A total of 1.2 billion dollar has been readily secured by Terra-Gen Power, to construct the largest wind farm in the United States of America. This sum of money will be enough to supplement a total of 570 MW of new energy capacity to the Alta Wind Energy Center in Kern County, California. The total capacity will escalate to a fascinating 3,000 MW, which will be the biggest wind farm capacity in America.
This colossal wind farm is expected to provide renewable energy to the national grid by the first or second quarter of 2011. This will certainly remain the largest wind farm, in the region for some time.
In the recent years, Europe has been expanding wind energy much faster than the US. However, the United States is finally starting to recuperate with renewable energy projects. Currently, there is a wind farm in the Lake Erie fresh waters as well as the Cape Cod wind farm. The supplementation to Alta Wind Energy Center in California is definitely ensuring that the nation is becoming a big player in the wind farm game. Terra-Gen Power will be using 190 wind turbines of V90-3.0 MW.
Moreover, there are five contracts that are being developed by Southern California Edison since 2006 and this has supported an addition of 25% of wind energy capacity.
Jim Pagano who is the CEO of Terra Gen says that this project will fully broaden the base of renewable energy produced in California; it will also support the nation’s aim to become energy independent. He also noted that this will represent a stimulus for the economy to grow and steam towards its green-energy targets. In direct terms, the project will create 1,500 domestic construction, manufacturing, maintenance and operation jobs while adding above $600 million to the home economy.
This is certainly a proof that the green economy is emerging and therefore, decreasing our strong dependence on oil as the economy recovers.
Source: Inhabitat, Terra-gene Power and Engadget
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