Jul 28 2010
Kahuku Wind Power LLC, a division of First Wind, a Massachusetts based company has announced the groundbreaking ceremony of its 30 MW Kahuku Wind Project to be located in a sprawling 500 plus acre ground, west of the town Kahuku, on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Linda Lingle, Governor of Hawaii, attended the ceremony with other community leaders.
The proposed Kahuku Wind Project will have 12 numbers of 2.5 MW Clipper Liberty wind turbines that are to be fixed over 400 feet tall towers which will have 15 MVA battery storage system manufactured by Xtreme Power is advantageously placed to make use of the trade-winds. The battery storage system the largest of its kind will be installed to regulate the power supply performance and to maintain the supply load stability. Kahuku Wind Power is also planning to install a fully committed communication system at the site and connect it to the system operations of the Hawaiian Electric Company.
The proposed wind farm is estimated to produce enough power to supply electricity to 7,700 households for a year. The Public Utilities Commission of Hawaii has already approved the purchase power agreement reached between the Kahuku Wind Power and the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO).
The Kahuku Wind Project has received US$117 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)and provide employment to over 200 locals during the construction. The Kahuku Wind Project, expected to be commissioned during next year is estimated to save around 139,500 barrels of oil in a year and prevent 96 million pounds CO2 emissions annually.
Source: http://www.kahukuwind.com/kahuku/