Lalamilo Wells

Lalamilo Wells is a wind farm on the island of Hawaii. It is located within the ahupuaʻa (ancient land division) called Lalamilo,[1] between the coastal area known as Puako, Hawaii, and the inland towns of Waimea and Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. It was commissioned in 1985 with 39 17.5 kW Jacobs wind turbines and 81 20 kW Jacobs wind turbines, yielding a total capacity of 2.3 MW.[2]

Lalamilo Wells
CountryUnited States
LocationSouth Kohala, Hawaii County, Hawaii
Coordinates19°59′15″N 155°45′56″W
StatusComissioned
Commission date2017 (2017)
Owner(s)Lalamilo Wind Company
Wind farm
TypeOnshore
Site area0.2 sq mi (1 km2)
Site elevation1,273 ft (388 m)
Power generation
Units operational5
Make and modelVestas V47/660

Starting in January 2006, the electric utility operating the wind farm, Hawaiian Electric Company (HELCO), operated a demonstration model of a grid-stabilizing unit, known as an Electronic Shock Absorber (ESA). This unit was designed to increase the stability of the island's grid, which has a relatively high penetration of wind energy, which is subject to rapid fluctuations.[3] However, the unit was damaged in an earthquake in October 2006.[4]

Repowering

By 2010 the turbines were antiquated; only two-thirds were still in operation. The farm was decommissioned that year in anticipation of replacing the turbines with more efficient modern models.

Lalamilo Wind Company was awarded the contract to repower and operate the wind farm.[5] Five Vestas V47/660 kW turbines were installed and commissioned that together have a generating capacity of 3.3 MW. The power produced is primarily used to supply a set of nearby deep wells operated by Hawaii County Department of Water Services.[6] The wind farm became operational in September 2017, but has since been mired in legal challenges with Hawaiian County DWS over the 2013 power purchase agreement.[7]

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lalamilo
  2. "History of Wind Energy Projects in Hawaii". State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2009.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. "IEEE Spectrum: Taking Wind Mainstream". Archived from the original on 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  4. HECO > Energy Storage Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Windmills We Have Known and Loved" (PDF). Powerlines. Hawaiian Electric Company (3): 9. 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  6. Yager, Bret (26 June 2014). "County Plans Wind Farm to Power Water Wells". West Hawaii Today. Kailua-Kona, Hawaii: Oahu Publications. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  7. Dible, Max; July 27 (2018-07-27). "DWS counters claim of obligation to purchase renewable energy for well site". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. Retrieved 2021-01-25.


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