A new wind turbine in the Texas Panhandle is the largest in the United States.
As The Amarillo Globe-News reports, the turbine is located at the UL Advanced Wind Turbine Test Facility at West Texas A&M University, in Randall County.
The hub of the turbine stands 427 feet above the ground, and the tip of a blade at its highest point rises to 654 feet. By comparison, that’s one hundred feet taller than the Washington Monument, and over twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty.
The massive turbine will serve as a learning tool for students at WT, as well as a sort of classroom for wind turbine researchers and manufacturers. The turbine was developed by Goldwind Americas, an energy company headquartered in China. Byron Neal, director of the UL Advanced Wind Turbine Test Facility, said WT is excited about the project, saying the turbine is ideal for prototype testing. “This project with Goldwind should continue to bring attention to Canyon and the region,” he added.