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Google backs California wind farm with $55 million

By Tiffany Hsu
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The Alta Wind Energy Center in Kern County, one of the largest wind farms in the world, just landed a hot new financier: Google.

The Internet search giant is partnering with Citibank to each spend $55 million to buy part of the installation. When complete, Alta will generate 1.5 gigawatts, enough to power 450,000 homes through Southern California Edison.

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Located in the Mojave Desert foothills, a growing hotbed for wind power, the first five segments of the Alta project are already online and generating 720 megawatts of energy. Developers expect another 300 megawatts in the can by the end of the year.

In a move that is popular in the solar industry, Google and Citibank will lease the fourth portion, known as Alta IV, back to developer Terra-Gen to operate.

Google has now funneled more than $400 million into clean energy projects including solar and electric vehicle ventures.

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-- Tiffany Hsu

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Tiffany Hsu

Tiffany Hsu is a former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she wrote about the California economy, fast food, restaurants, retail and alternative energy for the Business section. A Bay Area native, UC Berkeley graduate and eternal Nor-Cal fan, she once worked for the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She also did a stint at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, where she developed a passion for sweet tea. She still has faith that someday she’ll find two economists who agree.

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