| In 2006, the Los Angeles Department of Water and | | | | connection from the farm to the closest power grid. |
| Power in an alliance with General Electric, went | | | | Wind power is more accessible in certain seasons |
| forward with a 120 megawatt wind farm, named the | | | | because the climate affects wind speed. In Los |
| Pine Tree Wind Project. It is hoped that it will one day | | | | Angeles, speeds are highest in the scorching summer |
| satisfy 20 percent of the utility's energy requirements. | | | | period. An estimated three-quarters of all yearly wind |
| Back in 2004, wind energy in the whole state of | | | | energy is generated during the spring and summer. |
| California produced more than 4,200 million | | | | Though power created by older wind turbines is not as |
| kilowatt-hours of electricity, approximately 1.5 percent | | | | cost effective as some other forms of energy |
| of all electricity generated. More than 90 percent of all | | | | generation, new generation wind turbine designs should |
| of the state's wind generating apparatus is located in | | | | be able to compete with power costs from nuclear |
| three regions: Altamont Pass, San Gorgonio and | | | | and coal plants. |
| Tehachapi. | | | | Some advantages in utilizing wind energy include: |
| Wind power plants are comprised of turbines that take | | | | replacement of polluting conventional power plants; no |
| advantage of the energy in wind motion to make | | | | pollution in the air, soil or water; it is completely |
| mechanical energy, which is then converted into | | | | renewable; the installment is relatively swift; and energy |
| electrical energy. Wind turbines can be placed near | | | | production not swayed by gas and oil price increases. |
| farms, homes and businesses in breezy locations, such | | | | However, there are some issues with wind power, |
| as along the Los Angeles coast. Turbines are | | | | such as: the required use of extensive tracts of land, |
| deployable in areas where it isn't cost-efficient to place | | | | albeit the fact that simultaneous land uses are available |
| power lines. | | | | for such tasks as agriculture and cattle grazing. Other |
| The parts of a wind farm include turbines, which feed | | | | potential concerns are that it can cause erosion in |
| through an underground power conduit and a | | | | desert areas, and disrupt wildlife habitats. |