Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa recently joined city leaders in breaking ground on the Pine Tree Wind Project in California's Tehachapi Mountains. Pine Tree, which the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) says will be the largest city-owned wind farm in the U.S., will be capable of generating up to 120 MW of wind energy for city residents.
‘Pine Tree is the start of a new model of clean energy in which Los Angeles is no longer satisfied with only buying clean power, but is taking the lead nationally in producing its own,’ says Villaraigosa. ‘Today we upgrade to green energy version 2.0.’
Pine Tree's energy will come from 80 1.5 MW wind turbine generators, a new high-voltage transmission line and the new Barren Ridge electrical substation – with a total estimated cost of $425 million, DWP adds. DWP expects the project to be completed next year.
The mayor also announced plans to develop the 150 MW Pine Canyon Wind Project on 12,000 acres of adjacent property recently purchased by DWP.
Villaraigosa has set a goal for Los Angeles to generate 20% of its electricity from renewable resources by 2010 and 35% by 2020.
