Growing Wind Opportunities

Growing Wind Opportunities. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

The wind industry continues to grow all across the U.S. and Clarendon College Wind Energy Instructor Lance Porter says wind development occurring in his area of Pampa, Texas developed his interest in the industry and renewable energy.

PORTER: Being part of this industry was it’s developing is very exciting to me. I love the challenges that come with it and with the new technologies that are developed to meet those challenges. Also teaching is one of my greatest passions and the excitement of watching students become excited about learning is extremely rewarding and then working with those students to find a job in a rewarding field gives me a great sense of accomplishment.

Since the completion of the CREZ transmission lines at the end of last year - Porter says there’s been tremendous growth in wind energy in the Pampa area.

PORTER: There’s three major projects underway right now that border on Gray county. There are larger projects planned inside Gray county and throughout the panhandle in the years to come. The demand for trained individuals to staff these facilities is only going to increase over the next few years or more. Companies that are hiring now, right here in this area, are not finding enough employees locally to staff their positions. We want to fill those positions and the ones that are going to be coming over the next few years. The additional jobs, increased growth opportunities are enormous, not to mention the increased revenue for the communities and the local businesses and the increased tax dollars from the wind projects.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.