In spite of ourselves wind plants have become a major attraction. California's massed arrays of wind turbines now rival such landmarks as the Eiffel Tower or the Golden Gate Bridge for their powerful effect on the visual landscape. It's time to tap this interest and put it to work for us by building a world class visitors' center in either Palm Springs or Tehachapi, preferably both. These centers will also enable us to tell wind energy's success story while providing a much needed public service to those seeking to use wind energy elsewhere. The centers will give wind proponents a high profile place to go for information.
Utilities have the right idea.
They long ago recognized the importance of providing educational centers for visitors curious about the prominent technology power plants represent. Not that it hasn't been done before. Nearly all wind plants I've visited in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany have some sort of visitors' center. At some wind plants the elaborate centers or control rooms cost as much as the turbines. Others are simple affairs, just inexpensive kiosks.