KERN COUNTY, Calif. — According to officials, Kern county is becoming the renewable energy center for California, with more than 5,000 wind turbines in the Tehachapi-Mojave wind corridor.
23ABC spoke with EDP Renewables and they said Rising Tree Wind Farm, which is located here in Kern County, can produce enough energy to power 92,000 homes.
This year is the 4th Annual American Wind Week which takes place every August, celebrating how wind is powering the future and making a sustainable impact on our planet.
EDP Renewables North America says that by utilizing wind energy, it helps limit pollution and makes the air cleaner.
"We help protect against smog, acid rain, reduce human health impacts from air pollution such as asthma, and other respiratory illnesses," said Bevan Augustine, external communications manager, EDP Renewables North America.
Not only does this week celebrate clean energy, but it also celebrates those who work in the wind industry.
Rising Tree Wind Farm in Kern County alone created 140 jobs and has been beneficial for local farmers who get compensated for allowing companies to build wind farms on parts of their land.
"The wind industry is really the rural economic development in this country. We're creating thousands of jobs, we're putting in billions of dollars, providing tax revenue, providing all sorts of different benefits to small rural communities where we build projects," said Augustine.
Once the Rising Tree wind turbines harness power, that gets sold to SCE and PG&E electric companies, which then ends up in homes across Kern County.
"At our Rising Tree Wind Farm, a single turbine there produces enough electricity for about 700 homes," continued Augustine.
Due to the pandemic, American Wind Week has had to change how they celebrate.
"Most of our focus is doing wind farm tours, community events, barbecues, different things like that and obviously under the current circumstances the vast majority of those activities have been put on hold, " says Augustine.
There are still virtual activities that EDP is providing such as virtual wind farm tours and information online about how to help the clean energy industry.
"Support projects that are going in and providing that clean energy as well as those economic benefits, I think its the best way to help."
EDP believes that the fastest way to help tackle climate change is to utilize clean energy.
