Important contribution to reducing US carbon emissions

 

The three phases of the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center are spread over almost 60,000 acres of land in the Counties of Taylor and Nolan in West Texas. The area is mainly farmed for wheat, hay and cotton, as well as livestock and deer hunting. Strong winds sweep across the region. 

 

Horse Hollow makes an important contribution towards reducing the United States’ emissions of carbon dioxide. With an annual electricity output of 1,690 GWh, the wind farm avoids the emission of 900 million tons of carbon dioxide each year.

 

According to the American Wind Energy Association, the new US wind projects completed in 2008 alone will avoid nearly 44 million tons of carbon emissions, the equivalent of taking over seven million cars off of the road.

 

If the US Department of Energy’s target for 20% wind powered electricity by 2030 were achieved, this would avoid an annual 825 million tons of CO2.

 

The US is one of the world’s biggest emitters of CO2. The Bush administration did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol agreement on climate change and the country is therefore currently under no international obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. President Obama, however, has announced a drastic change of direction for the country’s climate policy, promising that the US will return to the negotiating table on a new climate change agreement to come into effect in 2012.

 

In addition, Obama has already indicated that he will introduce new measures to reduce the nation’s carbon emissions, including a federal Renewable Energy Standard and cap-and-trade legislation. This would provide further encouragement to the development of wind energy.