It seems Enid’s attempt at setting the world record for simultaneous kite flying is attracting a lot of national attention.
In fact, around 30 corporate employees from energy companies around the region plan to be in Enid on Sept. 10, when the kite record will be attempted.
That’s according to Enid/Garfield County Development Alliance Executive Director Brent Kisling, who says the event is really “taking off.”
“I believe this event has already been a success and we haven’t even put a kite in the air yet,” he said.
The 30 people from the companies will be invited to a special RSVP forum right before the event.
Among the companies that will be represented at the forum are TradeWind Energy LLC of Kansas and Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. of Colorado.
“Both of those have significant presences in Garfield County and for leasing up land for wind farms,” Kisling said. “Both of those companies are flying in vice presidents that will be speaking at our forum that morning.”
Also sending in a representative is Southwest Power Pool of Arkansas. Curt Roggow, a contract lobbyist in Enid and member of The Wind Coalition, has helped bring Southwest Power Pool and other companies to Enid for the event, Kisling said.
“It has already been hugely successful,” he said.
The development alliance already has raised $50,000 for the affair.
Kisling said he hopes two things result from the kite event and bringing company executives into Enid. First, he wants wind to become a significant export for Garfield County, much like wheat and cattle. That would be easy for the county, Kisling said, because there are many transmission lines that criss-cross the countryside. Enid could transmit power from wind energy to locations in Kansas or even Texas.
Secondly, if wind turbines are built for a new wind farm, Kisling thinks Garfield County residents could do the manufacturing. That would create jobs and stimulate the local economy.
“We would be a great location, one of the largest population centers on the edge (of the wind farm near Woodward) where those turbines could be put together,” Kisling said.
But the ultimate goal, Kisling said, would be to establish a wind farm in Garfield County — a goal he believes isn’t too far away from becoming reality.
“I can almost guarantee we will have a wind farm in Garfield County at some point,” he said.