Sonoma County Fuel Cell — United States of America
Gas power plant in California, United States of America. Approximate location 38.4667, -122.7234.
GasCaliforniaUnited States of America
Sonoma County Fuel Cell is a 1.4 MW gas power plant in California, United States of America. It is operated by The County of Sonoma. Based on reported annual generation of 3 GWh, it can supply roughly 828 homes. It ranks #10007 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2011, it is around 15 years old — relatively modern. In context, gas supplies about 40.0% 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 USA0057793.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 1.4 MW, Sonoma County Fuel Cell is below the median gas plant in United States of America (121.2 MW). Gas plants burn natural gas either in open-cycle turbines for fast peaking, or in combined-cycle units that recover exhaust heat in an HRSG to reach roughly 55–62% efficiency — the cleanest-burning fossil option.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 24%, from 3 GWh of reported generation; the median for 1622 gas plants in United States of America that report generation is 26%
- Generation trend
- 10 GWh in 2013 and 3 GWh in 2019 (−71%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2018: 11 GWh; 2019: 3 GWh
- Share of United States of America gas capacity
- less than 0.1% of 789,950 MW across 2,165 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 1,491 of 1,973 dated gas 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 The County of Sonoma.
Local climate & thermal context
This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 38.5°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 36% 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: 35/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
A gas turbine here also runs ~0% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).
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 #2104 largest gas power plant of 2165 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 2165 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 789,950 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma Solar · Solar · 1.2 MW · California
- Laguna Water Reclamation Facility · Biomass · 4.4 MW · California
- Sonoma Central Landfill Phase I · Waste · 3.2 MW · California
- Sonoma Central Landfill Phase II · Waste · 3.2 MW · California
- Sonoma Central Landfill Phase III · Waste · 1.6 MW · California
- Beringer · Solar · 1.4 MW · California
Location
Coordinates 38.4667, -122.7234 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Sonoma County Fuel Cell?
Sonoma County Fuel Cell is a 1.4 MW gas power plant in California, United States of America, commissioned in 2011.
How much electricity does Sonoma County Fuel Cell generate?
Sonoma County Fuel Cell generates about 3 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Sonoma County Fuel Cell?
Sonoma County Fuel Cell is operated by The County of Sonoma.