New Mexico's SunZia Wind Project is fully operational and is now the largest wind farm in the U.S. This wind farm is providing power to millions of people over 500 miles away and is a major bump in renewable energy in the Southwest.

How impressive is this?

In a word: very.

The SunZia Wind Project is a 3.6 megawatts wind farm that has 916 turbines in it. That is almost twice the size of the second and third largest farms in America combined. It is the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in U.S. history.

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Below is a small sample of this wind farm.

Human benefits?

This wind farm has the ability to meet the power needs for 3 million Americans in the Southwest. It also provides 2,000 construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs. It provided 20.5 billion dollars in total economic benefits for New Mexico and Arizona.

What is unique about this farm?

We know that there are a number of wind farms in America, but what makes this one stand out?

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The answer lies in who will receive this power. The wind farm generates power for Arizona and Southern California via a 550-mile transmission line.

Why New Mexico?

New Mexico is perfect for a wind farm of this magnitude. New Mexico's plethora of windy days all year round and perfect landscape is ideal for generating renewable power like wind.

With the increase in power usage in Southern California and Arizona, especially during the hottest months of summer, it allows New Mexico to provide assistance and help prevent blackouts and power outages, especially during summer heat domes.

Its goal is to supplement peak demand in the early evening, when use is at its highest and other renewable energy begins to diminish.

(MORE: What is a heat dome?)

A powerful wind farm like this is also helpful to reduce reliance on dirtier forms of power like coal and natural gas, reducing the carbon footprint in the Southwest.