On This Page
- Introduction: Texas Wind Energy Snapshot
- Texas Wind Energy in 2026: Key Statistics
- Geographic Distribution: Resource Zones and Siting Factors
- Largest Wind Farms in Texas: Directory & Project Profiles
- Under-Construction Projects & the 2026–2028 Development Pipeline
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Access the Full Texas Directory & Interactive Map
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Explore databasesIntroduction: Texas Wind Energy Snapshot
Wind farms in Texas now represent more than 40 GW of installed capacity—more than any other state and enough to power millions of homes. Driving west from Abilene, the turbines appear before any town: rows of them, blades turning in slow unison. On a breezy March night, that fleet can supply a full quarter of the ERCOT grid. Not bad for a place built on oil.
Early installations dot the West Texas mesas, but many of those sites are being transformed by repowering—swapping older machines for taller towers and longer blades. This directory profiles the largest operating projects, maps their geographic distribution, and lays out the complete 2026 project pipeline. It is designed for investors, analysts, and anyone needing hard numbers without filler.
Texas Wind Energy in 2026: Key Statistics
Installed Capacity and Generation
More than 150 utility-scale wind farms operate in Texas, containing over 15,000 turbines and a nameplate capacity north of 40 GW. That represents roughly one-third of all U.S. wind energy capacity. In 2025, Texas wind turbines generated approximately 110 terawatt-hours (TWh)—enough electricity to supply over 10 million homes.
ERCOT’s interconnection queue tells its own story. More than 7 GW of additional wind capacity sits in the development pipeline, with another 5 GW of transmission upgrades underway to ease congestion in the high-resource western zones. Average capacity factors across the fleet hover around 35%, but projects deploying the latest rotor technology are beginning to push past 42%.
The Repowering Boom
The big 2026 story is not about finding new land; it is about breathing new life into existing sites. Repowering—removing older GE 1.5 MW machines and replacing them with higher-efficiency models on existing towers or foundations—often delivers a 20–25% boost in annual energy output from the same footprint. For a site with a long-term power purchase agreement nearing expiry, the economics can be compelling. A common mistake, however, is treating repowering as a simple swap-in. Interconnection agreements, avian protection plans, and updated noise modeling all need review, even when the physical footprint looks unchanged. Federal Production Tax Credit phase-down has added another incentive: repowering projects can often qualify for refreshed credits without the delays of a greenfield interconnection study.
Geographic Distribution: Resource Zones and Siting Factors
West Texas: The Core Resource
The largest concentration of wind farms in Texas stretches across a handful of West Texas counties where consistent nocturnal low-level jets produce some of the most reliable onshore wind in the world. Key counties hosting major projects include:
- Nolan
- Scurry
- Sterling
- Tom Green
- Pecos
- Coke
The Roscoe complex alone sprawls across several of these counties, anchoring the region.
Panhandle and Gulf Coast Resources
A second cluster spans the Panhandle, dominated by Horse Hollow and Capricorn Ridge. Higher average wind speeds there compensate for more challenging winter construction logistics. A smaller but growing concentration hugs the Gulf Coast, where sea-breeze-driven afternoon peaks complement the night-time output from western sites. This diversity of timing helps smooth aggregate wind production on the ERCOT grid.
Land Lease Economics
Almost all of these wind farms sit on private ranchland. Land lease agreements form the economic backbone of the sector. A landowner hosting a single modern turbine can receive annual payments that typically range from $5,000 to over $10,000, depending on capacity factor, turbine size, and royalty structures. In many cases, cotton and wheat continue to grow right up to the tower bases, making the arrangement a financial win for rural communities while preserving agricultural use.
Largest Wind Farms in Texas: Directory & Project Profiles
Roscoe Wind Farm (781.5 MW)
E.ON Climate & Renewables commissioned Roscoe in 2009 across four sites—Roscoe, Champion, Pyron, and Inadale—in Nolan County. With 781.5 MW nameplate, it remains the largest wind farm in Texas. The complex mixes Mitsubishi, General Electric, and Siemens turbines (notably GE 1.5 MW and Siemens 2.3 MW units) and sells output under long-term PPAs.
Los Vientos Wind Complex (750 MW)
Duke Energy Renewables built the five-phase Los Vientos project in Starr County between 2012 and 2016, reaching 750 MW. Operating Vestas V110 and V112 turbines, the facility taps strong Gulf Coast winds. It functions as one of the largest behind-the-meter renewable energy hubs serving the South Texas load pocket.
Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center (735.5 MW)
NextEra Energy Resources brought Horse Hollow online in 2006 in Taylor and Nolan counties. When it was commissioned, it was the largest wind farm in the world. Over 400 GE 1.5 MW and Siemens turbines are spread across 47,000 acres. A partial repowering completed in the early 2020s improved energy yield and extended asset life.
Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm (662.5 MW)
Also operated by NextEra Energy Resources, Capricorn Ridge straddles Sterling and Coke counties. It uses GE 1.5 MW and Siemens 2.3 MW machines and, since 2008, has consistently achieved capacity factors above 38%—among the highest in the ERCOT fleet.
Buffalo Gap Wind Farm (523 MW)
AES Corporation developed Buffalo Gap in phases (2006–2008) in Taylor and Nolan counties. The project runs GE 1.5 MW turbines and sells output through a portfolio of utility PPAs. A nearby high-voltage transmission line reduces the curtailment risk that plagues many West Texas locations.
Table: Five Largest Wind Farms in Texas (2026)
| Rank | Wind Farm | Capacity (MW) | Operator | Commissioning Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roscoe | 781.5 | E.ON Climate & Renewables | 2009 |
| 2 | Los Vientos | 750 | Duke Energy Renewables | 2012–2016 |
| 3 | Horse Hollow | 735.5 | NextEra Energy Resources | 2006 |
| 4 | Capricorn Ridge | 662.5 | NextEra Energy Resources | 2008 |
| 5 | Buffalo Gap | 523 | AES Corporation | 2006–2008 |
Under-Construction Projects & the 2026–2028 Development Pipeline
Repowering Dominates the 2026 Slate
At least 1.2 GW of active repowering projects are swapping older turbines for higher-capacity models on existing towers and foundations. These upgrades expand output without triggering new transmission interconnect studies—often saving 12–18 months. The decision rule for developers is straightforward: if a site has spare interconnection capacity and a PPA nearing expiry, repowering frequently delivers better risk-adjusted returns than a greenfield effort. One common mistake is underestimating curtailment risk in the western zones; during high-wind, low-demand hours, curtailment can trim revenue by 5–10% annually, even for upgraded assets.
New Greenfield Projects
Greenfield development, slower than in the previous decade, continues mainly in the Panhandle and South Texas. ERCOT pipeline data point to scheduled completion of more than 4 GW of new capacity through 2028. Several 300 MW-class projects are advancing through final financing and targeting commercial operation dates within the next two reporting years. Many of these are sited where the CREZ (Competitive Renewable Energy Zone) transmission build-out has improved export paths, though localized bottlenecks still appear.
Wind + Storage Hybrids
A small but notable slice of the pipeline features hybrid projects that co-locate wind with battery energy storage systems. These combinations aim to capture revenue across ancillary service markets and energy arbitrage opportunities inside the real-time ERCOT wholesale market. By shifting a portion of output to higher-price hours, hybrids can reduce the impact of negative pricing that sometimes accompanies extreme wind ramps.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many wind farms are there in Texas?
More than 150 utility-scale wind farms as of 2026, plus a crop of smaller community and distributed installations that push the total past 200 sites.
What is the biggest wind farm in Texas?
The Roscoe Wind Farm in Nolan County, with 781.5 MW nameplate capacity.
How many wind turbines are in Texas?
The turbine count across all operating farms exceeds 15,000. That number rises with each repowering cycle and new project commissioning.
How much do landowners get paid for wind turbines in Texas?
Annual per-turbine payments typically range from $5,000 to over $10,000. Many contracts also include a royalty based on electricity revenue, so payments can vary with wind conditions and market prices.
What is the biggest problem with wind turbines?
Individual turbines face blade degradation, gearbox wear, and avian and bat mortality. At the system level, transmission bottlenecks remain the largest headache: they force curtailment of otherwise available generation, especially in West Texas.
Why are some farmers against wind farms?
Not all farmers oppose turbines; those who object often cite visual intrusion, turbine noise, or perceived property-value impacts. However, thousands of Texas landowners welcome wind farms because annual lease payments provide reliable income, and farming continues undisturbed around the tower bases.
What are the primary transmission constraints for wind energy in Texas?
Curtailment risk concentrates in West Texas, where generation frequently outpaces available export capacity to load centers. The CREZ expansion relieved much of the historic congestion, but as capacity grows, new bottlenecks surface and are managed through ERCOT’s interconnection planning process.
Access the Full Texas Directory & Interactive Map
A complete directory of every operating, under-construction, and planned wind farm in Texas—including developer contacts, turbine counts, and an interactive geographic map—is available in our downloadable database. The dataset contains the following fields as a minimum:
| Data Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Official project name and any prior aliases |
| County & State | Primary county location and multi-county flag |
| Capacity (MW) | Nameplate capacity for each phase |
| Operator / Owner | Controlling entity and parent company |
| Turbine Make & Model | Manufacturer and model (e.g., GE 1.5 MW, Siemens 2.3 MW) |
| Commissioning Year | Year the project began commercial operation |
| Status | Operating, under construction, or planned |
| Offtake Type | PPA, merchant, or hybrid arrangement |
| Approximate Turbine Count | Number of turbines (if publicly reported) |
| Map Coordinates | Latitude and longitude of the project centroid |
