GULF WIND WINS TEXAS RANGE WAR

Energy in the wind; Ribbon-cutting celebrates Gulf Wind turbines' start this week in Kenedy County
Michael Zamora, January 8, 2009 (Corpus Christi Caller)

"…After three years of studies, development, lawsuits and environmental problem solving, the Gulf Wind project, a $740 million wind farm on 7,851 acres of the Kenedy Ranch, is all but complete.

"Project leaders, Kenedy Foundation members and guests celebrated…with a ribbon-cutting …

"Only a handful of turbines were spinning, but [John Calaway, chief development officer with project developer Babcock & Brown] expects 100 of the 118 [2.4 megawatt] turbines to be producing electricity by the end of the month."

from the Corpus Christi Caller (click to enlarge)

"The other 18 turbines won't be ready until March. Parts for those turbines were at the port in Galveston during Hurricane Ike, so they were sent back to the Mitsubishi company in Japan to check for possible damage.

"An additional 200 megawatts of power will be produced by the end of 2009…when more than 80 additional turbines are completed.

"Part of the farm's delay came from several area groups who protested its construction, citing potential environmental concerns and attempting to halt the project late last year. Those efforts were unsuccessful [because] the project's developers challenged the concerns…royalties from the project will be used by the foundation to continue giving back to the South Texas community…"