Hawaii is taking a major leap forward on its road to renewable energy with the start of construction today on the state’s largest wind turbine project on Oahu’s North Shore.
The 69-megawatt Kawailoa Wind project northeast of Haleiwa in one fell swoop will achieve nearly twice the generating capacity of all the rooftop photovoltaic systems installed on Oahu in the past 10 years.
First Wind officials say they hope to have the 30-turbine venture finished by the end of the year. Combined with the nearby Kahuku Wind project, Oahu will have enough wind power by the end of the year to provide the energy needs of 22,200 homes, according to First Wind LLC, developer of the two projects.
The project is a significant piece of Hawaiian Electric Co’s campaign to generate 40 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
"This project will be an important part of Hawaii’s diverse portfolio of renewable energy resources," said Dick Rosenblum, HECO president and chief executive officer. "Kawailoa represents a significant step toward reducing the impact of imported oil on our customers."
HECO will pay First Wind an average of 22.9 cents a kilowatt-hour through the next 20 years for Kawailoa’s electricity.
The pricing is identical to what HECO is paying for electricity produced by Kahuku Wind, which began feeding power into the grid last March.
First Wind worked closely with community groups on the North Shore in the planning process to ensure it had broad support, company officials said.
Positive feedback First Wind received from the community on its Kahuku project helped lay the groundwork for Kawailoa, it said.
The project’s site encompasses a range of topographical conditions from "relatively flat or moderately sloping agricultural lands to steep gullies and intermittent streams," the company said in its environmental impact statement. Elevations range from 200 feet above sea level at the makai edge of the property to 1,280 feet at the mauka boundary.
The Siemens turbines include a 328-foot tower and a three-rotor blade that bring the total height of the structure to 493 feet from the ground to the tip of the blade at its apex.
The turbines are activated when wind speeds reach about 8 miles an hour, according to the EIS. The turbines are programmed to shut down when wind speeds reach 55 miles an hour to avoid damaging the systems.
The project is being built on land owned by Kamehameha Schools that was part of the Kawailoa Plantation operated by Waialua Sugar Co. before it closed in 1996.
