Located at Maui, the 30MW Kaheawa wind project consists of 20 GE wind turbine generators, supported by a 1.5MW Xtreme Power energy storage and power management system.
Carlos Coe, president and CEO of Xtreme Power, said: “The Kaheawa project marks the first time an energy storage technology has proven capable of delivering predictable power to the grid at a low cost. We are proud to be part of this impressive project and look forward to partnering with First Wind in Kahuka, as we work to bring Hawaii closer to achieving its renewable energy goals.”
First Wind also intends to incorporate a 15MVA, 10 MW/hour energy storage system from Xtreme Power in its DOE-financed Kahuku wind project. The patented energy storage and power management system will enable the project to provide as much as 10MW of power for at least an hour during periods of low wind speeds. The project is in its final permitting stages.
Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind, said: “We believe Kahuku Wind will demonstrate the tremendous potential for battery storage solutions to maximize the efficiency of utility-scale wind projects by smoothing output and providing some energy at off-peak times. We look forward to working with Xtreme Power on both of these projects.”