Desert Sky Wind Farm
2:22 PM
The Desert Sky Wind Farm is a 160.5 megawatt wind power station located near the far West Texas town of Iraan, in Pecos County. The wind farm consists of 107 GE wind turbines, each rated at 1.5 megawatts spread over a 15-square-mile (39 km2) area. American Electric Power (AEP) owns the facility and CPS Energy of San Antonio purchases all power produced under long-term agreements with AEP.
The American Wind Energy Association says, “Over the last 20 years, the cost of electricity from utility-scale wind systems has dropped by more than 80%. In the early 1980s, when the first utility-scale turbines were installed, wind-generated electricity cost as much as 30 cents per kilowatt-hour. Now, state-of-the-art wind power plants can generate electricity for less than 5 cents/kWh in many parts of the U.S., a price that is competitive with new coal- or gas-fired power plants. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working with the wind industry to develop a next generation of wind turbine technology. The products from this program are expected to generate electricity at prices that will be lower still.”
The turbines generally begin to produce electricity in wind speeds as low as 8 miles per hour and they shut themselves down in wind speeds over 56 mph. Single-pole, tubular-steel towers approximately 200 feet tall are used for the project.
GE Wind Energy (formerly Enron Wind) did an extensive environmental site evaluation at the Desert Sky location. There was no evidence that the wind generation facility would significantly impact the natural environment in the area. There was also an archaeological study performed. Sensitive areas were identified and were protected during construction.
There is a "swishing sound" associated with wind generators, but with new turbine technologies, noise has been reduced as compared to older turbines. The Desert Sky site is in a rural setting some distance from homes. Our experience is that native and farm animals are not bothered by the noise from wind projects. The American Wind Energy Association has the following to say about noise, "Large, modern wind turbines have become very quiet. At distances above 200 meters, the swishing sound of rotor blades is usually masked completely by wind noise in the leaves of trees or shrubs."
The American Wind Energy Association says, “Over the last 20 years, the cost of electricity from utility-scale wind systems has dropped by more than 80%. In the early 1980s, when the first utility-scale turbines were installed, wind-generated electricity cost as much as 30 cents per kilowatt-hour. Now, state-of-the-art wind power plants can generate electricity for less than 5 cents/kWh in many parts of the U.S., a price that is competitive with new coal- or gas-fired power plants. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working with the wind industry to develop a next generation of wind turbine technology. The products from this program are expected to generate electricity at prices that will be lower still.”
The turbines generally begin to produce electricity in wind speeds as low as 8 miles per hour and they shut themselves down in wind speeds over 56 mph. Single-pole, tubular-steel towers approximately 200 feet tall are used for the project.
GE Wind Energy (formerly Enron Wind) did an extensive environmental site evaluation at the Desert Sky location. There was no evidence that the wind generation facility would significantly impact the natural environment in the area. There was also an archaeological study performed. Sensitive areas were identified and were protected during construction.
There is a "swishing sound" associated with wind generators, but with new turbine technologies, noise has been reduced as compared to older turbines. The Desert Sky site is in a rural setting some distance from homes. Our experience is that native and farm animals are not bothered by the noise from wind projects. The American Wind Energy Association has the following to say about noise, "Large, modern wind turbines have become very quiet. At distances above 200 meters, the swishing sound of rotor blades is usually masked completely by wind noise in the leaves of trees or shrubs."
