Desert Sky — United States of America

Desert Sky is a 170 MW wind power station in Texas, United States of America. It is operated by Desert Sky Wind Farm LP. Based on reported annual generation of 529 GWh, it can supply roughly 151k homes. It ranks #2132 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2002, it is around 24 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, wind supplies about 10.3% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0055992.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000906597; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 170 MW, Desert Sky is well above the median wind plant in United States of America (67.7 MW). Wind turbines convert moving air into electricity; output is variable and site-dependent, and modern turbines deliver some of the lowest-cost new generation on many grids.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

36%, from 529 GWh of reported generation; the median for 1120 wind plants in United States of America that report generation is 30%

Generation trend

459 GWh in 2013 and 529 GWh in 2019 (+15%)

Highest and lowest year

2019: 529 GWh; 2017: 401 GWh

Share of United States of America wind capacity

0.2% of 104,873 MW across 1,139 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

92 of 1,139 dated wind plants in United States of America are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Reported generation trend

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Desert Sky Wind Farm LP.

Local climate & thermal context

This wind plant converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity through turbine rotors. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 30.9°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 55% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 27/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #220 largest wind power plant of 1139 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 1139 wind power plants in this dataset, together about 104,873 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• NWP Indian Mesa Wind Farm · Wind · 82 MW · Texas
• Midway Solar - TX · Solar · 182 MW · Texas
• Yates Gas Plant · Gas · 5.6 MW · Texas
• Pearl Solar · Solar · 50 MW · Texas
• Alamo 6 · Solar · 105 MW · Texas
• East Pecos Solar · Solar · 118.5 MW · Texas

Location

Coordinates 30.9178, -102.0867 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions