More wind energy firms open

More wind energy firms open

West Texas reigns as center of the booming new industry

By Jared Fields
Sunday, June 7, 2009

Though they live in the wind energy capital of the world, some people may grow so accustomed to the booming wind energy industry that the newness has worn off.

But much more is yet to come whether people are paying attention or not, Greg Wortham, director of the West Texas Wind Energy Consortium, said.

Three wind energy companies in the Big Country have events scheduled Tuesday: one a grand opening, one a groundbreaking ceremony and another an open house.

Another company, Turner Bros. opened last month. The facility is on 43 acres in Hawley and the company will provide lifting, maintenance and transportation services to wind industries in the region.

EMA Electromechanics, an Argentina-based company that designs and manufactures electromechanical equipment for power distribution, is holding a groundbreaking ceremony at 16 Industrial Drive in Sweetwater at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

A German company, Hytorc, is holding an open house from noon to 7 p.m. at 1105 E. Broadway in Sweetwater.

Tower Tech, in the Five Points Business Park in Abilene, will have a grand opening ceremony Tuesday, which Gov. Rick Perry will attend.

Even more companies, Wortham said, have come into the area and have not had the time to hold any sort of ceremony.

The wind energy industry is still growing and expanding in the area, he said. In an economic impact study last year for Sweetwater, Wortham said about 20 wind energy companies called Sweetwater home and about 20 percent of the workforce worked in the industry.

Looking ahead to the upcoming five billion dollars in transmission line construction approved by the state, Wortham said we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

"It's still going better than any place in the world in terms of new construction and it's about to really start," said Wortham, also mayor of Sweetwater. "Everything about this is just an immense investment to our region."

Ken Becker, executive director for Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development, said other factors help bring wind companies to the Big Country.

Because the area has some of the largest wind farms in the world and people who have been working in the industry for years, Becker said companies can locate to the area and easily find workers.

"We're a pretty diverse region when we talk about the area. We have oil, agriculture and now a renewable energy segment, which further diversifies our area," Becker said. "We have a group of workers with diverse background and great educational institutes that have been able to jump in."

Eduardo Montich, president and CEO of EMA, said in a statement that the area was a "natural fit in the U.S. wind energy market."

"The recent decision to expand the transmission lines to carry over 18,000 megawatts of wind power to North Texas and the Houston area will allow for further expansion of wind development in this region."

The investments from the transmission lines and companies continuing to locate in the area, will only lead to further developments.

"If other states are four or five years behind us, then (wind companies) may open up another office in Nebraska or Kansas four or five years from now," Wortham said. "But for the short-term future, where else would they be but here?"