Our Plans for Jewel Valley

The Jewel Valley site is outlined above. Click to enlarge.

The first step in building the Jewel Valley Project is to measure wind and solar resources. Enel Green Power North America (EGP-NA) recently received approval from the County of San Diego's Planning Commission to install testing equipment on the proposed project site. The equipment includes four meteorological (MET) towers, seven Sonic Detection and Ranging (SoDAR) units, and one pyranometer. A fence will be installed around each device to ensure safety and proper testing.

If the data collected supports the Jewel Valley Project,
EGP-NA would then submit an application for a Major Use Permit, which would allow for the potential construction of the facility. A full environmental review and analysis would be conducted prior to the County making a final decision on the project.

Environmental Review Process

In preparation for the environmental review process, EGP-NA has begun conducting preliminary avian studies. The company is using a trailer-mounted radar unit, surrounded by a temporary fence, to monitor avian species migration. The radar will be placed on the northern and southern portions of the proposed project site for short duration. This monitoring is just one part of EGP-NA’s extensive biological resource studies.

What are MET Facilities?


MET TOWERS are guyed tubular tilt-up towers that measure wind velocity to determine whether a site is viable for a wind farm. Each tower would be anchored by a steel plate and would not exceed 200 feet in height.	SODAR UNITS are self-contained instruments that use sound waves to measure wind speed at various heights and the lower layer of the atmosphere. The systems stand roughly six feet tall.	PYRANOMETERS include instruments such as data recording devices and a small antenna mounted on 10- to 15-foot tripods. They measure solar radiation to determine the potential for solar energy.