Been sitting on this for a few days ... appeared in a local newspaper (not online) from the Texas Farm Bureau ... interesting info on Blackwell ISD

Wind Farms Breathing New Life into Texas Rural Schools

The night sky of rural Texas along Interstate 20 west of Abilene glows red with lights from large wind-powered turbines used to generate electricity. Those wind farms are also generating revenue for rural Texas farm and ranch communitiesd and area schools.

By the 2018-19 school year, Blackwell Independent School District (ISD) will have received about $35 million from a deal it brokered with a wind farm compay in 2004, according to a Texas Tribune report.

About $28 million will remain in a foundation earmarked for scholarships; graduates recieve about $3,000 for every year they have spent in the district, which they can put towards any type of professional advancement -- from a beauty school certificate to a bachelor's degree.

"What I wantes is, if you grew up in a town of 350 people in West Texas that should not work against you," Abe Gott, Blackwell ISD superintendent, said in the report. "We can send you to Harvard, we can send you to Baylor, we can send you to Texas Tech -- we can send you anywhere, because we have the pathway to get there."

Nearly 70 rural Texas districts continue to benefit from tax revenue and land brokerage deals with wind farms. The added boost comes not a moment too soon as many rural Teas districts struggle to find funds amid the state's education budget crunch.

Through wind energy deals, Roscoe ISD received a grant from the Texas Education Agency's Texas High School Project, making it the first model rural early-college high school in 2009.

"What we didn't want to do is get a two-year grant, and when the grant expires we can't maintain the program," said Kim Alexander, the superintendent, adding, "Without the wind company, we would not have had the mans to even enter into the early-college arena."

Source: Texas Farm Bureau

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the massive federal subsidies to keep the windmills operating will probably be either reduced drastically, or completely eliminated in 2013. Without these subsidies, windpower cannot compete.

In other words, be sure you get the checks up front from these guys ...

Yep, and as fast as possible. Also, don't give any abatements, as you will not be getting any money in future yeas when the abatements expire.

I dont see this as bad news. No ill feelings toward the school districts affected. I drive thru that masive boondoggle(Roscoe to Stanton) twice a day and more than half of them aren't working at any given time. But thats for another thread.

That is one of the reasons windpower is so expensive. The nationwide average capacity factor for windpower is 28% vs 94% to 99% for coal/gas/nuclear power.

But they're kinda cool looking. LOL

Took this pic yesterday out of my deer blind window.