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| Altamont Pass wind farm | |
|---|---|
| Units operational | 4930 |
| Nameplate capacity | 576 MW |
| Annual net output | 1.1 TWh |
| External links | |
What is the Altamont Pass wind farm?
The Altamont Pass wind farm is located in the Altamont Pass of the Diablo Range in Northern California. It is one of the earliest wind farms in the United States. The first wind turbines were placed on the Altamont in the early 1980s by Fayette Manufacturing Corporation on land owned by cattle rancher Joe Jess.
When were the first wind turbines placed on the Altamont?
The first wind turbines were placed on the Altamont in the early 1980s by Fayette Manufacturing Corporation on land owned by cattle rancher Joe Jess. The wind farm is composed of 4930 relatively small wind turbines of various types, making it at one time the largest wind farm in the world in terms of capacity.
What is the oldest wind farm in the US?
Older wind turbines. The Altamont Pass Wind Farm is located in the Altamont Pass of the Diablo Range in Northern California. It is one of the earliest wind farms in the United States. The first wind turbines were placed on the Altamont in the early 1980s by Fayette Manufacturing Corporation on land owned by cattle rancher Joe Jess.
How much power does altaltamont pass produce?
Altamont Pass is still one of the largest concentration of wind turbines in the world, with a capacity of 576 megawatts (MW), producing about 125 MW on average and 1.1 terawatt-hours (TWh) yearly. They were installed after the 1970s energy crisis in response to favorable tax policies for investors.
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Who owns Altamont Pass?
Union PacificOf the two railroad lines through the old pass, one is still in use: the ex-Western Pacific line built in 1908 over the pass, which is sometimes known as the Altamont Corridor, now owned by Union Pacific....Altamont Pass.New Altamont PassView from westbound I-580 of Altamont Pass.Elevation1,009 ft (308 m)Traversed byI-5804 more rows
What happened to the windmills in Altamont Pass?
In a major victory for Altamont Pass birds, a wind company that has killed outrageous numbers of birds in the Altamont area announced that it is shutting down its 828-turbine wind farm, effective November 1.
Who owns the most wind farms?
In the United States, the wind energy operator, NextEra Energy, owned 12.9 gigawatts of wind power, making it the leading wind energy operator as of 2016.
Why is Altamont Pass a good place for a wind farm?
In the early 1980s, improvements in wind turbine technology, strong power prices, incentives for renewable energy, and proximity to a major load center made Altamont Pass an attractive location to develop wind farms.
What is the largest wind farm in California?
the Alta Wind Energy CentreLocated in Tehachapi, Kern County, California, the Alta Wind Energy Centre is the biggest wind farm in the US. With a combined installed capacity of about 1,550MW, the power generated by the wind farm is sold to Southern California Edison under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA).
How tall are the wind turbines at Altamont Pass?
430 feet tall“The new turbines are 430 feet tall from the base to the tip of the blade, and the higher you go, the faster the wind speeds are.” The Altamont Pass was first developed for wind power in the late 1970s and at one point had nearly 6,000 turbines in operation.
How much do farmers get paid for wind turbines?
Wind lease terms vary quite a bit, but general rules of thumb are: $4,000 to $8,000 per turbine, $3,000 to $4,000 per megawatt of capacity, or 2-4% of gross revenues. Larger turbines should translate to larger payments.
Who owns the largest wind farms in the US?
Roscoe wind farm (RWF) is the largest onshore wind farm in the world. It is located 45 miles south-west of Abilene in Texas, US. Owned by RWE, it is one of the biggest wind farms in the world.
What is the lifespan of wind turbines?
about 25 yearsIn terms of durability, wind turbines last an average of about 25 years. About 85 percent of turbine component materials—such as steel, copper wire, electronics, and gearing—can be recycled or reused.
How many wind turbines does the Altamont Pass have?
The wind farm is composed of 4930 relatively small wind turbines of various types, making it at one time the largest wind farm in the world in terms of capacity.
What type of energy is used created in Altamont Pass California?
Wind powerWind power started in California in 1981 when the Altamont wind farm in Alameda County was built as a reaction to the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s. Currently, five wind farms operate in the Altamont Pass; under ideal conditions, they can generate 266.2 megawatts of electricity.
What are the pros and cons of wind energy?
Pros and Cons of Wind Energy1) Free Fuel. ... 2) One of the Cleanest Forms of Energy. ... 3) Advances in Technology. ... 4) Doesn't Disrupt Farmland Operations. ... 5) Reduces Our Dependence of Fossil Fuels. ... 1) Dangerous to Some Wildlife. ... 2) Noisy. ... 3) Expensive Upfront Cost.More items...
What are the windmills in Livermore for?
The Altamont Pass in Livermore is officially home to the new Scott Haggerty Wind Energy Center, a re-powered source of clean energy for residents and businesses spanning across 14 cities and Alameda County.
What type of energy is used created in Altamont Pass California?
Wind powerWind power started in California in 1981 when the Altamont wind farm in Alameda County was built as a reaction to the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s. Currently, five wind farms operate in the Altamont Pass; under ideal conditions, they can generate 266.2 megawatts of electricity.
How is the Altamont Pass wind farm east of the San Francisco Bay area reducing raptor mortality?
METHODS TO REDUCE BIRD KILLS ARE KNOWN The California Energy Commission and raptor experts with extensive research experience at Altamont Pass have recommended re-powering projects (replace thousands of outdated turbines with fewer, larger turbines) that have the potential to greatly reduce the bird mortality.
Is there an important date associated with Altamont Pass California?
November 21, 2003 – The Center appealed Alameda County's illegal renewal of permits for more than 1,500 wind turbines at Altamont Pass, which lacked any mitigation measures to reduce documented raptor mortality.
Where is the Alta Wind Energy Center located?
The Alta Wind Energy Center is a wind farm located in Tehachapi Pass of the Tehachapi Mountains, in Kern County , California.
How many jobs will Alta Wind Energy Center create?
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 one billion dollars to the local economy.
When was the first wind farm built?
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".
Who built the Terra-Gen wind farm?
The wind farm was 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.
Where is the Alta Oak Creek Mojave project?
The Alta-Oak Creek Mojave Project is generally located at the south side of the Oak Creek Road, starting a few miles west of the state route 14 in Mojave and continuing westward along the Oak Creek Road to the west side of the Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road. ...
Who owns the Wind Farm in New York?
Chaset said the “repowered” wind farm – owned by Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company, LLC, of New York – is a harbinger of a not-so-distant future in which millions of people will be living completely off renewable energy.
How much power does Summit Winds produce?
At their maximum capacity, the 23 turbines can produce 57.5 megawatts of electricity per hour that’s sent into the power grid for customers of East Bay Community Energy, a nonprofit that serves more than 1.7 million residential and commercial users in 14 cities across much of Alameda County. The agency has purchased 20 years of power from the Summit Winds project, which it has dubbed the Scott Haggerty Wind Energy Center after the former Alameda County supervisor.
Where are eagles wintering?
The Altamont Pass area is a critical breeding and wintering habitat for the eagles, said Glenn Phillips, director of the Golden Gate Audubon Society. And although wind farm developers generally are taking more caution these days to place turbines outside of “the very worst” areas, it’s not enough, he added.
What is East Bay Community Energy?
East Bay Community Energy is one of more than 20 “community choice aggregation” programs in California that buy renewable energy and partner with traditional, investor-owned power companies such as PG&E to distribute it to homes and businesses.
How many golden eagles will the Summit Winds project kill?
While the county estimates that the Summit Winds project will reduce the deaths of four key species of birds by roughly 66%, it actually could kill 9% more golden eagles, or as many as six per year.
When did Alameda County settle a lawsuit?
In 2010, Alameda County and the Altamont Pass’ numerous wind farm investors settled a lawsuit with multiple environmental groups, including the Audubon Society, over bird deaths.
Do windmills kill birds?
The spinning blades still are projected to kill dozens of birds each year, including golden eagles .
