Gone with the Wind: AES to Blow Up Nearly 300 WindTurbines In Texas

While central Texas continues to see an increase in wind turbines, one Texas county is blowing them up! 

Taylor County Has Had Enough of the Wind Turbines 

As a central Texan who loves to look at the Texas sky, wind turbines are the bane of my existence. If they produced a ton of electricity, I could understand the effort to place them across the state. But they don't. Over the next 6 weeks, hundreds of wind turbines near Abilene in Taylor County are being destroyed by wind company AES. A Facebook video shows the turbines being blown up, and area residents could not be more thrilled. 

It All Comes Down to Money 

AES is removing close to 300 wind turbines in southwest Taylor County after a longstanding tax abatement was not renewed by county commissioners. Like many forms of green energy, the turbines were not pulling their own weight. According to KTAB, Taylor County Judge Phil Crowley said the tax abatement was rejected because “at some point, a corporation is going to have to stand on their own two feet.” 

Area Residents Have Fire Concerns 

Wind turbines come with their share of issues. If the winds are too strong, the turbines must be turned off. If temperatures are too cold, the turbines do not work. An issue Taylor County residents had with the turbines was the fire risk. 

Wind Turbines and Wildfires 

According to OSHA, wind turbines pose a fire risk due to the close proximity of electrical parts and combustible materials like insulation that are used in the turbine housing. The lubricants involved in the turbine operation also pose a fire risk. 

High Winds Mean a High Chance of Wildfires 

The placement of wind turbines in Texas is a recipe for disaster.Texas is notorious for high temperatures and windy conditions. Overheating can lead to the ignition of the interior components of wind turbines. High winds mean high amounts of oxygen which feeds fire. Then you have the size and location of the turbines to contend with. If a fire ignites near the top, it is extremely difficult to combat and the remote locations of the turbines give wildfires a headstart on fire crews.