The tallest wind turbines in the U.S. have been installed in Texas — the Vestas V90 turbines are 345 feet high, and are rated at 3 megawatts each. They are part of the 63 megawatt Snyder Wind Project, a wind farm that’s just been installed in western Texas.
Texas is already home to Horse Hollow, the world’s largest wind farm with 421 wind turbines that generate a total capacity of 735 megawatts.
The turbine towers at Snyder are so tall because wind conditions are best at that height — will produce energy sufficient to power more than 12,000 average Texas homes annually.
The wind farm was built by Enel SpA and GE Energy Financial Services. The two companies are also working together on another 101 megawatt wind farm project in Kansas.
Workers repair a 1.5 MW wind turbine — the turbines at Snyder are twice this size.
Via: GE Press Release
Read more! Related stories:
- $2 Billion Wind Turbine Order Is Largest Ever
- The Largest Wind Farm In The World: Horse Hollow
- 3000 Megawatts of New U.S. Wind Power In 2007
- Rock Port: First U.S. City To Run On 100% Wind Power
- German Town Will Soon Use 100% Renewable Power
{ 1 trackback }
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Tallest at 345 foot measured from Grade Elevation to where?
Is it at centerline of rotor?
Does it include the Radius of a vertical blade?
I will be straight forward; Are all the large wind turbines made in Germany? If they are, I fail to see where we can do any better, dollar wise. It would take ten years for the turbine to pay for itself, and they have a projected life of 20 years.
These projects are just great! They should be encouraged more and spread out faster. They have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions and offset the dependency on coal and gas.
AT THIS TIME, WIND TURBINES ARE ALMOST 98 % COST EFFECTIVE, & CONSIDERING RECENT ELECTRICITY INCREASES, (WITHOUT ANY GOVERMNET INCENTIVE). AS WE KNOW, FUEL COSTS WILL ONLY RISE, SO SOON, THESE WILL BE LOWERING OUR ELECTRIC COSTS.
IF THESE PROJECTS COULD BORROW MONEY AT THE SAME RATES AS POWER PLANTS, THEY WOULD BE CHEEPER THAN POWER PLANTS RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT ANY INCENTIVE WHAT EVER, AND THEY PRODUCE NO POLUTION.
We would be interested as a possible installation site in north Arkansas.
I am doing a project over wind tubines!!!
Since when did any ‘Propeller Tower’ wind mills become anything resembling 98% cost effective? Since lots of dumb butts started flunking math and over looking all componenents of their power equasions? For todays answers, try simple addition. 20 to 30 years expected use (if the maufacturing companies stay in business under those same corporate titles that long) with afforementioned financing charges added on. Connectivity contracts to enable on & off grid with local conventional power plant and electric companies susidized by Government funding that inevietably must be repaid by taxpayer consumers. Oh, we forgot the Dept’ of Energy’s share already paid in the billions for all these years now waiting to be paid off for all the perpetual grant funding assistance to only big wind corporates for only the Research & Development of only ‘Propeller Tower’ WindMill type windfarms since the 1960’s. And what about the new Insurance Business added on to all new and existing Wind Farms to cover all their obvious and hidden risks. Of course thats a highly variable potential cost, like your car insurance after an accident or you add on teenage drivers, or, rates gotta go up just cause the underwriters said so. And just how good are these warrantees after say, two, five, ten, fifteen, twenty years? Parts are prorated in windmills just like cars. Do they ever wear out? Hell yes, and the sooner the better! More built in profits. These ‘Wind Power’ promotors aren’t out to turn ‘GREEN’ into ‘Greed?’ Since when? better check again back on Wall Street! “…Smart money reports… 183% profits, how to play the stimulus money for big gains… 4 big wind stocks set to soar… Sorry, do the math, there’s no ‘Big profits’ to be made in a wide open speculative market when the funding is transparent and there are good guarantees. Wind energy can surely be improved, and will, with New and Improved versions and really cost efficient vertical axis designs that are coming on line to replace last years old ‘Propeller Tower Windmills and good old ‘GREEd’ Energy Initiatives! Do the Math, don’t just make up some figure to justify. Like Rock Port, first 100% wind powered City; Cost: $90,000,000 to provide power for 1,300 people (not households), for how many years? Only 20… do the Math
good stuff
How about a future goal of 1,000 feet tall, say by 2020?
That would provide excellent disruption of horizon-lines and scenery, especially in large arrays. The goal should be to maximize blight and disrespect the land as much as possible. True progress, indeed.
I Work on Wind Turbines, I do new construction.
V90’s are trash, Vestas is going to stop making them already, to many issues. The V82’s and the New Vestas Turbines are good.
GE will be leading the market in the the US soon i’m sure — Easier Construction, Maintenace, Cheaper, Transporting is cheaper.
Suzlons are the cheapest tower (Like 2.5 Mil I belive) They put out 2.4 MW. Mitizubishi Towers are expensive and they put out 2.4 also. There are hundreds of Namebrands..
And the other poster is correct, these turbines hardly pay for themselves. Just to pay off the cost of the construction (Rigging, Roadwork, Electrical, Gridwork, Substations, Etc.) will take 30 years.
These towers will last 20-30 years without Major issues, if Maintained correctly. Then they will just replace the Nacell. In the future they will help. Right now it’s all politics =)
For all the fruitcakes that say thjey kill birds and are very loud are sticking on to a 1980’s arguement. Towers since like 1990 Don’t hardy make a sound, and they have started doing better research on locations to avoid wildlife..
The Towers in Tatuhiiti Pass (Sp?) in CA by Mojave, CA are the Loud ones that kill birds (Blades spin way faster, and they are built in a migration area..) They were put up in the 1980’s.
The main problem with windfarms is getting the power into the grid… over 3/4’s of the windfarms cant run at full capaity.
Oh, and there is NO TOWN that is 100% Wind Energy. The power that comes from wind turbines in mixed with power that comes from coal plants too, It’s just a sales pitch saying that. I thought you knew what you were talking about til you mentioned that, heh.
I don’t really care about being green, I’m just happy I have a good job =)
And how does it disrupt the Landscape? Most Windfarms are built on awful looking Farm/Ranch land, or old coal mines. I guess some people hate seeing progress? I think they look nice, and it gives the cattle some shade, hehe.
Maybe your another jealous land owner whose nieghbor is getting 2500/year per turbine on his land, and your getting nothing. Bitter are we? =O
I would like for anyone reading this to please point me in the right direction on who or what company’s are installing.I’m a industrial paint contractor and would like to talk to anyone on painting these and also maintaining them when its time to put coating on them.Please someone give me direction on who to talk to or what company to contact.Please call 816 -215-1526.