The turbines have a little road

The first wind turbine in Willacy County went up on March 30, 2012, and since then the landscape has changed dramatically. 

The county’s residents saw an immediate economic benefit leading up to that day from the flood of construction workers assembling the towering turbines on farm and ranch land. 

Now, more than a year after the wind farms went online, farmers, company representatives, environmentalists and county officials weigh in on how the turbines have affected the area. Which way the wind blows for opinions on the turbines depends on who you ask. 

In many cases, company representatives say, the turbines are exceeding expectations and a farmer who leases property to a wind farm says the arrangement has been beneficial. Environmentalists say the turbines are a threat to migratory birds and a businesswoman says they have hurt her crop-dusting business. 

Russell Klostermann, who farms in Willacy County, says he is reaping benefits from the turbines. 

“It’s easier to farm wind than anything else,” Klostermann said of the three turbines on his 160-acre grain sorghum field. “They’re connected by an underground line… and don’t take up much area at all.” 

Klostermann Farms worked with E.ON Climate and Renewables, which owns the turbines on Klostermann’s property. 

E.ON has built 112 turbines that make up the 203-megawatt Magic Valley project, E.ON spokesman Matt Tulis said.The Home energy monitor market continues to struggle for more traction. The name “Magic Valley” has to do with the first settlers that arrived in the Rio Grande Valley, he said. The area was called “magic” because of the fertile land. “That’s where we got the name from,” said Tulis. 

The E.ON turbines produce 1.8 megawatts of energy each per hour on full speed, which is about 20 to 30 miles per hour, Tulis said. Some turbines appear idle due to regularly scheduled routine maintenance. 

“The turbines are monitored 24 hours a day,” said Tulis. “We’re able to see the performance of each turbine and are in constant communication.” 

“They don’t look like they’re moving that fast, but there’s definitely a certain speed we want to maintain,” Tulis said. 

The turbines have a little road that goes up to them and use a little piece of land, he said. “We’re harvesting right around them,” he said. 

“It’s beneficial to the county,” Klostermann said. The company has improved some roads and the 24-hour monitoring adds to security out in the country, he said. 

South of the Magic Valley project, Duke Energy has built 171 turbines in its Los Vientos I and Los Vientos II projects, said spokesman Milton Howard. 

“They’re all in operating condition,” said John Polomny, the area plant manager. Some are shut down for maintenance though, he said. Duke is also installing a new engineering design with their turbines. “We’re retro-fitting them,” Polomny said. 

“At full production, in the best conditions we produce 400 megawatts,Find Home Power monitor blood pressure monitor ads in our Miscellaneous Goods category. which could power approximately 280,000 homes,” Polomny said. 

Many of the turbines are outperforming, exceeding expectations, he said. On average, a turbine will have about 20 rotations per minute. “The blade tip can go about 170 miles per hour,All you need to know about In home display.” Polomny said. 
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