Reese Technology Center
| Reese Technology Center | |
|---|---|
 Aircraft hangar at the former Reese Air Force Base, now Reese Technology Center | |
  Location of Reese Center | |
| General information | |
| Type | Research Center |
| Location | Lubbock, Texas |
| Address | 9801 N. Reese Blvd, Suite 200 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 33°35′47″N 102°02′34″W / 33.59639°N 102.04278°W |
| Opened | 1997 |
| Technical details | |
| Size | 3,000 sq. ft. |
| Website | |
| http://www.reesetechnologycenter.com/ | |
Reese Technology Center is a research and business park located on the grounds of former Reese Air Force Base in western Lubbock at the unincorporated community of Reese Center.
History
[edit]In 1995, Reese Air Force Base was placed on the Pentagon’s list for base closures via the BRAC process despite opposition from community members and leaders. The Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Committee (LRRC) was created in 1995, just two weeks after the base was recommended to be closed.[1] The base was formally closed on September 30, 1997.[2] The Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Committee was renamed the Redevelopment Authority (LRRA) and could now execute contracts for base property. This committee was composed of local government officials and area businesspeople. [citation needed]
In the years since Reese AFB closure, investigations have occurred to look into the per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) around the former base. Before Reese Air Force Base closed, it was home to training Air Force Firefighters to extinguish life-threatening fires using foam containing PFAS. After using this substance for many years at the base, it began seeping into the groundwater. The Air Force is continually checking bases for PFAS to this day. Past Reese AFB residents are entitled to compensation if found to the following toxins: Testicular cancer, Renal (kidney) cancer, and Prostate cancer.[3]
Wind technology research facility
[edit]The Reese Technology Center is presently home to the Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) Facility, a collaborative research facility with the following research partners:[4]
- Texas Tech
- The National Wind Institute
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for the Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) of the U.S. Department of Energy[5]
- Vestas, a Danish wind turbine company[6]
- Group NIRE, which is a renewable energy corporation created in 2010 by Texas Tech.[7]
Related facilities
[edit]Along with the SWiFT Facility, the center also houses the following for the National Wind Institute's research:
- The Wind Engineering Research Field Laboratory (WERFL)[8]
- VorTECH, which is designed to simulate tornadic winds of about 150 miles per hour or less.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Reese Center Staff (2010). "Reese Technology Center". Lubbock Reese Redevelopment Authority. Archived from the original on 2010-08-29.
- ^ Schuhmann, S. (2001). "Lubbock converts Air Force base into business park". Abilene Reporter-News. Archived from the original on 2010-06-30.
- ^ McClendon, Malcolm (2023-10-09). "Air Force begins field work to investigate PFAS at former Reese AFB". US Air Force. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
- ^ "DOE/SNL Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) Facility | National Wind Institute | TTU". www.depts.ttu.edu. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "SWiFT facility".
- ^ "This is Vestas". www.vestas.com. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "Home". Group NIRE. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "Wind Engineering Research Field Laboratory (WERFL) | National Wind Institute | TTU". www.depts.ttu.edu. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
- ^ "VorTECH | National Wind Institute | TTU". www.depts.ttu.edu. Retrieved 2024-06-10.