Remember how you felt as a little kid riding a roller coaster? Your entire body seemed to be lifted out of your seat as you were propelled upward by the wind force surrounding you. This experience can be relived at the Tejona Wind Turbine Farm. The wind can reach over 100 mph on the ledges by the wind turbines. Your hair will stand on end while viewing the wind farm. It began as an investment by the Costa Rican government in 2003. Today there are 30 wind turbines along the mountainside. The Costa Rican government prides itself in producing its own electricity and none is imported. The wind turbine blades spin at around 160 miles per hour to provide 19.8 megawatts of energy to local households. Wind turbines not only bring electricity to local communities, but provide jobs, increase road improvements through government incentives and encourage ecotourism.
Finding wind turbines in Costa Rica was not surprising. This country is windy! The mild yet windy weather combined with high hilltops and mountainsides creates the ideal atmosphere for wind turbine farms. Back home in Northwest Missouri, there is a large wind turbine farm in King City. Often when I drive through the country, I see the tall pinwheel-like white towers rotating through the air. The towers are found in livestock fields and are often surrounded by farmland. Technology is literally invading the farm. Seeing new age technology in the fields of Northwest Missouri is a beautiful sight. Wind technology is now spreading globally to countries such as Costa Rica. You never know what you may find on a foreign mountainside. There could be 100 mph winds or wind turbine farms that give energy to an entire community. Wind energy might be a “wild ride” but it is here to stay.
A result of 100 mph wind!
A result of 100 mph wind!
Maggie Hardwick, Amy Esker, Cidney King, Breanne Brammer and Gaby Ramirez stand at the ledge of the Tejona Wind Farm.
The path to the turbines. 
The valley view with the ocean in the distance.
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