Sempra Energy to install 1.2 GW of wind energy in Baja California

[jpak]

http://www.bajatimes.com/articlesDetail.asp?sid=2367

Sempra Energy has revealed that it will construct a 1.2-GW wind farm on the Sierra de Juarez in Baja California (Mexico). The wind farm, which could cover a total surface area of 294 hectares on completion, will comprise a thousand wind turbines.

Sempra Energy has announced plans to build a macro wind farm, with a total capacity of between 1,000 and 1,200 MW, in four areas in Mexico’s Baja California. Jacume, La Rumorosa, Cordillera Molina and Sierra de Juárez, which are located in the municipalities of Mexicali, Tecate and Ensenada, have been chosen for the first stages of this major wind energy project. The first stage of the project, located north of the village of La Rumorosa, will consist of 52 wind turbines and will cost $300 million to build. In total, Sempra Energy will invest up to $5.5 billion on the entire project.

Once the three remaining stages are constructed, only 5.12 hectares of the total allocation of 294 hectares will be used, representing just 2 % of the total area. The agreement regarding the Baja California wind energy project establishes that other areas will be built as new contracts for the supply of clean, renewable electricity for the United States or Mexico market are commissioned.
Sempra Energy also reported that certain areas will remain free of wind turbines, because of their archaeological value (the "Vallecitos" area for instance) or because they are protected natural areas such as the 1857 Constitution National Park.

Sempra Energy was founded in 1998 and is based in San Diego (California). It has 13,800 employees worldwide, and develops energy infrastructure, operates utilities, and provides related products and services to more than 29 million consumers around the world.

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[BrklynLiberal]

1. NJ, Mass. and CA...just a start.....

but better than offshore drilling!!! and mountain top clearing coal mining

[IDemo]

2. More wind = good, but Sempra has a lot of catching up to do

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10499907

SAN DIEGO April 28, 2010 (AP) - Sempra Energy said Tuesday it has agreed to pay $410 million to settle claims that it gouged California on electricity contracts that were signed as the state struggled through an energy crisis a decade ago.

[DLnyc]

3. Numbers seem funny

5.5 billion dollars for 1.2 Gigawatts sounds like just under 5 dollars a watt (installation cost). Doesn't wind energy typically come in for more like 1 or 2 dollars a watt?

for example: http://www.windustry.org/how-much-do-wind-turbines-cost

[oldhippie]

4. Need big $ to pay off the Mexican politicos .......

I imagine any regulatory and environmental impacts are being ignored. Too bad they can't do it on our own side of the border. We might get at least a couple of jobs out of it.