View source for Tehachapi Wind Resource Area

{{Short description|Area of wind farms near Tehachapi Mountains, California}}
{{Infobox landform
| name              = Tehachapi Wind Resource Area
| other_name        = 
| type              = [[Wind power in the United States#Wind generation potential|Wind resource area]]
| photo             = Central part of Tehachapi Wind Resource Area (Alta Wind Energy Center, Tehachapi Pass wind farm), California – satellite image with scale bar.png
| photo_width       = 250px
| photo_alt         = 
| photo_caption     = Central part of Tehachapi Wind Resource Area from space
| map               = California
| map_relief        = yes
| map_size          = 250
| map_caption       = Location of the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area
| map_alt           = 
| label             = TWRA
| label_position    = right
| mark              = 
| marker_size       = 
| location          = [[Kern County, California|Kern County]], [[California]]
| coordinates       = {{Coord|35|04|05|N|118|15|45|W|type:landmark_region:US-CA|display=inline,title|format=dms|name=Tehachapi Wind Resource Area}}
| range             = [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]], [[Tehachapi Mountains]]
| part_of           = [[Antelope Valley]], [[Indian Wells Valley]], [[Tehachapi Pass]]
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| area              = {{convert|800|mi2|km2|abbr=on}} (approx.)
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The '''Tehachapi Wind Resource Area (TWRA)''' is a large [[Wind power in the United States#Wind generation potential|wind resource area]] along the foothills of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] and [[Tehachapi Mountains]] in [[California]]. It is the largest wind resource area in California, encompassing an area of approximately {{convert|800|mi2|km2|abbr=on}} and producing a combined 3,507 [[Megawatt|MW]] of [[renewable electricity]] between its 5 independent [[wind farm]]s.

The mountain pass acts as a [[venturi effect]] to air moving between ocean and desert, increasing wind speed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Why Tehachapi Pass? / Pioneers of the Wind / Hike A Mile or Two - Thousand Historical Marker |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=63166 |website=www.hmdb.org |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201019013017/https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=63166 |archive-date=19 October 2020 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sce.com/wps/portal/home/about-us/reliability/upgrading-transmission/TRTP-4-11/ |title=TRTP {{!}} Projects in Progress {{!}} Reliability {{!}} About Us {{!}} Home - SCE|website=www.sce.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-14}}</ref> This has opened the door to further regional wind power development up to 10 GW,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cummings |first1=Nikki |title=Tehachapi: Planned for Prosperity {{!}} Wind Systems Magazine |url=https://www.windsystemsmag.com/tehachapi-planned-for-prosperity/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221003072306/https://www.windsystemsmag.com/tehachapi-planned-for-prosperity/ |archive-date=3 October 2022 |date=5 August 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> and multiple solar and storage projects are installed to utilize that capacity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Edwards Air Force Base harnessing the sun to bring more energy storage to the state |url=https://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/edwards-air-force-base-harnessing-the-sun-to-bring-more-energy-storage-to-the-state |website=KERO 23 ABC News Bakersfield |language=en |date=2 February 2023}}</ref>  A prime location for viewing the turbines is off of [[California State Route 58|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.
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Name !! Coordinates !! data-sort-type="number"|Capacity ([[Megawatt|MW]]) !! {{abbr|Year|Year commissioned}} !! class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref|References}}
|-
| [[Alta Wind Energy Center]] || {{coord|35|1|16|N|118|19|14|W|name=Alta Wind Energy Center}} || 1,548 || 2011 || 
|-
| [[Manzana Wind Farm]] || {{coord|34|55|11|N|118|26|55|W|name=Manzana Wind Farm}} || 340.7 || 2013 || <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/plant/57484 |title=Electricity Data Browser - Manzana Wind LLC|website=www.eia.gov|access-date=February 19, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/plant/57757 |title=Electricity Data Browser - Pacific Wind LLC|website=www.eia.gov|access-date=February 19, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thewindpower.net/windfarm_en_17412_manzana.php |title=Manzana (USA) - Wind farms - Online access - The Wind Power|website=www.thewindpower.net|access-date=February 19, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| [[Pine Tree Wind Power Project]] || {{coord|35|14|49|N|118|10|35|W|name=Pine Tree Wind Power Project}} || 135 || 2009 || <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/ |title=Electricity Data Browser - Pine Tree Wind Power Project|website=www.eia.gov|access-date=February 19, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.altenerg.com/back_issues/index.php-content_id=202.htm |title=L.A. goes large with wind power: Back Issues, altenerG.com - enerG Alternative Sources Magazine - enerG, Archives|website=www.altenerg.com|access-date=February 19, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| [[Sky River Wind Farm]] || {{coord|35|20|42|N|118|11|09|W|name=Sky River Wind Farm}} || 239 || 1994 || <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/plant/7526 |title=Electricity Data Browser - Solano Wind|website=www.eia.gov|access-date=February 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smud.org/en/Corporate/Environmental-Leadership/Power-Sources |title=Power sources|website=www.smud.org|access-date=February 20, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| [[Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm]] || {{coord|35|04|05|N|118|15|45|W|name=Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm}} || 1,244 || 1986 || 
|}

==Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project==
{{main|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|lc=y|2013}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Development of the TehachapiWind Resource Area|url= ftp://ftp.cpuc.ca.gov/gopher-data/environ/tehachapi_renewables/TRTP_Final%20EIR-EIS/EIR-EIS/6-TWRA.pdf |access-date=27 August 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
{{stack|{{Portal|California|Weather|Renewable energy}}}}
*[[:Category:Wind farms in California|Wind farms in California]]
*[[List of onshore wind farms]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Wind farms in California]]
[[Category:Mojave Desert]]
[[Category:Tehachapi Mountains]]
[[Category:Geography of Kern County, California]]

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