By Danny Bernardini/ DBernardini@TheReporter.com
Posted: 02/27/2009
Kirk Garlick, Shiloh II Wind Project's operations manager, stands beneath a wind turbine along Highway 12. (Rick Roach / The Reporter)
Standing beneath the towering wind turbines along Highway 12, the sound of the swooping trio of blades as they cut the air is enough to alert you to the size and stature of the structures above.
The 360-foot tall turbines near Suisun City were on display Thursday as enXco's Shiloh II Wind Project was dedicated, making it the largest project of its kind built last year.
City, county and state leaders met at the National Railway Museum for a ceremonial flip of the power switch, although the project has been in operation since earlier this month.
Consisting of 75 turbines cranking out two megawatts each, the 6,100-acre wind farm is said to provide 74,000 customers with clean energy. Kirk Garlick, operations manager, said he's seen wind farms all over the world, but Shiloh II is his favorite.
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General Wesley K. Clark (Ret.) speaks Thurs-day at the Shiloh II Wind Project dedication ceremony. The project covers 6,100 acres in Solano County. (Rick Roach / The Reporter)
"This site, it's the best," Garlick said. "It's the weather. The wind. It's how the wind blows. It's steady here."
Project leaders and elected officials spoke at a luncheon held for the dedication and many focused on the teamwork, vision and cooperation needed to get such a large project completed.
Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes, D-San Fernando, said he hoped state leaders could work together on issues similar to those in Solano County that made the project happen.
"This represents cooperation needed in California. I wish we could do what you all did, take it and bottle it," Fuentes said. "Please help us replicate this throughout the state."
Senator Lois Wolk, D-Solano, said she's proud of Solano County leaders for bringing the project to reality and hopes to see similar ones in the future.
"There aren't enough positive headlines, and today is definitely positive," she said. "We have great ambitions. We're up for the task and ready to go."
Also on hand was Gen. Wesley K. Clark, who is involved with a Dutch wind power company. He said as the world continues to fight over fuel and energy, renewable energy will become more important.
He also said California will likely be the state that leads by example.
"This is about the economy, but it is also about national security," Clark said. "It's such a glorious sight. It says a lot about California. California sets the tone for the rest of the country."
Many of the speakers alluded to the roadblocks and issues that faced the construction of the wind farm. The proposal for the project was before the Solano County Planning Commission off and on for more than a year as enXco and Travis Air Force Base discussed the issue.
Travis officials originally protested the project because of fears the new turbines would affect a new radar system being installed at the base.
Those complaints were later called off after enXco offered up to $1 million to help fix any possible effects on the new radar system. The project then went to the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission in March, where it was approved.
