By Kari Williamson

Texas is planning a 12 MW offshore wind farm off the coast of Galveston. Designs and permits are already in place, and pending a power purchase agreement (PPA), the offshore wind farm could start installation by the end of this year.

The state of Texas has the advantage of controlling its own coastal waters, and can therefore act independently of Federal regulators. Offshore wind farm leases can be obtained directly form the Texas General Land Office.

This and other topics will be discussed at the 2nd Texas Offshore Wind Energy Roundtable (TOWER) Conference in Houston (TX) on 3-4 October, organised by the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern US (GACC South).