north of Abilene, another part of the state that stood to benefit from wind companies and the money they bring local governments and schools. Perry also supported legislation that directed state regulators to build ratepayer-funded transmission lines to carry wind energy from wide open West Texas to more populated parts of Texas.
Depending on the location and length of the contract, landowners could receive between $16 million and $33 million over the lifetime of a 100-megawatt wind farm, according to a 2023 report by University of Texas research scientist Joshua Rhodes. Revenue from an equally powerful solar farm could be between $5.2 million and $28 million.
The average home in Lyford CISD costs less than $70,000, and most of the county’s 1,400 students qualify for free or reduced lunch, Superintendent Kristin Brown said. County Judge Aurelio Guerra said wind revenue was crucial to offsetting the financial impact of the closure of a prison last year.