Wind companies are once again making moves to secure leases in Erath, Comanche and Hamilton counties. This time it is Orsted, a Danish wind company who, at the moment, is having trouble making ends meet, loosing $545 million dollars last quarter.We are not the only country to see the revival of the wind drive, it is happening across the state as these companies try to lock in a path to your tax dollars, at a local, state and federal level. One would have to wonder why anyone would sign up with a company who has been consistently losing money and not wonder what the future will hold for them. Once these leases are signed most will not have the option for you to decline the lease at a future date. Most all options are at the discretion of the wind and solar companies!Comanche and Erath counties already host wind facilities and Hamilton is the only county of the three that has fought the incursion of wind in the past. They do have a solar facility which snuck in during COVID, while everyone was otherwise preoccupied. There has been much consternation on the news lately as the beaches of the rich in Nantucket were inundated with parts of wind turbine blades, with fiberglass and resin scattering across their pristine sand. We don’t hear about such things happening out here in rural America but trust me it is happening. There are lawsuits concerning farmland and pollution with fiberglass affecting hay production for distances up to a mile from the debris. Many absentee owners will not even know or care that this is happening on their land.There has been less news in mainstream media about the whale deaths attributed to construction of the east coast. Offshore wind is an expensive form of energy and most of the rich homes on the coast just don’t want to look at them ruining their views. That is something local residents don’t want either. The flashing lights from the Comanche to Goldthwaite farms can be seen by many from Erath and Hamilton counties and they are right next door in Comanche county. There are reasons to consider putting in a wind farm on your land, that is your choice, but you must remember the risks are high. The thing to consider, other than your neighbors, are the liabilities you might incur and the fact that once you lease, you are no long in control of your land. It’s like handing over the keys to a company, who will never have your best interest at heart, and you have just received a little portion of what your land is actually worth – if you need the money, or just want more – just sell the property, you will come out better in the long run!
Joanna Friebele, Erath County resident