Alta Wind Energy Center: Difference between revisions

Alta Wind Energy Center
Country	United States
Location	Tehachapi Pass, Kern County, California
Coordinates	35°01′16″N 118°19′16″W / 35.0211°N 118.321°W / 35.0211; -118.321
Status	Operational
Commission date	2010
Wind farm
Type	Onshore
Power generation
Nameplate capacity	1,547 MW
External links
Commons	Related media on Commons
[edit on Wikidata]

The Alta Wind Energy Center is a wind farm located in Tehachapi Pass of the Tehachapi Mountains, in Kern County, California. As of 2013, it is the second largest wind farm in the world^[1], with a combined installed capacity of 1,320 MW (1,770,000 hp) next only to the Jaisalmer Wind Park in Rajasthan, India. The project, being developed near Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm – site of the first large-scale wind farms installed in the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s – is "a powerful illustration of the growing size and scope of modern wind projects".^[2][3]

Southern California Edison has agreed to a 25-year power purchase agreement for the power produced as part of the power purchase agreements for up to 1,500 MW (2,000,000 hp) or more of power generated from new projects to be built in the Tehachapi area. The project will "reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 5.2 million metric tons, which is equivalent to taking 446,000 cars off the road".^[2] A total of 3,000 MW (4,000,000 hp) is planned.^[4]

The wind farm is being developed by Terra-Gen Power which closed a US$1.2 billion financing deal in July 2010 with partners that included Citibank, Barclays Capital, and Credit Suisse. After many delays, the first phase began construction in 2010. Financing for additional phases of $650 million was secured in April 2012. Construction of the Alta Wind Energy Center is expected to create more than 3,000 domestic manufacturing, construction, and maintenance jobs, and contribute more than a billion dollars to the local economy.^[2]

The original "Alta-Oak Creek Mojave Project" plan consisted of up to 320 wind turbines occupying a 9,000-acre (36 km²) area while producing 800 MW (1,100,000 hp) of power.^[5] According to the American Wind Energy Association, two initial projects were completed in fall 2010, the 150 MW (200,000 hp)Alta II (Vestas) project using 50 3 MW (4,000 hp) generators and the 150 MW Alta I project using 100 1.5 MW generators.^[6] Three subsequent projects 150 MW Alta III, 102 MW (137,000 hp) Alta IV, and 168 MW Alta V projects were completed in the 2nd quarter of 2011 using 50, 34, and 56 3 MW Vestas V-90 wind turbines. Alta VIII and Alta VI projects, comprising 300 MW (400,000 hp), were completed in late 2011/early 2012. Alta VII and IX projects comprising 300 MW (400,000 hp), were completed in December 2012 (bringing the total to 1,320 MW (1,770,000 hp)), but they were renamed to Pinyon Pines Wind I and Pinyon Pines Wind II.^[7]

• Wind power in California
• Wind power in the United States