commercial-scale projects. This compensation can vary depending in both amount and duration from project to project. However, when reading over the leasing documents landowners should seek experienced legal help prior to signing as these complex and binding documents.
- Community wind project: A group, an organization, or an entity develops and owns a commercial-scale project. Community wind projects refer to the method of development rather than the size of the project. The economic rewards can be proportionately greater than leasing land with a developer; however, the risks can also be much greater.
- Small Wind: Individuals, businesses, or farms own and operate small-scale turbines. These small-scale projects are typically not connect to a power grid.This is a choice made to consciously watch energy use and with the possibility of saving money on energy expenditure.
Where America’s Wind Resources Are
Find more information on your state by clicking on the appropriate link:AR | KS | LA | MO | NE | NM | OK | TX
Where Arkansas’ Wind Resources Are
Where Kansas’ Wind Resources Are
Where Louisiana’s Wind Resources Are
Where Missouri’s Wind Resources Are
Where Nebraska’s Wind Resources Are
Where New Mexico’s Wind Resources Are
Where Oklahoma’s Wind Resources Are
Where Texas’ Wind Resources Are
Source: Texas General Land Office.
An interactive map may be found atThe West Texas A&M University’ Alternative Energy Institute.
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Wind speeds vary at different elevations and certain locations may be commercially viable at greater elevations. A hilltop, for example, will experience stronger winds than the base of a valley. Typical commercial towers have a height between 50-80 meters; infrastructure limitations prevent the transportation of towers greater than 150 meters.
| Wind Power Class (at 50 meters) | Area (km2) | Percent of State Land | Potential Capacity (MW) | Potential Production (Billion kWh) | % of Texas Electric Consumption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 143,400 | 21.13% | 396,000 | 86 | 371% |
| 4 | 29,700 | 4.38% | 21,600 | 48 | 100% |
| 5 | 5,000 | 0.74% | 21,600 | 48 | 21% |
| 6 | 300 | 0.04% | 1,600 | 4 | 2% |
| Total | 178,400 | 26.29% | 524,800 | 1,143 | 493% |
Source: Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Texas has abundant wind resources and wind power has the potential to play a larger role in Texas’ energy mix. Wind Power helps control the cost of electricity for all Texans.
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