Terra-Gen Power just secured a whopping 1.2 billion dollars in financing to up the ante on United States wind farms. With this latest round of cash they’ll be adding 570 megawatts of capacity to their Alta Wind Energy Center in Kern County, California to bring the total capacity up to a mega-impressive 3,000 megawatts making it the largest wind farm in the United States. The farm should be completed and ready for juicing the grid with renewable energy by the first and second quarters of 2011. Anyone up for topping that? This, “who can build the biggest wind farm,” is one showmanship game that we’re totally willing to egg on.
After the last few years, in which it seems the US has been severely lagging behind our European counterparts in the wind power game, we’re finally bringing home the renewable energy projects — we’ve got the Lake Erie fresh water wind farm and a final “yes” on the Cape Cod wind farm. The addition to the Alta Wind Energy Center in California is a nice topper to this recent list of wins. Terra-Gen’s addition will come in the shape of four separate additions to their existing wind farms in California and will use 190 V90-3.0 MW turbines. The initial 5 projects which are already installed or under construction, will fulfill a contract signed with Southern California Edison in 2006 and will up California’s wind-energy by 25%.
“The project represents an important expansion of the renewable generating base of California and helps us advance our nation’s goals of achieving energy independence in an environmentally responsible manner,” said Jim Pagano, CEO of Terra-Gen. He added that the project is a huge boost to the economy as well as our green-energy goals, noting that the project, “will create more than 1,500 domestic manufacturing, construction and operation and maintenance jobs, and inject more than $600 million into the local economy.” Talk about a heartwarming story of the green economy pulling through on its promise to bring our dependence on oil down and our economy up.
+ Terra-Gen
Via Engadget
Sooner or later there will be some push back (there probably already has been) about the land use volume of these wind farms. There’s another way of deploying a wind farm: http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/2009/12/from-war-machine-to-clean-energy/
As a child growing up in California in the 1950\\\’s, I remember driving through Long Beach and thinking all the the oil derricks were the ugliest things I had ever seen. Wind turbines are no prettier, but watching them go up gladdens my heart.
Now, what do we do with areas, like the one in which I presently live, which have no viable wind? Personally, I am banking on South Carolina being a leader in hydrogen technology.
Now this is the right idea! California has (yet again) taken the lead and shown what smart investment and directed innovation can do. It is more than possible for the US to commit itself to a sustainable future based in the renewable energy sector. The rest of the US needs to follow in suit and begin investing in green industry, like this wind farm. As the largest wind farm in the US, it will pump more than $600 million into the local economy, as it “create[s] more than 1,500 domestic manufacturing, construction and operation and maintenance jobs.” What state wouldn’t want millions of dollars added to their economy through the increase of local, American jobs?? Need more convincing? Check out what’s going on at EDF: http://www.lesscarbonmorejobs.org
Does anyone know where they are purchasing the turbines from.
They are purchasing the turbines from Vestas (based in Denmark) on only certain parts are coming from the USA — a majority of the manufacturing (jobs) are overseas… USA tax-debt going to jobs overseas. Nice.
Awwwnold!
Most parts are produced in USA:
Vestas’ manufacturing operations in Colorado, USA, will produce wind components for this order. All blades for the Alta project will be produced at Vestas’ blades factory in Windsor, Colorado. And a majority of the towers will be manufactured at Vestas’ new tower factory in Pueblo, Colorado.
(Source: http://www.vestas.com/en/media/news/news-display.aspx?action=3&NewsID=2221)
I wonder if the investment agreement included the water rights beneath the turbines.
watch For Love Of Water \\\’FLOW\\\’
find it on google or here :
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/flow-for-love-of-water/
This is great! Now back it up with a $2 billion dollar solar powered farm in the Mojave desert.
Thanks for shainrg. Always good to find a real expert.
Now we know who the senislbe one is here. Great post!