Texas Wind Industry's Rapid Growth Creates New Challenges

In the past decade, Texas began to harness some of its abundant wind potential and, in the process, became an international wind energy leader. The state currently accounts for more than 25 percent of installed wind energy capacity in the United States. But for the first time since 2006, the growth of the state's new installed capacity fell below 40 percent. While the recession-induced credit crunch and falling natural gas prices were two obvious culprits, Texas faces a host of other challenges as it seeks to retain its position atop the domestic wind energy market and attract the capital and new jobs that the booming renewable energy industry can bring.