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NEW YORK, NY — Independent power producer Caithness Energy has awarded GE a $1.4 billion contract for 338 of the company's most advanced wind turbines to build a 845-megawatt wind farm in Oregon -- a size that outstrips all others currently operating worldwide.
The Shepherds Flat wind farm, scheduled for completion in 2012, is expected to provide enough power for 230,000 households. Compared to equivalent fossil fuel generation, operation of the wind farm will avoid more than 1.5 million tons a year in greenhouse gas emissions, say the project partners, who announced their plans yesterday.
The $2-billion project also is expected to boost the Oregon economy by $16 million annually and provide hundreds of jobs: 400 during the course of construction and 35 for operation of the completed site, according to Caithness Energy.
The energy company has struck three 20-year power purchase agreements with Southern California Edison, which will be the recipient of the wind farm's output.
The site will have the capacity to generate 2 billion kilowatt hours of renewable energy a year and will account for more than a tenth of Southern California Edison's renewable energy portfolio. The California's Renewables Portfolio Standard, one of the more ambitious in the country, calls for electric companies to get 20 percent of their power from renewable energy resources by 2010.
For GE, the project represents the largest single global order of the firm's 2.5xl wind turbines, which have been used in Europe (the picture above shows the turbine in action in Germany) and Asia. The installation will also be the first in North America to deploy GE 2.5xl wind turbines, which will be assembled at the company's facilities in Pensacola, Florida.
When complete, the Shepherds Flat wind farm will occupy 30 square miles of Gilliam and Morrow Counties in north-central Oregon, near the town of Arlington. The vast project includes the construction of 85 miles of road and 90 miles of power connection to the electricity grid.
GE Energy Financial Services, whose portfolio includes more than 40 wind farms with a total capacity to produce more than 6 gigawatts of electricity, is investing in the project.
The wind farm is the second recent major development of renewable energy resources to affect California.
Last week, Pacific Gas and Electric Company announced that it has contracted with Iberdrola Renewables Inc. to purchase and operate a wind generating plant with a power capacity of up to 246 megawatts.
The proposed Manzana wind plant would be built on 7,000 acres in the Tehachapi region of Kern County and would be the first wind project owned by PG&E. If approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, the plant could begin producing power by December 2011.
The Manzana wind farm has a projected output of 670 million kilowatt-hours per year and an estimated capital cost of about $900 million.
Iberdrola Renewables is the U.S. arm of the world's largest provider of wind power.
Image of courtesy of GE.
why not
Why not have people put solar panels on all of thier houses to run thier air conditioners that way they could hook up to a grid that is already in place in thier own area . It also would not impact areas that are as yet mostly still natural . After all people live in Southern Califoria for the sun .The only thing I can see holding them up would be that Califorians think that they dont have to take care of themselves that there is always someone else to do it. The new Califoria motto "GIVE ME GOVERMENT OR I WILL STARVE TO DEATH". I think they should develope thier own solar enrgy and cover Death Valley and Palm Spings and the rest of thier worthless desert areas with solar panels to meet thier own energy needs. Leave us in Oregon out of thier mismanaged mess.
not air pollution but
I cant believe that we as Oregonians are again getting the shaft by California . We are expected to give up about 20,000 acres of beautiful wilderness type area along the Columbia river which is awesome . This is to power Southern California not for the benefit of our state , If they want power they should tear up their own state not limit access to large tracks in Oregons public lands and ruin the scenic beauty of the area. Also these wind plants kill thousands of migratory birds {some of which are on the endangered species list}. All of this just so Southern California can have more of our resources. and again 20,000 acres for only 845 mega watts land to power that not a good ratio . These things should be built in already developed areas if they are to be built. Build them in San Diego where they need the power and there is already a giant human foot print. And yes I live in Eastern Oregon and love the awesome vistas that are being destroyed to power Southern Califoria
30 Square Miles of Acoustic Hell
Wind power is coming in nationwide at about 20-25 percent efficiency. If the quoted numbers in this article are based on that, well and good. Otherwise, expect this latest coup by GE to be another pig in a poke with enormous ecological impacts.
Yes, despite every assurance from GE and developers that these things are quiet and "pollution-free", expect those elevated and uncontrolled industrial noise sources, the large 3-blade wind turbines, to permanently alter fauna habitat with uncontrolled noise pollution on an unprecedented scale and render that thirty square miles of land unusable for residential homes or enjoyable for recreation such as camping, hunting, or fishing. There's nothing quite like the incessant yet unpredictable throb of multiple amplitude modulated wind turbine sneakers-in-a-dryer noise, especially when it's even louder in stable night air than during the day.