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  • Brian Gaddy, director of James W. Strate Center for Business Development, talks to attendees at the WINDPOWER 2010 Conference & Exhibition earlier this week in Dallas. (Photo provided)

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May 27, 2010

Enid officials attend WINDPOWER 2010

By Joe Malan, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Earlier this week officials in Enid represented the city at American Wind Energy Association’s WINDPOWER 2010 Conference & Exhibition, an event that drew an estimated 30,000 people to Dallas.

Enid Regional Development Alliance, Autry Technology Center, Central Machine & Tool and KC Electric all represented Enid at the conference Sunday through Wednesday.

The conference brought together officials form about 1,400 companies who shared and displayed their ideas and trends for wind energy.

“This was the first time Enid had a booth at a wind energy conference,” said Brent Kisling, executive director of Enid Regional Development Alliance.

Kisling said there were several reasons why representatives of Enid went down to the conference.

“One (reason) was to talk to our developers and meet with them there,” Kisling said. “A second reason was to facilitate discussion between our manufacturers and wind supply chain manufacturers.”

Continuing on that point, Kisling said several businesses in Enid could get involved with making parts for wind turbines.

That was the reason why Central Machine & Tool and KC Electric were there — to learn how they could get involved in the wind energy supply chain.

A third reason Enid was represented, Kisling said, was to get the name “Enid, Oklahoma” in front of the hundreds of companies represented.

Enid Regional Development Alliance already has been working with a few wind energy companies in Garfield County. TradeWind Energy is one of those companies and has leased land in part of the county where wind turbines someday may be placed.

Kisling said if TradeWind Energy builds a 300-megawatt wind farm on the leased land, it would be a $600 million investment to Enid and the surrounding area. It also would amount to $4.5 million annually in property taxes and $3 million in payments to landowners.

“That’s why it’s important for Enid to have a presence at a conference such as this,” Kisling said.

Next year’s WINDPOWER conference is in Anaheim, Calif., and Kisling already has put it on his schedule.

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