The Future of all Those West Texas Windfarms

[rainjacktx]

What happens to that contract when the government subsidy runs out and the company goes bankrupt? You may get stuck with three huge hazards on your property that will be expensive to get rid of. At least that's better than having 40 of them.

Thinking that the wind energy royalties will last much longer than 5 years is silly. But the reality is that it looks like - at least up here in Briscoe County - they are going to be constructed. The leases I have seen pay the landowner $10,000 for each tower upon the commencement of construction. Supposedly, that is to pay for damages due to construction.

Then there's the royalty payments to occur after that.

How much would it cost to have a tower removed, assuming none of the leases last the full 30-year term? there's a lot of scrap metal to be salvaged, so it would not be all that cost prohibitive to remove the tower itself. The cost is going to be reclaiming the ground occupied by multiple, multiple yards of concrete and rebar. I'd imagine a cottage industry of windmill reclamation would spring up to help mitigate the unsightly mess. For a nominal fee, of course.

I guess you could learn to farm around the concrete slabs, but - in the case of the 40 windmill client - if I make $800K the first year, what's my incentive to do anything?

I understand your arguments and, as I have said, any land owner (or taxing authority) looking at wind energy as a long term income stream is an idiot. I guess I'm just saying that money drowns out most all words of caution. And in Briscoe Co. - first year income from most towers constructed will be $19.6K per tower - minimum. General money-fueled local wisdom is that there will never be another dry season. Or, more appropriately, another windless day.

 

[smokeyjoe53]

Sounds like the windmills are kinda like deer hunters. Novo body likes to put up with them but sure do enjoy the money they drop every season.

 

[rainjacktx]

Sounds like the windmills are kinda like deer hunters. Novo body likes to put up with them but sure do enjoy the money they drop every season.

Kinda sorta just like that. I've been hanging out with way too many yankees. More words are better, aka, baffle them with bs. Seems lately I rely on hayseeds to accurately interpret those words. No offense.

 

[smokeyjoe53]

I'm about the seediest hayseed around....... I got my doctorate in ruralese......

 

[Old Bearkat]

What happens to that contract when the government subsidy runs out and the company goes bankrupt? You may get stuck with three huge hazards on your property that will be expensive to get rid of. At least that's better than having 40 of them.

Thinking that the wind energy royalties will last much longer than 5 years is silly. But the reality is that it looks like - at least up here in Briscoe County - they are going to be constructed. The leases I have seen pay the landowner $10,000 for each tower upon the commencement of construction. Supposedly, that is to pay for damages due to construction.

Then there's the royalty payments to occur after that.

How much would it cost to have a tower removed, assuming none of the leases last the full 30-year term? there's a lot of scrap metal to be salvaged, so it would not be all that cost prohibitive to remove the tower itself. The cost is going to be reclaiming the ground occupied by multiple, multiple yards of concrete and rebar. I'd imagine a cottage industry of windmill reclamation would spring up to help mitigate the unsightly mess. For a nominal fee, of course.

I guess you could learn to farm around the concrete slabs, but - in the case of the 40 windmill client - if I make $800K the first year, what's my incentive to do anything?

I understand your arguments and, as I have said, any land owner (or taxing authority) looking at wind energy as a long term income stream is an idiot. I guess I'm just saying that money drowns out most all words of caution. And in Briscoe Co. - first year income from most towers constructed will be $19.6K per tower - minimum. General money-fueled local wisdom is that there will never be another dry season. Or, more appropriately, another windless day.

Get ready for a feral cat population explosion due to all the dead birds at the base of each tower......

 

[rainjacktx]

Which is worse? A feral cat explosion, or a the feral hog explosion we have now? I'm thinking cats are WAY easier to kill. Might even be fun - like prairie dogs only a little speedier.

 

[Old Bearkat]

Which is worse? A feral cat explosion, or a the feral hog explosion we have now? I'm thinking cats are WAY easier to kill. Might even be fun - like prairie dogs only a little speedier.

Hmmmmmm.....Taco Bell or Panda Express might like that idea too.....

 

[rainjacktx]

Which is worse? A feral cat explosion, or a the feral hog explosion we have now? I'm thinking cats are WAY easier to kill. Might even be fun - like prairie dogs only a little speedier.

Hmmmmmm.....Taco Bell or Panda Express might like that idea too.....

If you see a Chinese buffet in Silverton after the windmills go up, be scared. Be very scared.

 

[CowboyP]

Which is worse? A feral cat explosion, or a the feral hog explosion we have now? I'm thinking cats are WAY easier to kill. Might even be fun - like prairie dogs only a little speedier.

Hmmmmmm.....Taco Bell or Panda Express might like that idea too.....

If you see a Chinese buffet in Silverton after the windmills go up, be scared. Be very scared.

Try it, you might like it.

 

[smokeyjoe53]

Pretty sure I've had dog and possibly kittykat. I used to frequent some somewhat questionable dining establishments across the border back in the '60's........ Didn't seem to bother me much other than some uncontrollable leg shaking .........

 

[Shad Kline]

Cat gives me heartburn. And an uncontrollable urge to chase rodents.

 

[rainjacktx]

If you're buying from a street vendor - if it comes out of a pot - it's cat, dog, or rat. If it's grilled, your chances are better that it's beef or pork or goat.

That's what an old Mexican man told me once in Cabo San Lucas.

 

[Shad Kline]

I'll have to refer to my old Chinese cookbook "101 ways to wok the dog" for the best recipes. I'm sure cat will substitute just fine, just may be a little greasier.

 

[51eleven]

Pretty sure I've had dog and possibly kittykat. I used to frequent some somewhat questionable dining establishments across the border back in the '60's........ Didn't seem to bother me much other than some uncontrollable leg shaking .........

But no leg hiking?

 

[westexasflats]

Rekin that's why i cover the pot with trash ???

 

[Old Bearkat]

Another nail in the wind power coffin. An analysis like this shows they are starting to get desperate to keep the taxpayer and ratepayer subsidies.

http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2 ... nergy.html

 

[MelaniB]

Oh Smokie and RJ lets leave the little doggie and cats story out of this, gross. Ok I know I'm a dummy but are we talking about solar panels? windfarms? Were totally off oil and gas right? I do have a friend who lives in Boyd and he has the wind things and is making a good royalty off his wind machines. as he says but don't know how true that is. Chesapeake wanted us to do the mineral lease with our property and we didn't do it. Somewhere there smelled like a rat and there was. No one around here that signed up received a dime. By the way, RJ is nice to see you on the board again.

 

[Old Bearkat]

 

[Old Bearkat]

 

[Blue Bird]

This picture looks like there is a little too much water to be in West Texas! Did lightning hit it or was it just a hot gear box? Bad bearing maybe?