Have you got a question about wind energy development? PERFECT, we've been wondering what questions you might have!
We're in the process of collecting questions so that we can provide a frequently asked questions list to those curious about wind energy development. Most of our members and potential members are landowners so the majority of the questions on the list will most likely reflect that fact, but we are willing to entertain any questions you may have. Are you curious about transmission expansion, royalties paid to landowners, who are the major players in wind development, what kind of due diligence has to be done before development, or something else? Our goal with this list is to cover all the bases of wind energy development and we'll use feedback to narrow the list down to those things that seems to be weighing most heavily on peoples' minds.
The second part of this task will be answering these questions. And once we get the list of questions together we'll be asking for your help to do that to. We are hoping to be as all inclusive as possible with these answers and would love to get your feedback on the questions list that we develop. So if you've been working in the wind industry and have some knowledge you would like to share, please check back for the FAQ list post and leave your input as a comment.
For the time being, please post your questions as a comment. We appreciate your help!
Until next time...
- Find out what I'm doing, Follow Me :)
PR - Wind Expo Draws A Crowd
Here is our latest press release about last week's expo. Feel free to pass it on, put it in your publication or print a copy and carry it around in your pocket! :)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association
Kelly Ayers, Executive Director
(806) 983-2793
Kelly.j.ayers@gmail.com
FLOYDADA, Texas, March 9, 2010– It was tough to find a parking space at the Unity Center in Floyd County on Thursday March 4th. The parking lot was at full capacity, packed with wind industry professionals who had booths at the event and others hoping to learn more about the industry and its future in the Texas panhandle.
The wind energy expo hosted by Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association brought in a crowd of nearly 300 people from across the South Plains. Attendees came to meet with developers, transmission companies, consultants and manufacturers as well as educational and advocacy groups working in wind energy.
“The event was well attended and a testament to the optimism of wind energy development in West Texas,” said the Floydada Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Justin Jaworski. “Floydada EDC is currently working to help develop a proper incentive program for wind farms and looks forward to assisting this process in the near future.”
Local companies in the Texas Panhandle such as Turbines Over Texas and Alternative Energy Specialties were hoping to use CPWEA’s wind energy expo to promote their products and services.
Randy Craig is an associate professor of biology at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, but three years ago he began building a residential wind turbine with other local residents. Craig and the Turbines Over Texas crew had the turbine that they are currently manufacturing on display at the expo.
“Through much trial and error we feel that we have achieved a small-wind residential, rural turbine that will allow more people to assist with rising electrical costs and reduce their carbon foot-print on the Earth,” Craig said. “The expo was an opportunity for our small manufacturing company to increase the awareness of our wind turbine company and its presence in Hale County, Texas.”
Alternative Energy Specialties located in Abernathy, Texas also had an exhibit at the event. Their exhibit featured a patent pending meteorological tower (often times referred to as a met tower) that they manufacture locally.
“Our Tall-Tilt™ 60 thru 80 meter met towers are patent pending technology and were designed and engineered by a local team here in the Lubbock area in 2009,” said Glenn Van Slyke, a member of the Alternative Energy Specialties team. “It was beneficial to be in the same venue with the companies that use our products since what we provide is in place, and many times gone, long before power is generated by a turbine.”
Hill Country Wind Power is one of the developers that local representatives like Van Slyke were happy to see at the event. HCWP develops small to mid-sized wind farms. They are a non-traditional wind farm developer as they focus on selling retail electricity from their projects to large end-users like co-ops, school districts and hospitals.
John McNair, director of land acquisitions at HCWP, said their focus was to take care of the landowner first. He noted that selling electricity at retail benefits landowners, investors and local communities.
“At the expo I met primarily with landowners in areas we are targeting, some who represented target areas as far as two and a half hours from the expo location,” McNair said. “That speaks volumes about what CPWEA is doing, facilitating the introduction of developers to landowners in the windiest areas of Texas.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association
Kelly Ayers, Executive Director
(806) 983-2793
Kelly.j.ayers@gmail.com
Wind Expo Draws a Crowd
FLOYDADA, Texas, March 9, 2010– It was tough to find a parking space at the Unity Center in Floyd County on Thursday March 4th. The parking lot was at full capacity, packed with wind industry professionals who had booths at the event and others hoping to learn more about the industry and its future in the Texas panhandle.
The wind energy expo hosted by Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association brought in a crowd of nearly 300 people from across the South Plains. Attendees came to meet with developers, transmission companies, consultants and manufacturers as well as educational and advocacy groups working in wind energy.
“The event was well attended and a testament to the optimism of wind energy development in West Texas,” said the Floydada Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Justin Jaworski. “Floydada EDC is currently working to help develop a proper incentive program for wind farms and looks forward to assisting this process in the near future.”
Local companies in the Texas Panhandle such as Turbines Over Texas and Alternative Energy Specialties were hoping to use CPWEA’s wind energy expo to promote their products and services.
Randy Craig is an associate professor of biology at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, but three years ago he began building a residential wind turbine with other local residents. Craig and the Turbines Over Texas crew had the turbine that they are currently manufacturing on display at the expo.
“Through much trial and error we feel that we have achieved a small-wind residential, rural turbine that will allow more people to assist with rising electrical costs and reduce their carbon foot-print on the Earth,” Craig said. “The expo was an opportunity for our small manufacturing company to increase the awareness of our wind turbine company and its presence in Hale County, Texas.”
Alternative Energy Specialties located in Abernathy, Texas also had an exhibit at the event. Their exhibit featured a patent pending meteorological tower (often times referred to as a met tower) that they manufacture locally.
“Our Tall-Tilt™ 60 thru 80 meter met towers are patent pending technology and were designed and engineered by a local team here in the Lubbock area in 2009,” said Glenn Van Slyke, a member of the Alternative Energy Specialties team. “It was beneficial to be in the same venue with the companies that use our products since what we provide is in place, and many times gone, long before power is generated by a turbine.”
Hill Country Wind Power is one of the developers that local representatives like Van Slyke were happy to see at the event. HCWP develops small to mid-sized wind farms. They are a non-traditional wind farm developer as they focus on selling retail electricity from their projects to large end-users like co-ops, school districts and hospitals.
John McNair, director of land acquisitions at HCWP, said their focus was to take care of the landowner first. He noted that selling electricity at retail benefits landowners, investors and local communities.
“At the expo I met primarily with landowners in areas we are targeting, some who represented target areas as far as two and a half hours from the expo location,” McNair said. “That speaks volumes about what CPWEA is doing, facilitating the introduction of developers to landowners in the windiest areas of Texas.”
###
Expo Aftermath
I'm going to take a quick break from working on a post-expo press release and share a couple pictures from the event last week. If for some reason you just can't wait to read some details about how the expo went you can check out this article that was posted on the Lubbock AJ's Web site the day after the event:
Wind Energy Expo shows local residents new profit opportunity
You can also check out a video about the event made by Justin Jaworski, executive director at the Floydada EDC: Floyd County Wind Expo. I am going to go ahead and ask that you excuse me for all the umms and other blunders as I talk in the video; I hope it doesn't scare you away from our blog for good! :) Thanks again Justin for the video.
Now for the pictures...
Wind Energy Expo shows local residents new profit opportunity
You can also check out a video about the event made by Justin Jaworski, executive director at the Floydada EDC: Floyd County Wind Expo. I am going to go ahead and ask that you excuse me for all the umms and other blunders as I talk in the video; I hope it doesn't scare you away from our blog for good! :) Thanks again Justin for the video.
Now for the pictures...
People from all over the South Plains came out for the event. This was the sign in table early on in the evening. People started pouring in even before the designated 5pm start time, but it was just fine, the exhibitors were ready to roll.
Tri Global Energy, out of Lubbock, Texas, was one of the 30 exhibitors at the event. Here are a couple of their representatives talking to attendees about their company. Their booth stayed busy all night and it wasn't just because of the candy bowls!
Two of the most visual displays were Alternative Energy Specialties' meteorological tower and Turbines of Texas' small residential turbine. Both groups are local, out of Hale County Texas and we were more than happy to have them represented at the event.
The Unity Center in Muncy got quite busy as the expo got going. We had just around 300 attendees show up at the event! Check out this shot of all those great, great West Texas people!
Here Cameron Fredkin, with Cross Texas Transmission, talks with attendees about the transmission lines that they have been chosen to build in the area as a part of the CREZ transmission build out.
Two of the most visual displays were Alternative Energy Specialties' meteorological tower and Turbines of Texas' small residential turbine. Both groups are local, out of Hale County Texas and we were more than happy to have them represented at the event.
The Unity Center in Muncy got quite busy as the expo got going. We had just around 300 attendees show up at the event! Check out this shot of all those great, great West Texas people!
Thank you to everyone that came out and made the event a success. A very special thank you to all the exhibitors, the CPWEA board of directors, Jon LaBaume at the Unity Center, Justin Jaworski at the Floydada EDC and everyone else who helped make this event possible.
Be looking for a press release about the event soon! Until next time...
Be looking for a press release about the event soon! Until next time...
Lubbock AJ Write-up
The Lubbock Avalanche Journal posted this on their Web site yesterday. Looking forward to seeing more about our upcoming expo in the Wednesday AJ!
Floyd County hosts first Wind Energy Expo
Monday, March 01, 2010
The recent snow and rain may help area producers save money on irrigation, but there is another natural source of income they could cash in on.
The Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association will host its first Wind Energy Expo to educate the public on the long-term benefits of wind energy in the South Plains.
The main benefactors of investing in wind energy in the region, but may not realize it, are landowners, said Justin Jaworski, executive director of the Floydada Economic Development Corporation.
“It’s a good way (for producers) to have supplemental income,” he said. “A way for them to be able to farm their land as they always have and make smart decisions about leasing out land to developers.”
Landowners, who lease their land to developers for wind turbines or transmission lines, will not use the energy generated on their land. Instead, they will generate money from the metropolitan areas that the energy is exported to and bring more money and business to West Texas, Jaworski said.
He said many people have already agreed to lease some of their land for wind energy development, and the expo will serve to further educate and prepare those individuals for future decisions.
Kelly Ayers, executive director for CPWEA, said this was the non-profit organization’s first big event that will bring wind energy developers and experts together with South Plains landowners.
Attendees will be able to meet energy developers, consultants, manufacturers and educators from Oklahoma, Amarillo, Big Spring, Sweetwater and Plainview.
While the majority of the CPWEA members live in Hale, Floyd and Motley counties, Ayers said the event is free and open to anyone interested in learning about or investing in wind energy.
By having the expo, Jaworski said members of the public can speak directly with the companies and get all of their questions answered.
“The more people, the more networking and connections, the faster things will happen,” he said.
Read more in Wednesday's Avalanche-Journal.
I found it here: http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/030110/upd_569390548.shtml
I hope to see you all at the expo on Thursday!
PR - Over 20 Exhibits Expected at Upcoming Wind Expo
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association
Kelly Ayers, Executive Director
(806) 983-2793
Kelly.j.ayers@gmail.com
Over 20 companies or groups will be taking advantage of the opportunity to set up a booth free of charge at the expo hosted by Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association. The event to be held at the Floyd County Friends Unity Center will be free and open to the public from five until eight p.m.
Exhibitors include wind companies involved with on-site wind generation for your home, farm or business as well as companies interested in developing small, mid-size and large utility scale wind developments. Hill Country Wind Power, Tri Global Energy, P&K Wind Energy and Western Wind Turbines will all have representatives available to provide attendees with information about their companies and answer any questions landowners or community members might have.
Curtis King, director of investor relations at Tri Global Energy, will be one of the representatives present at the expo and he is excited to meet more local people and share with them Tri Global’s plan for developing wind and other renewable resources in the area.
“We will have a model of our newest small wind turbine set up at the event for people to check out,” King said. “This model, the Texas Wrangler, can help homes, ranches, farms and schools benefit from wind energy. We’ll also have information about big wind and other renewable development opportunities; we hope that people will come out and talk with us about those opportunities.”
Sharyland Utilities and Cross Texas Transmission who are both involved with the build out of the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) transmission lines will both have booths with available representatives at the event. Information will also be available from the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the regional transmission organization which operates in the Texas panhandle and surrounding states.
Alternative Energy Institute, Texas Wind Energy Institute and Class 4 Winds will all have information important for landowners, community leaders and individuals interested in getting involved in many different aspects of the wind industry including the workforce.
Other companies that offer services within the wind industry who will be in attendance are
American Wind Capital, Underwood Law Firm, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Integra Wind Services, AKL Wind Energy Scouting and Land Services, Bureau Veritas, Silver Creek Farms, Anemometry Specialists, and Sage Oil Vac. Local entities that will be represented include the Plainview Chamber of Commerce and the Floydada Economic Development Corporation, who is a sponsor for the event. Justin Jaworski, executive director at the Floydada EDC hopes that this expo will create opportunities for the area.
“We want to do everything we can to support wind energy in Floyd County,” Jaworski said. “Dollar for dollar, it will have the greatest impact on the future of our economy than any other investment. Floydada EDC has been and will continue to support initiatives that will ensure our area is a prime destination for development.”
Interested parties still have time to sign up to have an information table or exhibit at the event. They can register for free by completing an exhibitor sign-up form which can be found on CPWEA’s Web site (www.caprockplainswind.com).
CPWEA is a non-profit landowner association working to connect landowners with developers in the wind industry. CPWEA’s goal is to recruit wind development to the region and help revitalize rural communities. Contact CPWEA by phone at (806) 983-2793 or by email at info@caprockplainswind.com.
###
Contact:
Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association
Kelly Ayers, Executive Director
(806) 983-2793
Kelly.j.ayers@gmail.com
Over 20 Exhibits Expected at Upcoming Wind Expo
FLOYDADA, Texas, February 19, 2010 – The fourth of March is fast approaching and the number of exhibitors that will be present at the Wind Energy Expo in Muncy, Texas, continues to grow.Over 20 companies or groups will be taking advantage of the opportunity to set up a booth free of charge at the expo hosted by Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association. The event to be held at the Floyd County Friends Unity Center will be free and open to the public from five until eight p.m.
Exhibitors include wind companies involved with on-site wind generation for your home, farm or business as well as companies interested in developing small, mid-size and large utility scale wind developments. Hill Country Wind Power, Tri Global Energy, P&K Wind Energy and Western Wind Turbines will all have representatives available to provide attendees with information about their companies and answer any questions landowners or community members might have.
Curtis King, director of investor relations at Tri Global Energy, will be one of the representatives present at the expo and he is excited to meet more local people and share with them Tri Global’s plan for developing wind and other renewable resources in the area.
“We will have a model of our newest small wind turbine set up at the event for people to check out,” King said. “This model, the Texas Wrangler, can help homes, ranches, farms and schools benefit from wind energy. We’ll also have information about big wind and other renewable development opportunities; we hope that people will come out and talk with us about those opportunities.”
Sharyland Utilities and Cross Texas Transmission who are both involved with the build out of the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) transmission lines will both have booths with available representatives at the event. Information will also be available from the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the regional transmission organization which operates in the Texas panhandle and surrounding states.
Alternative Energy Institute, Texas Wind Energy Institute and Class 4 Winds will all have information important for landowners, community leaders and individuals interested in getting involved in many different aspects of the wind industry including the workforce.
Other companies that offer services within the wind industry who will be in attendance are
American Wind Capital, Underwood Law Firm, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Integra Wind Services, AKL Wind Energy Scouting and Land Services, Bureau Veritas, Silver Creek Farms, Anemometry Specialists, and Sage Oil Vac. Local entities that will be represented include the Plainview Chamber of Commerce and the Floydada Economic Development Corporation, who is a sponsor for the event. Justin Jaworski, executive director at the Floydada EDC hopes that this expo will create opportunities for the area.
“We want to do everything we can to support wind energy in Floyd County,” Jaworski said. “Dollar for dollar, it will have the greatest impact on the future of our economy than any other investment. Floydada EDC has been and will continue to support initiatives that will ensure our area is a prime destination for development.”
Interested parties still have time to sign up to have an information table or exhibit at the event. They can register for free by completing an exhibitor sign-up form which can be found on CPWEA’s Web site (www.caprockplainswind.com).
CPWEA is a non-profit landowner association working to connect landowners with developers in the wind industry. CPWEA’s goal is to recruit wind development to the region and help revitalize rural communities. Contact CPWEA by phone at (806) 983-2793 or by email at info@caprockplainswind.com.
###
The More the Merrier - Exhibitors
We almost have 20 companies signed up to have exhibits at our upcoming expo and we have plenty room for more. I welcome comments or suggestions on companies that we should try and get out to the event; just give me your suggestion and, if I haven't already, I will contact those companies you suggest. If you are involved in the wind industry and would like to be involved you can sign up for free and you don't have to have a big fancy booth to participate. Just a table with information about your company and a representative to answer questions works great for us! Fax or email me a sign up form if you're interested.
Now, you are probably wondering why I'm telling you all this again if you read my last blog post: Free Like the Wind. Well, I wanted to give you an update on the companies that will be there. In addition to those listed last time:
Until Next Time...
Now, you are probably wondering why I'm telling you all this again if you read my last blog post: Free Like the Wind. Well, I wanted to give you an update on the companies that will be there. In addition to those listed last time:
- Sharyland Utilities
- Cross Texas Transmission
- Tri Global Energy
- Hill Country Wind Power
- Bureau Veritas
- Integra Wind Services
- AKL Wind Energy Scouting
- Class 4 Winds
- Plainview Chamber of Commerce
- Underwood Law Firm
- Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc.
- Floydada EDC
- P&K Wind Energy
- Anemometry Specialists
- Sage Oil Vac
- Texas Wind Energy Institute
- American Wind Capital
- Silver Creek Farms
- Alternative Energy Institute - WTAMU
Until Next Time...
Free Like The Wind
You may have seen our recent press releases or flyers (or at least I am hoping you have, I don't write these things for nothing you see)!! But just in case you haven't here's the deal. Our association (Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association) is hosting a Wind Energy Expo on March 4, 2010. And here is the kicker, it's all free. Free and open to the public, free for companies who want to set up exhibits, free for community leaders, free for landowners, free for people interested in working in the wind energy field, free for high school students, for college students, for babies... okay, I'll stop, I think you catch my drift... It's free! And excuse my corniness but I got really excited when the title for this blog popped into my head so you'll just have to go along with me on this one, I'll just mention it one last time: THE EVENT IS FREE, FREE LIKE THE WIND!
In all seriousness, the event is free because we want to get as many people involved with the wind industry out to meet and network with local landowners and community leaders. Not to mention provide a venue wherein people within the industry can network amongst themselves. The goal is to spur development in our area and hopefully in return bring something back to the local communities.
Here's a little taste of some of the companies that have signed up to have a booth:
For more information about the expo check out our Flyer or Press Release. And feel free to pass along this information to anyone that might be interested in attending.
Until next time...
In all seriousness, the event is free because we want to get as many people involved with the wind industry out to meet and network with local landowners and community leaders. Not to mention provide a venue wherein people within the industry can network amongst themselves. The goal is to spur development in our area and hopefully in return bring something back to the local communities.
Here's a little taste of some of the companies that have signed up to have a booth:
- Sharyland Utilities
- Cross Texas Transmission
- Tri Global Energy
- Hill Country Wind Power
- Bureau Veritas
- Integra Wind Services
- AKL Wind Energy Scouting
- Class 4 Winds
- Plainview Chamber of Commerce
- Underwood Law Firm
- Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc.
For more information about the expo check out our Flyer or Press Release. And feel free to pass along this information to anyone that might be interested in attending.
Until next time...
