Saturday, Feb 17th.....

Wild Horse Wind Project

Overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, seen from Hwy 90 accross from the Wild Horse Monument.

Wild Horse Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Wild Horse Wind Power Project?
The Wild Horse Wind Power Project proposes an array of approximately 130 large-scale, utilitygrade
wind turbines. The project will develop 165 acres within an 8,600-acre parcel located 13
miles east of Ellensburg, Washington.

Wind Rurbines seen on the hills....

Below, the dirt road we hiked to reach the turbines.

Steve nearing the top....



Oddly, although mid washington state, this Sagebrush laiden ground, including beautiful cactus (Steve said that one looked like Mickey Mouse....) is very desert like.....


That tiny little thing in the previous picture, is this 12 foot tall staircase.

Below.... Mount Hood????

Almost done... we figure 5 miles round trip. Other than a few giant puddles to get around it was a wonderful hike....
Info found on line about the turbines.

How much energy will the Wild Horse Project generate?
Wild Horse will have the capacity to generate about 230 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy,
enough to serve approximately 70,000 homes. The final number of turbines and rated output will
be finalized prior to construction.

How big are the wind turbines?
The wind turbines will be approximately 350 feet tall from base to tip.

What are the environmental benefits of the Wild Horse Projects?
Wind farms are perhaps the most environmentally benign source of utility-scale power
generation. This is because operating wind farms produce no air pollutants, such as nitrogen
oxide, sulfur dioxide, or carbon dioxide. Furthermore, wind farms do not consume cooling water.
Wind farms do not interfere materially with the existing land use, whether it be grazing or open
space, typically using under two percent of the land they occupy. As a result, wind farms tend to
preserve open space and protect it from urbanization and other development.

How much wind is needed to power a utility-scale wind farm?
For a utility-scale wind farm to be financially viable, a site would need annual wind speeds
averaging 16 mph or greater. A modern wind turbine will begin generating power in winds of
about 9 miles per hour (“cut-in wind speed”), will reach its full output in winds of about 30 miles
per hour (“rated wind speed” and “rated output”), and will shut down when winds exceed about
50 miles per hour (“cut-out wind speed”).