[Watchdogs] Austin-based Cielo to build $100 million wind farm west of Amarillo [AAS]

[Milton Hawkins]

Austin-based Cielo to build $100 million wind farm west of
Amarillo<http://www.statesman.com/business/austin-based-cielo-to-build-100-million-wind-1149531.html>

*From the article:*

Walt Hornaday, Cielo's president , said *a combination of federal tax
credits and property tax breaks* offered by Oldham County and the Vega
school district helped make the wind-generated electricity competitive with
other power sources.

"Everyone made compromises to get the wind price competitive," Hornaday
said.

*Tax subsidies* for wind farms, as well as other *economic development
incentives*, are expected to be an issue when the Texas Legislature tackles
a $24 billion shortfall next month.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs published a report this month saying *the
state is overpaying for subsidies to wind farms*.

*Tax breaks *awarded to 63 wind farms averaged almost $1.6 million per job,
compared with $166,188 for manufacturing projects and $51,249 for research
and development. Wind industry leaders criticized the report because it did
not include indirect jobs created by the wind farms.

Hornaday noted that his newest wind farm is 45 miles from New Mexico and 60
miles from Oklahoma. He said Texas could lose future wind projects if it
discontinues the *incentives that prompted it to install more wind-generated
power than any other state*.

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