sustainability goals of Maui...acquired Shell WindEnergy's Auwahi project at Ulupalakua Ranch and could start feeding electricity into Maui Electric Co.'s grid by 2012.
More power could be added to Valley Isle power grid by 2012
By HARRY EAGAR, Staff Writer
reprinted courtesy Maui News 10/16/09
San Diego company Sempra Generation announced Thursday that it had acquired Shell WindEnergy's Auwahi project at Ulupalakua Ranch and could start feeding electricity into Maui Electric Co.'s grid by 2012.
In mid-2006, Shell proposed a 40-megawatt wind farm at Ulupalakua Ranch, just as Kaheawa, Maui's first wind farm, began spinning its vanes.
Auwahi is now configured as a 22-megawatt farm with battery storage of up to 28 megawatt-hours.
Sumner Erdman of Ulupalakua Ranch, which will host the wind farm, said: "This is excellent news for the ranch."
He said Shell had "done a fantastic job up front" in getting ready, including preparation of a draft environmental impact assessment and cultural and habitat surveys.
In a news release, Dick Williams, president of Shell WindEnergy, said: "Shell WindEnergy Inc. has reassessed its wind development efforts in Hawaii and will concentrate on projects on the U.S. Mainland and Canada that are more aligned with our strategic direction."
Michael Allman, president of Sempra Generation, said: "Consistent with our growing renewable presence in the southwestern United States, this project further expands Sempra Generation's footprint in one of the fastest-growing renewable energy markets while further advancing the sustainability goals of Maui and the state of Hawaii."
Sempra said an important component will be the development of a battery energy storage unit.
The battery could store energy generated during the typically windy morning and night hours, to be fed back to the grid in the late afternoon, the time of highest demand.
Or the batteries could be used to smooth out the supply of wind electricity. Wind power is typically fluky, which creates problems in maintaining the stability of the power grid.
Kaheawa also is experimenting with using batteries to transform unstable wind into "firm power."
Not only is firm power important for the utility's operation, it usually will be worth more to the producer. Sempra will have to negotiate a purchase power agreement with Maui Electric and get it approved by the Public Utilities Commission.
Sempra does not yet have any utility batteries installed at its other wind farms. It has a number of projects, including a 50-50 joint venture with BP Wind on a 200-megawatt farm in Indiana, the largest in the Midwest.
Maui Electric President Ed Reinhardt said: "We look forward to working with Sempra to add even more renewable energy onto the Maui grid and are especially pleased that they will be including a battery storage component. Technology solutions like this are critical to maintaining reliability while integrating intermittently available energy sources."
Sempra said it hopes to begin construction in 2011. It did not disclose the terms of its agreement with Shell.
Mayor Charmaine Tavares said: "I'm pleased that the Auwahi Wind Energy project is moving forward. This is an opportunity that will have a tremendous positive impact on our economy and environment."
Sempra Generation also develops solar farms. In 2008, it completed North America's largest thin-film solar power plant, El Dorado Solar. The plant near Las Vegas is capable of generating 10 megawatts.
Sempra Generation also operates natural-gas-fueled power plants and is part of Sempra Energy, an energy services holding company with 2008 revenues of nearly $11 billion and 13,600 employees. For more information, visit www.sempra. com.
* Harry Eagar can be reached at heagar@mauinews.com.
reprinted courtesy Maui News 10/16/09, original link www mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/524807.html?nav=10
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