The towering wind turbines covering the mesas outside McCamey have been turning for more than a decade. Those who veer from Interstate 10 and shut their engines off can hear them cutting the air, creating up to 75 megawatts of pollution-free power. Despite generous tax-abatement deals provided by the community since being declared “Wind Energy Capital of Texas” by the Texas Legislature, the development brought some tax revenue, irregular construction work, and 40 permanent jobs. The turbines provide occasional entertainment, too. Describing the experience of watching one turbine kick on, startling a vulture, McCamey Mayor Sherry Phillips laughed, “I never knew a vulture could fly backwards.”
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Is a policy analyst consultant for TCAP, a coalition of political subdivisions in Texas that purchase electricity in the deregulated market for their own governmental use. Because energy costs are typically a significant budget item to our members, TCAP is consistently looking for ways to save our members money, through cost-saving contracts, energy efficiency or demand response programs.