Tehachapi Wind Resource Area
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Tehachapi Wind Resource Area | |
|---|---|
,_California_–_satellite_image_with_scale_bar.png) Central part of Tehachapi Wind Resource Area from space | |
  TWRA Location of the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area | |
| Coordinates: 35°04′05″N 118°15′45″W / 35.06806°N 118.26250°W | |
| Location | Kern County, California |
| Range | Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains |
| Part of | Antelope Valley, Indian Wells Valley, Tehachapi Pass |
| Area | |
| • Total | 800 mi2 (2,100 km2) (approx.) |
The Tehachapi Wind Resource Area (TWRA) is a large wind resource area along the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains in California. It is the largest wind resource area in California, encompassing an area of approximately 800 mi2 (2,100 km2) and producing a combined 3,507 MW of renewable electricity between its 5 independent wind farms.
The mountain pass acts as a venturi effect to air moving between ocean and desert, increasing wind speed.[1]
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.[2] This has opened the door to further regional wind power development up to 10 GW,[3] and multiple solar and storage projects are installed to utilize that capacity.[4] A prime location for viewing the turbines is off of State Route 58 and from Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road.
The Tehachapi Wind Resource Area is home to 5 independently owned and operated wind farms as of February 2020.
