Tehachapi Wind Resource Area

The Tehachapi Wind Resource Area (TWRA) is a large wind resource area along the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains in California. It is the largest wind resource area in California, encompassing an area of approximately 800 sq mi (2,100 km2) and producing a combined 3,507 MW of renewable electricity between its 5 independent wind farms.

Tehachapi Wind Resource Area
Wind resource area
Central part of Tehachapi Wind Resource Area from space
Central part of Tehachapi Wind Resource Area from space
TWRA is located in California
TWRA
TWRA
Location of the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area
Coordinates: 35°04′05″N 118°15′45″W
LocationKern County, California
RangeSierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains
Part ofAntelope Valley, Indian Wells Valley, Tehachapi Pass
Area
 • Total800 sq mi (2,100 km2) (approx.)

The mountain pass acts as a venturi effect to air moving between ocean and desert, increasing wind speed.[1]

This area is a net exporter of generation to other parts of the state of California. A state initiative to upgrade the transmission out of Tehachapi (the 4.5 GW Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project) began in 2008 and was completed by 2016.[2] This has opened the door to further regional wind power development up to 10 GW,[3] and multiple solar and storage projects are installed to utilize that capacity.[4] A prime location for viewing the turbines is off of State Route 58 and from Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road.

Wind farms

The Tehachapi Wind Resource Area is home to 5 independently owned and operated wind farms as of February 2020.

NameCoordinatesCapacity (MW)YearRef
Alta Wind Energy Center35°1′16″N 118°19′14″W1,5482011
Manzana Wind Farm34°55′11″N 118°26′55″W340.72013[5][6][7]
Pine Tree Wind Power Project35°14′49″N 118°10′35″W1352009[8][9]
Sky River Wind Farm35°20′42″N 118°11′09″W2391994[10][11]
Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm35°04′05″N 118°15′45″W1,2441986

Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project
Main article: Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project

The development of the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area began in 2009 in conjunction with the development of the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project. The transmission project was required to support new wind developments in the area at the time including Alta-Oak Creek Mojave Project which was part of Alta Wind Energy Center, the largest wind farm in the world as of 2013.[12]

See also

References
  1. "Why Tehachapi Pass? / Pioneers of the Wind / Hike A Mile or Two - Thousand Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020.
  2. "TRTP | Projects in Progress | Reliability | About Us | Home - SCE". www.sce.com. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  3. Cummings, Nikki (5 August 2010). "Tehachapi: Planned for Prosperity | Wind Systems Magazine". Archived from the original on 3 October 2022.
  4. "Edwards Air Force Base harnessing the sun to bring more energy storage to the state". KERO 23 ABC News Bakersfield. 2 February 2023.
  5. "Electricity Data Browser - Manzana Wind LLC". www.eia.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  6. "Electricity Data Browser - Pacific Wind LLC". www.eia.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  7. "Manzana (USA) - Wind farms - Online access - The Wind Power". www.thewindpower.net. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  8. "Electricity Data Browser - Pine Tree Wind Power Project". www.eia.gov. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  9. "L.A. goes large with wind power: Back Issues, altenerG.com - enerG Alternative Sources Magazine - enerG, Archives". www.altenerg.com. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  10. "Electricity Data Browser - Solano Wind". www.eia.gov. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  11. "Power sources". www.smud.org. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  12. "Development of the TehachapiWind Resource Area" (PDF). Retrieved 27 August 2013.
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