Massive wind turbine expected to save environment, add jobs in Gonzales

If you were driving down the 101 Tuesday, you may have seen a massive 140-ft. wind turbine blade being escorted to Gonzales by the California Highway Patrol.

The city of Gonzales said the giant turbine isn’t just a big, impressive sight, it also means big benefits for the city’s environmental and economic development.

“(Using) this (turbine) is over 80 percent of our carbon footprint will be reduced in future expansion because of one turbine,” said City Manager Rene Mendez.

The turbine is part of a Taylor Farms year-long initiative to go green and power the company’s 15,000 square foot plant expansion. The city said it will also bring in hundreds of jobs.

Because the turbine will be located in the unincorporated area of the city, Gonzales had to go through the county to get it approved.

“The property belongs to the city and the turbine belongs to the city,” Mendez said.

In a 25-year lease, the city is renting out the use of this energy-saving attraction to Taylor Farms and it’s not costing the city a single penny.

The city said it views this turbine as a tool to encourage big agriculture businesses to come to town, and it already has plans for another one down the line.

The construction is expected to wrap up next week. The city said the amount of energy the giant turbine supplies is enough to power 700 single homes, or in this case one agricultural plant.