Chicago may be known as the Windy City, but Texas is home to some of the largest wind farms in the world. The Lone Star State continues to lead the country in wind-generated energy. In August, Texas produced almost a third of U.S. wind energy, more than triple the amount produced by the second runner-up, Oklahoma.
So, where are these massive wind farms? And how much energy are they capable of producing? Read on to discover five of the largest Texas wind farms.
The Sweetwater wind farm is the oldest farm on this list. Built in 2003, Sweetwater paved the way for Texas to take over the wind power industry. Sweetwater boasts 392 wind turbines and contractors built the wind farm in five distinct phases.
Owned by both Duke Energy and Leeward Renewable Energy, this 593MW wind farm remains an icon of wind power in the Lone Star State.
Located in Sterling and Coke Counties, the Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm is also owned by NextEra Energy Resources. This massive wind farm can provide electricity for more than 220,000 households.
The Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm can generate 662.5MW. It is installed with 342 GE 1.5MW turbines and 65 Siemens 2.3MW turbines. Each turbine stands up to 260 feet tall.
The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center is large enough to span over both Taylor and Nolan Counties. Owned by NextEra Energy Resources, this energy center covers over 47,000 acres.
The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center is a 735.5MW facility capable of powering approximately 220,600 households. The energy center includes 421 turbines and was constructed in three separate phases.
About 45 miles southwest of Abilene, TX, is the Roscoe Wind Farm. It is owned and operated by a German company called E.ON Climate and Renewables. This wind farm covers 400 km² of Texas farmland and was the largest wind farm in the world when it first came online in October 2009.
The Roscoe Wind Farm can generate as much as 781.5MW, produced by the farm’s 627 wind turbines, each placed 900ft apart from one another.
Unlike most of the wind farms in West Texas, Los Vientos is farther south in the Lone Star State. With more than 400 turbines, Los Vientos was built between 2012-2016 with five distinct installation phases.
Los Vientos is capable of producing 910MW. The electricity generated from just two of the Los Vientos phases is enough to power up to 120,000 homes.
The Lone Star State is home to nearly 13,000 wind turbines generating clean, renewable electricity. While Texas is still renowned for its production of oil and natural gas, wind power continues to grow in popularity.
Interestingly, Texas is also making strides in solar energy. In August, Texas ranked fifth in the country for solar production. However, the Lone Star State imported the second-most shipments of solar panels, coming in behind California.
While oil and natural gas continue to thrive in Texas, the rise of renewable energy options is promising for environmentalists who warn against the dangers of climate crisis. Solar and wind power do not emit carbon dioxide, a harmful chemical contributing to global warming.
Investing in renewable resources can positively impact the environment and cut energy costs for consumers. With so many large wind farms and a massive army of wind turbines, it’s clear everything really is bigger in Texas – even the wind farms.
Caitlin Ritchie is a writer within the energy and power industry. Born in Georgia, she attended the University of Georgia before earning her master’s in English at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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