According to an October 15 posting on marketwire.com, Sempra Generation, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy just announced it has acquired Auwahi Wind Energy LLC, a company developing a 22-megawatt (MW) wind energy and battery storage project in Maui, Hawaii, from Shell WindEnergy Inc., a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell; terms of the agreement were undisclosed.
This project could begin construction in 2011 and commence commercial operations in 2012 on the Ulapalakua Ranch in the remote southeastern region of Maui.
"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, which remains consistent with our growing renewable presence in the southwestern United States " said Michael W. Allman, President and CEO of Sempra Generation.
A vital component of the Maui wind-power project is the development of a battery energy storage unit, which could potentially store as much as 28 megawatt-hours (MWh) of wind energy generated by the project's windmills during the typically windy morning and night hours. The battery power could be stored until late afternoon (when electricity consumption typically peaks), or utilized to regulate intermittent wind power, providing a valuable source of grid stability for Maui Electric.
Sempra Generation recently submitted a proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy to co-fund costs associated with an expansion of the battery energy storage facility to 72 MWh.
The integrated wind and battery energy storage project could serve as a prototype to help maximize the energy output of other wind power projects in Hawaii and globally. This project would also assist Maui in reaching its goal of achieving 95 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
In 2008, Hawaii and the U.S. Department of Energy set goals associated with the state's Clean Energy Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to increase power conservation and help lower the almost exclusive use of oil for island power generation by accelerating the development of renewable, indigenous energy resources in Hawaii, such as Auwahi Wind. This goal involves employing efficiency and renewable energy resources that meet 70 percent of Hawaii's energy demand by 2030.
Sempra Generation has several wind and solar energy projects underway, including its recently announced 50-50 investment with BP Wind in the second phase of the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm (the Midwest's largest wind power project.)
Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2008 revenues of nearly $11 billion. The Sempra Energy companies' 13,600 employees serve more than 29 million consumers worldwide.