[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 6793] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]WIND FARMS IN THE WATERS OF THE GULF COAST ______ HON. TED POE of texas in the house of representatives Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, Texas is now the number one wind energy state in the country, producing more power from wind than any other state. Texas is also the first state to allow wind energy production offshore, energy, which could not only power our homes and businesses, but also pay for the education of our children. The Gulf Coast currently has unused oil equipment in its waters. Those structures now have a new purpose, as wind turbines utilize oil and gas platforms off the Texas-Louisiana coast in the first U.S. offshore wind energy farm. The shallow waters of the Gulf make economic sense for wind farms. Wind farms consist of turbines that harness clean energy and offer another option outside of natural gas. The coastline has a far-reaching continental shelf, in some areas extending 80 miles, while having water depths less than 150 feet. Texas, long a major player in the oil and gas industry, is now a major player in wind energy. In this region, the best wind for generating energy blows mid- day, when electricity demand is the highest. Therefore, the electricity generated from wind farms off the Texas coast will be highly valued by utility companies. Wind Energy Systems Technology (WEST), conceived by Herman Schellstede and Harold Schoefller, will be lining nearly 74,000 acres of water with wind farms, which includes part of my district, in the waters off of Jefferson County, on state owned land. Construction of the wind farms should begin in 2009. Once completed, the offshore wind farm will produce enough electricity to provide power to about 40,000 homes. By comparison, an equal amount of electricity would require about 20.7 million barrels of oil, or 6.5 tons of coal to produce. By not burning these fossil fuels to create this amount of energy, the wind farm will displace approximately 2.7 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. It is in our best interest to research and develop alternative energy sources to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, in order to become more energy independent. With natural gas depleting, wind farms should become more abundant in the coming years, as wind power becomes more competitive and the technology more efficient. Wind is a clean energy resource with substantial environmental benefits and offers one of the lowest marginal costs of production. This renewable energy means renewable revenue. Some have reported that wind energy provides more jobs per dollar invested or per kilowatt-hour generated, than most conventional resource options. With total installed U.S. wind power capacity now over 16,800 megawatts or enough to serve the equivalent of 4.5 million average households, wind was the second largest source of new electrical capacity in the Nation, behind only natural gas, for the past 3 years. Wind power is part of our country's sustainable energy solution, and I applaud WEST for their foresight and innovation. ____________________