Alta Wind Energy Center
| Industry | Wind power |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Oak Creek Energy Systems (initial development) |
| Founded | January 1, 2010 in Mojave, California, United States |
| Founder | Terra-Gen Power |
| Headquarters | Mojave , United States |
Area served | United States (California) |
| Products | Electricity generation from wind power |
| Owner | Terra-Gen Power |
Number of employees | 3000 (estimated during construction and operation) (2012) |
| Website | cleanenergyactionproject |
Alta Wind Energy Center (AWEC), often referred to as the Mojave Wind Farm, ranks as the third largest onshore wind power facility worldwide and stands as the biggest within the United States as of 2022. Situated in Tehachapi Pass, Kern County, California, it boasts an installed generation capacity of . Positioned adjacent to the historic Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm—the location of America's pioneering large-scale wind farms—this project highlights the growing magnitude of contemporary wind energy developments.
Southern California Edison has secured a 25-year power purchase agreement for up to 1500 MW from new ventures in the Tehachapi region. The initiative aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 5.2 million metric tons, which is comparable to removing approximately 446,000 vehicles from circulation, with an overall target capacity of 3000 MW.
Terra-Gen Power spearheaded the AWEC development and arranged $1.2 billion in financing in July 2010 alongside partners such as Citibank, Barclays Capital, and Credit Suisse. Following some postponements, construction commenced in 2010, supported by an additional $650 million funding round in April 2012. The project is expected to create upwards of 3,000 jobs across manufacturing, construction, and maintenance sectors domestically while injecting over $1 billion into the local economy.
History
The initial "Alta-Oak Creek Mojave Project" envisioned up to 320 wind turbines spread over , delivering an output of 800 MW. Originally developed by Oak Creek Energy Systems under contract with Terra-Gen, ownership was eventually transferred fully to Terra-Gen, forming the first phase of the Alta Wind Energy Center.
Positioned south of Oak Creek Road near Mojave, California, this development stretches westwards along Oak Creek Road toward Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road.
Per the American Wind Energy Association, the first two phases completed by fall 2010 included Alta II at 150 MW (comprising 50 Vestas turbines rated at 3 MW each) and Alta I also at 150 MW (featuring 100 turbines of 1.5 MW). Later stages—Alta III (150 MW), Alta IV (102 MW), and Alta V (168 MW)—were finalized by mid-2011 utilizing Vestas V-90 models. Projects Alta VIII and VI, combining for 300 MW, were completed by early 2012 but were renamed Brookfield Tehachapi 2 and Mustang Hills respectively. Subsequently, Alta VII and IX added another 300 MW capacity by December 2012 under the names Pinyon Pines Wind I and II, bringing total installed capacity to 1320 MW.
Additional expansions include Alta X at 138 MW and Alta XI at 90 MW aimed for completion by late 2013, with a further planned project—Alta XIII—targeting 180 MW by 2019.
Overview
| Plant | Operator | Capacity (MW) |
Commissioned | Cost, $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Wind Energy Center I | Terra-Gen Operating Co | 150 | Jan 2011 | 394 million |
| Alta Wind Energy Center II | Terra-Gen Operating Co | 150 | Jan 2011 | 1,200 million (units II-V) |
| Alta Wind Energy Center III | Terra-Gen Operating Co | 150 | Feb 2011 | |
| Alta Wind Energy Center IV | Terra-Gen Operating Co | 102 | Apr 2011 | |
| Alta Wind Energy Center V | Terra-Gen Operating Co | 168 | Apr 2011 | |
| Everpower Wind Holdings | Mustang Hills (Alta Wind VI) | 150 | May 2012 | 631 million (with unit VIII) |
| Pinyon Pines Wind I | Pinyon Pine I (Alta Wind VII) | 168 | Nov 2012 | 650 million (with unit IX) |
| Alta Wind VIII | Brookfield Energy Marketing | 150 | Jan 2012 | |
| Pinyon Pines Wind II | Pinyon Pine II (Alta Wind IX) | 132 | Nov 2012 | |
| Alta Wind X | Terra-Gen Operating Co | 138 | Jan 2014 | |
| Alta Wind XI | Terra-Gen Operating Co | 90 | Jan 2014 |
Electricity Generation
| Year | Alta I 150 MW |
Alta II 150 MW |
Alta III 150 MW |
Alta IV 102 MW |
Alta V 168 MW |
Alta VI 150 MW |
Alta VII 168 MW |
Alta VIII 150 MW |
Alta IX 132 MW |
Alta X 138 MW |
Alta XI 90 MW |
Total Yearly MW·h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 395,703 | 336,193 | 364,270 | 149,373 | 239,021 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,484,560 |
| 2012 | 353,793 | 296,135 | 318,407 | 150,322 | 243,738 | 181,718 | 18,115 | - | 12,689 | - | - | 1,574,917 |
| 2013 | 398,985 | 348,908 | 361,051 | 178,777 | 283,238 | 302,869 | 363,653 | 285,358 | 258,485 | - | - | 2,781,324 |
| 2014 | 403,255 | 328,958 | 349,245 | 168,320 | 269,901 | 304,728 | 365,507 | 282,719 | 255,597 | 328,080 | 249,985 | 3,306,295 |
| 2015 | 341,120 | 279,829 | 300,282 | 134,744 | 220,012 | 252,832 | 288,517 | 231,524 | 202,586 | 309,408 | 222,142 | 2,782,996 |
| 2016 | 413,363 | 360,216 | 380,465 | 183,393 | 293,378 | 314,587 | 346,699 | 294,789 | 250,438 | 364,926 | 276,368 | 3,478,622 |
| 2017 | 366,518 | 325,932 | 350,502 | 162,752 | 263,466 | 289,326 | 319,578 | 251,380 | 230,440 | 340,379 | 248,865 | 3,149,138 |
| 2018 | 399302 | 349772 | 361029 | 178715 | 284839 | 303482 | 339370 | 270077 | 244263 | 373532 | 261386 | 3,365767 |
| 2019 | 366019 | 366720 | 261255 | 150299 | 311896 | 264116 | 275335 | 237117 | 203749 | 366641 | 246686 | 3.049.833 |
| Mean Annual Output (2014–2019) | 3,188.775 | |||||||||||
See also
- Tehachapi Wind Resource Area
- Wind power in California
- Wind power in the United States
- Ivanpah Solar Power Facility