It's a matter of time before they break or the company goes bankrupt and sells it to an even cheaper outfit that won't maintain them and they break.

After all of that, you are stuck with windmills that don't work and no one to take them down.

-every farmer I know that has them

So each windmill takes about 50 - 80 acres, and pays out about 4-8k/year, so you're talking about $48,000/year at most and maybe only $16,000/year, so over 20 years, which will probably be the end of life, consider the value of your land with a bunch of monolithic pieces of junk versus without them and see if it makes financial sense. Just an opinion of mine.

Edit: if I'm wrong on numbers, please correct me.

Hope DeSantis starts shutting some of this $&@/ down when he gets the top job.

fightingfarmer09 said:

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It's a matter of time before they break or the company goes bankrupt and sells it to an even cheaper outfit that won't maintain them and they break.

After all of that, you are stuck with windmills that don't work and no one to take them down.

-every farmer I know that has them

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Kinda like some really old O&G equipment in some crappy fields. At least you can bulldoze that stuff and return the land.

fightingfarmer09 said:

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It's a matter of time before they break or the company goes bankrupt and sells it to an even cheaper outfit that won't maintain them and they break.

After all of that, you are stuck with windmills that don't work and no one to take them down.

-every farmer I know that has them

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Don't worry, I'm sure a windmill removal mitigation surcharge will start to be added to every new electric contract in the future.
That'll surely take care of it......

fightingfarmer09 said:

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It's a matter of time before they break or the company goes bankrupt and sells it to an even cheaper outfit that won't maintain them and they break.

After all of that, you are stuck with windmills that don't work and no one to take them down.

-every farmer I know that has them

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Do you know anywhere that has happened, or are you just quoting the attitude of people you know?

Windmill companies are supposed to set aside funds to be used to reclaim the land at the end of the lifespan.

I understand the skepticism over that assertion

CanyonAg77 said:

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fightingfarmer09 said:

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It's a matter of time before they break or the company goes bankrupt and sells it to an even cheaper outfit that won't maintain them and they break.

After all of that, you are stuck with windmills that don't work and no one to take them down.

-every farmer I know that has them

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Do you know anywhere that has happened, or are you just quoting the attitude of people you know?

Windmill companies are supposed to set aside funds to be used to reclaim the land at the end of the lifespan.

I understand the skepticism over that assertion

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Yeah, doesn't the RR Commission require a bond for future removal costs?

If they aren't turning, the company isn't making any money. If it is a reputable company, they will be maintained very meticulously.

If the county doesn't require a decommissioning plan and bond, require decomm language in the lease document.

NextEra is the biggest renewable company in the world. Highly reputable company.

Enel is a large European utility, based in Italy. Enel Green Energy is one of the larger renewable companies in American. Another reputable company.

Enel was blocked in Mason County from putting in a farm.

These wind farms have ruined The West Texas landscape.

Not saying I'd turn away the money if offered, but it's definitely ruined the landscape. I miss the way it used to be.

water turkey said:

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If they aren't turning, the company isn't making any money. If it is a reputable company, they will be maintained very meticulously.

If the county doesn't require a decommissioning plan and bond, require decomm language in the lease document.

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The document itself may not do you any good if the company that signed it goes under. Then you'll either have to chase them into bankruptcy court or try and get someone to honor the agreement. Good luck.

I would never sign one of these unless there are funds set aside (that aren't part of my take) to remove the item with the funds being held by a third party. Bonds are fine, but keep in mind that what it costs to take it down today may not come close in a decade or two.

I don't like wind generators, and I certainly don't support the politics of the climate cult.

But I live in the panhandle where they are everywhere with more going in daily.

I have seen exactly 1 that quit working and was beyond repair. They blew the base bolts and dropped it on its side like a big tree, and hauled it off in pieces the next day.

What sucks is when you are on the edge of the oil/gas play and now also looking at the wind farm just a couple miles away. No matter which way you turn, you feel like crap. Same deal with high voltage power lines - either take the line and money, or neighbor takes the money and you still have to see the line.

TarponChaser said:

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CanyonAg77 said:

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fightingfarmer09 said:

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It's a matter of time before they break or the company goes bankrupt and sells it to an even cheaper outfit that won't maintain them and they break.

After all of that, you are stuck with windmills that don't work and no one to take them down.

-every farmer I know that has them

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Do you know anywhere that has happened, or are you just quoting the attitude of people you know?

Windmill companies are supposed to set aside funds to be used to reclaim the land at the end of the lifespan.

I understand the skepticism over that assertion

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Yeah, doesn't the RR Commission require a bond for future removal costs?

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Those required bonds are a racket.

If you haven't dealt with the RRC (or any other state O&G authority) on issues involving these bonds before, you don't know that that money disappears and will never be available when the time comes. Period.

We have had quite a number of wells that the state has forced to be P&A'd after the operator has fallen off the face of the earth. The other working interest owners that are still in business have to foot the bill and the state threatens them until they do so. We don't even ask about bond money anymore because the RRC basically just laughs at us every time. We're not talking about ancient wells that pre-date required bonds here either - Some have even been dry holes that were drilled a few years ago and the operator went bankrupt and vanished.

Most wind farms, as far as I know, dont have multiple working interest owners, so when the operating company disappears, there is no one to strong arm into coming around and cleaning up. We had a well to P&A that had one of these dilapidated out of commission wind turbines about 100 yards away for which the land owner described the exact situation described above.


So anything you may have heard about "required funds set aside" or "bonds for future removal" you can just wipe from the discussion.

AgGrad99 said:

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These wind farms have ruined The West Texas landscape.

Not saying I'd turn away the money if offered, but it's definitely ruined the landscape. I miss the way it used to be.

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Agreed. I hunt near Eden and 3 years ago there were 0 windmills and now they're damn near from Brady to Eden now with dozens more going in every trip I take out there it seems. Very sad.

Quote:

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Windmill companies are supposed to set aside funds to be used to reclaim the land at the end of the lifespan.

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LOL

OnlyForNow said:

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They'll end up going from 283 to San Angelo.

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