Golden Hills Wind — United States of America
Wind power plant in California, United States of America. Approximate location 37.7133, -121.6404.
WindCaliforniaUnited States of America
Golden Hills Wind is a 85.9 MW wind power plant in California, United States of America. It is operated by Golden Hills Wind LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 288 GWh, it can supply roughly 82k homes. It ranks #2970 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2016, it is around 10 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 USA0060049.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 132 MW for Golden Hills (California) wind farm, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 85.9 MW, Golden Hills Wind 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
- 38%, from 288 GWh of reported generation; the median for 1120 wind plants in United States of America that report generation is 30%
- Generation trend
- 8 GWh in 2015 and 288 GWh in 2019 (+3409%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2018: 306 GWh; 2015: 8 GWh
- Share of United States of America wind capacity
- less than 0.1% of 104,873 MW across 1,139 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 881 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 Golden Hills Wind LLC.
Local climate & thermal context
This wind plant converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity through turbine rotors. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 37.7°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 34% 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: 36/100 — this site sits in the mid 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 moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness 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 #505 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
- Altamont Gas Recovery · Waste · 6 MW · California
- Diablo Winds LLC · Wind · 18 MW · California
- Golden Hills North Wind Energy Center · Wind · 46 MW · California
- Whitethorn Solar LLC · Solar · 3.3 MW · California
- Ameresco Vasco Road · Waste · 4.4 MW · California
- Mariposa Energy Project · Gas · 199.6 MW · California
Location
Coordinates 37.7133, -121.6404 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Golden Hills Wind?
Golden Hills Wind is a 85.9 MW wind power plant in California, United States of America, commissioned in 2016.
How much electricity does Golden Hills Wind generate?
Golden Hills Wind generates about 288 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Golden Hills Wind?
Golden Hills Wind is operated by Golden Hills Wind LLC.