Shell, Luminant Join for 3,000-Mw Wind Farm in Texas
Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Luminant announced Friday joint plans to build a 3,000-megawatt wind farm and collaborate on other renewable energy projects.
Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Luminant announced Friday joint plans to build a 3,000-megawatt wind farm in Texas and collaborate on other renewable energy projects.
The wind farm is expected to be located in Briscoe County in the state's Panhandle region. The area is recognized as having excellent wind resources and is made more attractive because of its proximity to the Dallas-Forth Worth area.
Shell WindEnergy and Luminant, a subsidiary of TXU Corp., said they intend to explore using compressed air storage, where excess power could pump air underground for later use in generating electricity. The companies say the technology will boost reliability and grid storage, and will become more economical because of the project's large scale.
The project's groundbreaking depends on several factors, said Luminant Spokesman Tom Kleckner.
"That could begin within five years but is contingent on competitive renewable zone proceedings," Kleckner said.
Texas' Public Utility Commission is expected to issue a final order by Aug. 20 identifying competitive renewable zones, a designation Briscoe County is expected to earn.
The zones are expected to be prime areas to put down transmission lines to funnel the wind energy from the farm to other parts of the state. The PUC also has ordered the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which oversees the grid that powers most of Texas, to study transmission projects ordered to service the competitive renewable zones. The study is expected no sooner than January, 2008, Kleckner said.
"Luminant is committed to providing Texans with clean sources of energy, and this agreement with Shell is a real next step in delivering on that commitment" said Mike Childers, CEO of Luminant Development, in a statement. "Luminant is already the state leader in wind-energy purchases, and co-developing this project would take us a long way toward our goal of doubling our portfolio."
The wind farm is expected to be located in Briscoe County in the state's Panhandle region. The area is recognized as having excellent wind resources and is made more attractive because of its proximity to the Dallas-Forth Worth area.
Shell WindEnergy and Luminant, a subsidiary of TXU Corp., said they intend to explore using compressed air storage, where excess power could pump air underground for later use in generating electricity. The companies say the technology will boost reliability and grid storage, and will become more economical because of the project's large scale.
The project's groundbreaking depends on several factors, said Luminant Spokesman Tom Kleckner.
"That could begin within five years but is contingent on competitive renewable zone proceedings," Kleckner said.
Texas' Public Utility Commission is expected to issue a final order by Aug. 20 identifying competitive renewable zones, a designation Briscoe County is expected to earn.
The zones are expected to be prime areas to put down transmission lines to funnel the wind energy from the farm to other parts of the state. The PUC also has ordered the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which oversees the grid that powers most of Texas, to study transmission projects ordered to service the competitive renewable zones. The study is expected no sooner than January, 2008, Kleckner said.
"Luminant is committed to providing Texans with clean sources of energy, and this agreement with Shell is a real next step in delivering on that commitment" said Mike Childers, CEO of Luminant Development, in a statement. "Luminant is already the state leader in wind-energy purchases, and co-developing this project would take us a long way toward our goal of doubling our portfolio."
