Energy solution might
be blowing in the wind

» With respect to growth, in the worldwide and national battle to cut consumption of fossil fuels, wind energy is emerging as a winning technology. The American Wind Energy Association is predicting as much as 2,500 megawatts of new wind power for the United States in 2005. That jibes with Hawaii where we see major growth occurring on Maui and the Big Island, and possibly Oahu as well.

Why the sudden wind rush? 1) Two decades of research and development have brought the technology to a point where it is proven commercially. 2) Higher fossil fuel costs make wind increasingly economic as an alternative energy source. 3) The federal tax credit for wind energy is due to expire at the end of 2005, so developers are rushing to get their projects in place to take full advantage of the credit.

» There are many more options in the sizing of wind turbines. Lately, the research on larger machines is ripening. A large 5-megawatt prototype has been built in Germany and will soon be connected to the grid. It is well worth watching the operational success and economics of these big units to determine possible applications in Hawaii.

» Location, location, location. A valid question for Hawaii is the viability of offshore wind farms. A 4,000-page draft environmental impact statement done by the Army Corps of Engineers concludes that the proposed 130-turbine wind farm in Nantucket Sound, Cape Cod, would have little or no impact on fish, birds, the seafloor or property values.

Public hearings on the Cape Cod proposal are scheduled. Those with hopes for offshore wind farms will be watching the process and the outcome.

» Supporting wind power with needed infrastructure. California's potential to expand wind power is constrained by transmission problems. The California Energy Commission recently stated that "California's systematic under-investment in transmission presents a significant barrier to accessing renewable energy resources. ... While pressing for short-term solutions, California must not lose sight of its long-term goals for planning transmission and developing renewable energy supplies." The California lesson is valid here. As we develop wind potential, the local utilities will have to plan the best way to interconnect and transmit wind energy to the main grid.

» The volatility of wind as an energy source is a major operational issue, especially for our island grids that are relatively small and feel the fluctuation of power more greatly than larger mainland grids. In this arena, HECO is a leader, having received a patent for an "electronic shock absorber" to solve some of the problems created by blustery winds. A demonstration unit is being built and is scheduled for installation in late 2005 on the Big Island. This innovation may well have application beyond Hawaii, as we contribute to the international evolution of wind use.