San Gorgonio Pass wind farm

San Gorgonio Pass wind farm
San Gorgonio Pass wind farm
Country	United States
Location	Riverside County, California
Coordinates	33°54′N 116°35′W / 33.900°N 116.583°W
Status	Operational
Construction began	1980s
Wind farm
Type	Onshore
Hub height	160 ft (49 m) (max)
Power generation
Units operational	802
Nameplate capacity	647 MW
External links
Commons	Related media on Commons
	[edit on Wikidata]

The San Gorgonio Pass wind farm is a wind farm that stretches from the eastern slope of the San Gorgonio Pass, near Cabazon, to North Palm Springs, on the western end of the Coachella Valley, in Riverside County, California. Flanked by Mount San Gorgonio and the Transverse Ranges to the North, and Mount San Jacinto and the Peninsular Ranges to the South, the San Gorgonio Pass is a transitional zone from a Mediterranean climate west of the pass, to a Desert climate east of the pass. This makes the pass area one of the most consistently windy places in the United States.^[1]

Development of the wind farm began in the 1980s. It is one of three major wind farms in California, along with those at Altamont and the Tehachapi passes.

As of May 2024, the wind farm consists of 666 wind turbines with a total rated capacity of 628 MW, built as part of 26 projects.^[2] The rated power output is somewhat understated, since the official database counts the latest repowered turbines but does not include their power output. In December 2021 the site hosted more than 1,220 turbines;^[3] some have since been replaced with larger turbines.

The San Gorgonio Pass is now home to the Desert Peak Energy Facility, a Battery storage power station located adjacent to the Devers electrical substation. Phase I of the facility came online in 2023, while Phase II is anticipated in the coming years.^[4]

^ Ren Navez (2006). Palm Springs: California's Desert Gem. Westcliffe Publishers. pp. 15–16. ISBN 978-1-56579-552-5.
^ Hoen, B.D., Diffendorfer, J.E., Rand, J.T., Kramer, L.A., Garrity, C.P., and Hunt, H.E., 2018, United States Wind Turbine Database v7.0 (May 10, 2024): U.S. Geological Survey, American Clean Power Association, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7TX3DN0.
^ Hoen, B.D., Diffendorfer, J.E., Rand, J.T., Kramer, L.A., Garrity, C.P., and Hunt, H.E., 2018, United States Wind Turbine Database v5.0 (April 27, 2022): U.S. Geological Survey, American Clean Power Association, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7TX3DN0.
^ of, Palm Springs, City (2022-05-05). "Desert Peak Energy Center Case No. 5.1543-CUP". ceqanet.opr.ca.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[Navez2006-1] Ren Navez (2006). Palm Springs: California's Desert Gem. Westcliffe Publishers. pp. 15–16. ISBN 978-1-56579-552-5.

[:1-2] Hoen, B.D., Diffendorfer, J.E., Rand, J.T., Kramer, L.A., Garrity, C.P., and Hunt, H.E., 2018, United States Wind Turbine Database v7.0 (May 10, 2024): U.S. Geological Survey, American Clean Power Association, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7TX3DN0.

[:WTDB-3] Hoen, B.D., Diffendorfer, J.E., Rand, J.T., Kramer, L.A., Garrity, C.P., and Hunt, H.E., 2018, United States Wind Turbine Database v5.0 (April 27, 2022): U.S. Geological Survey, American Clean Power Association, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7TX3DN0.

[4] , Palm Springs, City (2022-05-05). "Desert Peak Energy Center Case No. 5.1543-CUP". ceqanet.opr.ca.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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