At a total installed wind energy generating capacity nearing 1700 megawatts, California has the largest developed wind industry of any state in the nation.  In addition, wind generated electricity provides close to 4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to California ratepayers every year.  California's wind energy resources could provide up to four times the present wind generating capacity and help address electricity problems facing the state.  Successfully developing additional wind resources so they represent a valuable, clean, reliable and affordable part of the state's electricity system requires coordination among wind energy developers, environmental groups, electricity suppliers and government representatives.

The importance of wind energy has long been recognized by the California Energy Commission, which supports research and development in renewable energy including wind through its Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program.  The University of California, and particularly UC Davis, has a history of wind energy related efforts dating back approximately twenty years.  Several of its faculty and students have been working with researchers and engineers in industry, national laboratories, and other universities on a wide range of wind energy related problems. 

Currently, there is no single forum at the state level to allow coordination among the diverse set of parties involved in further developing California wind energy resources.  Within California, wind energy development is conducted by an international set of industry players who compete against one another making coordination at the industry level difficult.  Government involvement in wind energy development also lacks a coordinated approach between industry participants and government agencies.  While the Energy Commission supports wind energy development through the Renewable Energy Program and the PIER Renewables Program, neither program has established a forum for ongoing coordination of wind energy development in California.  Outside of California, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has traditionally acted as a clearinghouse of information about wind energy activities and sponsored wind energy conferences covering a variety of wind energy related topics.  Similarly, the Department of Energy through its National Wind Energy Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have directed wind energy development efforts.  However, the AWEA, DOE and NREL efforts all have a national perspective rather than a California specific perspective.

Based on input from the wind industry, the PIER program has determined a need to establish the California Wind Energy Collaborative and address specific tasks to support the California wind industry.