Wind Turbine Farms
The Palm Springs wind turbine farms are the hallmark entry to Coachella Valley for those coming from the Los Angeles area. The gap between Southern California’s two highest mountains, the San Gorgonio Pass, is a natural wind tunnel. In 1982, wind energy development in the area was formally studied and approved in a joint venture between the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Riverside County. Since then, over 4000 wind turbines have become part of the landscape. That landscape will soon change as a result of BLM’s approval for one particular farm’s plan to replace nearly 500 wind turbines with just nine, 500 foot tall turbines that will generate virtually the same amount of electricity. The wind farms, all combined, generate nearly all of the electricity needs of the entire Coachella Valley – about 600 million kilowatt hours annually.
Palm Springs, Riverside County
Photographer: Al Russell