Wind energy projects in Texas and Massachusetts have been chosen for two, $2-million grants from the U.S. Department of Energy.

According to this press release from the agency, DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman has announced the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Partnership in Massachusetts, and the Lone Star Wind Alliance in Texas will receive up to $2 million each in test equipment to develop large-scale wind blade test facilities, expected to be operational in 2009:

“These two testing facilities represent an important next step in the expansion of competitiveness of the U.S. domestic wind energy industry,” Secretary Bodman said, while hosting a press conference with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. “We congratulate Massachusetts and Texas for their outstanding proposals and we believe this work will build upon the Administration’s goal of prompting states to research, develop and deploy more clean energy technologies.”

Ultimately, they hope to test wind turbine blades 100 yards long with the potential of producing 20% of the nation’s energy needs.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Partnership wants to build its test facility at the Boston Autoport in Boston Harbor. The Lone Star Wind Alliance test facility would be in Ingleside, Texas.