West Texas rancher rejected wind turbines twice; royalties now help keep his family ranch running

John E. Davis (AI enhanced scereengrab- Youtube/KC Videoclub) A fifth-generation West Texas rancher twice rejected plans to put wind turbines on his family’s property before eventually agreeing to host seven turbines. Today, the wind project has become an important source of regular income for John E Davis, helping him continue his ranching operation and invest in other projects in the community.Davis, a former Texas state representative and former chair of the House Economic and Small Business Development Committee, owns the ranch with his brother, Keith Davis. The property is near the Concho County-Menard County line. The family was first approached about the wind project in 2016, but Davis said they did not want “any of those ugly old wind turbines” on their land, Texas Energy and Power.com reported.The developers returned about a year and a half later. The brothers rejected the proposal again before eventually agreeing to join the Cactus Flats wind project in Concho County. Developed by RES, the Cactus Flats Wind Facility has a capacity of 148 MW and includes 43 turbines. Seven of them are now on the Davis family property.The turbines began going up in 2018 and started generati...