Kahului, Hawaii – If your most recent flight to Maui took you over Ma‘alaea near the West Maui Mountains, you may have had the chance to observe the construction of Maui’s first large scale wind farm. Kaheawa Wind Power, a $65-million project scheduled to be operational by mid-2006, will provide nearly 10% of Maui’s electrical power needs, enough for about 11,000 homes.

The 20 GE wind turbines, with towers 180 feet tall, will be arranged in a single row at an elevation ranging from 2,000 to 3,200 feet. Although the structures are tall, the wind farm is visible only from certain vantage points as you drive around the island.

Power from the wind farm is produced without the harmful emissions created when we burn fossil fuel for energy: Major emissions eliminated include carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. These gases are known to contribute to various undesirable environmental effects including the trend of global warming and acid rain. Additionally, it has been shown that these gases affect our health and the health of other living organisms, such as our precious coral reefs.

Importantly, the wind farm is stabilizing and reducing the cost of energy on Maui. Kaheawa Wind Power sells all of its output to the electric company on island at rates that will save the utility over $4 million annually as compared to current avoided cost contracts.

The facility will also help Maui to achieve a statewide goal of 20 percent renewable energy generation by the year 2020. Replacing the burning of fossil fuels at Maui’s power plants with renewable electricity produced by Kaheawa Wind Power will eliminate the equivalent use of approximately 244,000 barrels of oil annually, and thereby help reduce the state’s dependence on imported oil.

The wind farm is owned by UPC Wind Partners and Makani Nui Associates of Maui. The land that it is built on is State Conservation Land and the State of Hawaii earns royalties from the wind farm. The project was partially financed by Hawaii-based Central Pacific Bank.

The Maui community is to be commended for its foresight in support of renewable energy. Wind power works.

Additional information is available at www.kaheawa.com.

About First Wind
First Wind is based in Newton, Massachusetts. First Wind is an American-owned company, with a proven track record of developing, owning, and operating well-sited, community-friendly wind farms that increase energy independence. For more information on First Wind, please visit www.firstwind.com.

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For more information, contact:
John Lamontagne
Director, Communications
First Wind
617-964-3340

For further information:
LuAnne Yapp
Gilbert & Associates
P 808-871-6230 ext. 15
F 808-871-9187
luanne@gilbertadvertising.com