Wind farm exceeds output target
The Honolulu Advertiser, 1/19/08 p C3, reported that the Kaheawa wind farm exceeded its output target last year, generating more than 125,000 megawatt-hours of electricity. It further reported that the company supplied electricity to more than 11,000 Maui homes, reducing the island’s oil dependence by 236,000 barrels a year.
While this sounds almost too good (one comment to the press release noted that this would mean 48% capacity, which is unheard of) and means that the project would be generating 11 MW for each of its 11,000 customers (Sierra Club of Hawaii reports an average household uses 7,800 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually), this is indeed a step in the right direction.
Look to see alternate energy production increase from 6% in 2006 when the report for 2007 is released by DBEDT this year. Read the 2006 report using this link. See page 11. (As a point of comparison, note that in 2006 geothermal power represented 20% of energy production for the Big Island.) The goal for the state is 20% overall. Note that the HECO Kahe Wind Farm project was refused permits by the City and County of Honolulu.