Birthplace of American Wind Energy
The oldest continuously operating commercial wind energy facility in the Western Hemisphere
Wind Stream Properties is the location of the first grid-connected wind turbines in the Americas, installed in 1981. It now consists of five contiguous legacy wind energy facilities near Tehachapi, CA. Its subsidiary, Wind Stream Operations, maintains and operates over 250 wind turbines on the 900 acre site.
Pioneers in clean energy
Managing Partners Bob Gates and Al Davies joined Zond Systems in 1981, established their wind energy vertical. Under their leadership, it grew it into the largest wind energy development company in the world by the mid-1990. In the early 2000s, the company was acquired and now exists as GE Vernova Wind, still one of largest turbine manufacturers in the world. Bob and Al continued on to be leaders of the industry, and eventually came full circle, acquiring and re-powering the site where Zond installed their first prototype turbines.
Decades of innovation
Wind Stream is the location of numerous industry milestones, including:
The first European turbines commercially installed and operated in the United States.
The first large variable pitch regulated turbines in North America.
The site of the first U.S. manufactured large turbine, the 500 kW Zond Z-40.
The first large variable speed constant frequency turbine, the Zond Z-750.
The first mega watt size turbine in North America, the GE 1.5 mw.
The first GE multi megawatt, the GE 2.85.
One of the earliest continuously operating wind turbine operations buildings.
The first wind turbine blade fatigue test facility in the Americas.