The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates the project to cost approximately $5 million, assuming the building is leased rather than bought.

"This test facility will be a magnet for research and manufacturing," Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said. "It will establish Texas as a worldwide leader in wind power for the next 100 years."

Patterson said the state is well-suited for the facility with its ports, strong Gulf Coast winds and industrial know-how.

Long known as a top oil- and natural gas-producing state, Texas recently gained acclaim as the nation's top producer of wind energy.

Texas capacity stands at 2,370 megawatts, enough to power 600,000 average-sized homes a year, according to a midyear report released Tuesday by the American Wind Energy Association.