Wind Power Added to Santa Barbara Grid
Modern Turbines in Riverside County to Power 40,000 Homes in 3CE Network
The 3CE electricity consortium that buys power for much of Santa Barbara County added 16 new wind-energy turbines to its resources on July 21. Located in Riverside County just outside of Palm Springs and operated by AES Corporation, the Mountain View Wind Repowering Project took out 104 older turbines to replace them with more powerful Vestas turbines.
“The Mountain View Wind Project came online earlier than expected,” said Tom Habashi, the CEO of 3CE. “This is a positive sign during this time of increased energy demands and strains due to extreme weather, wildfires, and drought. It demonstrates that the continued exponential growth of renewable energy is not only needed to meet climate goals; it is also possible and sustainable.”
Altogether, the 16 wind turbines generate 257 gigawatt hours of energy per year, which is enough to supply 40,000 households with electricity. The power is shared between 3CE — which stands for Central Coast Community Energy — and another consortium, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, which serves parts of Santa Clara County. The two have collaborated on previous contracts to buy power from new green resources, and the Mountain View energy purchase runs for 20 years.
