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| California produces 20 percent of the nation's total wind capacity. |
California is a national leader in the production of wind energy (second to Texas), producing about 20 percent of the nation’s total capacity. Currently, about 3,000 wind turbines on public lands produce 258 megawatts of power and $500,000 annually in royalties. This production comes from 24 rights-of-way on 4,060 acres, mostly in the San Gorgonio Pass area in Riverside County and the Tehachapi Pass area in Kern County.
To accelerate development, BLM completed the national Wind Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) in 2005, to lay the groundwork for specific project proposals. In addition, ongoing planning efforts in the Ukiah, Hollister, and Folsom BLM Field office areas have included an analysis of potential wind energy projects. Currently, testing is occurring in a number of areas using anemometers to judge wind strength and sustainability.
More than 3,000 turbines produce 258 megawatts of wind energy.
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BLM also assists in the development of wind energy projects on private lands by is suing access rights-of-way for roads and power lines across public lands, such as the recently approved Pine Tree development in Kern County. Finally, efforts are also underway to "repower" existing systems to improve efficiency, reduce impacts to birds, and better integrate wind energy resources into the state's transmission system.
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