North American Windpower: Texas, Ohio Bid For Blade Facility

by NAW Staff on Wednesday 22 November 2006

In August, NAW announced that the Texas General Land Office (TGLO) was planning to bid for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) new research and development facility capable of testing wind blades up to 70 meters long. According to TGLO, Texas entered its bid for the new facility officially in November.

"The General Land Office and our fellow alliance members are confident that our proposal will bring this facility to Texas," says Jerry Patterson, commissioner of TGLO.

In related news, Ohio's Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) recently announced that northwestern Ohio has submitted its bid for the new facility. The state is looking to build the testing site along the Maumee River in East Toledo.

"This region has aggressively pursued higher value opportunities to help northwest Ohio take advantage of growth industries in this global economy," says Steve Weathers, RGP's president and chief executive officer. "Our effort to acquire this test facility is another step toward establishing alternative energy as a competitive resource and asset."

Both Texas and Ohio are up against Virginia, Massachusetts, Iowa and Maine for the site. A representative for NREL says that it is possible NREL will announce the bid winner by the end of December.

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