Cliff Etheredge, a lifelong cotton farmer, today a 2009 TCEQ award winner. TCEQ- the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality; awards the highest environmental achievement in the state of Texas. 2009 marks its 17^th year of recognizing innovative projects and individuals within the state of Texas that have demonstrated positive effects on air, water and land resources.

10 awards were given this year, one of which was awarded to Cliff Etheredge for “breathing new life into a community by working to establish the largest wind farm in the world in tiny Roscoe, Texas.”

The TEEA talks about the journey of Cliff Etheredge from cotton farmer to wind farmer- “In 2003, Cliff Etheredge turned his attention from the soil to the sky and poured his energy into the business of wind energy. Putting himself through a crash course to learn everything he could about the wind industry, this lifelong cotton farmer also began convincing more than 350 landowners representing nearly 100,000 acres to believe in his vision. One by one, day by day, he got their commitment. Therein lay the roots of the groundbreaking Roscoe Wind Project, which will be the largest wind farm—a group of wind turbines in the same location used for production of electric power—in the world upon its completion later this year.”

Read more about what the TEEA says about Cliff Etheredge and his well deserved TCEQ award.

The small town of Roscoe, Texas with a population of under 1300 people sits in Nolan County (population 17,000) where Mayor of Sweetwater Greg Wortham says 20% of jobs are related to wind development. This part of Texas which is known for its cotton fields, festivals, large open spaces and constant winds is now home of many wind energy service companies including the owner of Roscoe Wind Farm, E.On Climate and Renewables.

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, Chief Development Officer of E.On Climate and Renewables said “At its construction peak, the Roscoe wind project employed 600 people. Now the company employs about 10 permanent staffers in its project, which has enough capacity to power 230,000 homes, and about 60 contractors that perform maintenance on turbines manufactured by Siemens AG (SIE.XE), Mitbubishi Corp. (MSBHY) and General Electric Co.’s (GE) Energy unit.”

It also says, Once more transmission lines are built here and around the country, other potential centers could emerge. “There’s huge unexploited potential in the United States,” said Kenneth Westrick, chief executive of 3Tier, a renewable energy forecasting company.

Read more about how the small town of Roscoe “Recasts Itself as a Wind-Power Hub” on WSJ’s article “Wind Power Generates Green Economy In West Texas”.