Hawaii wind farm concerned about geothermal expansion
A planned 8-megawatt expansion of geothermal energy on the Big Island is threatening to limit the amount of energy that Hawaii Electric Light Co. draws from the Pikini Nui wind farm, according to its owners.
Puna Geothermal Venture, a subsidiary of Reno, Nev.-based Ormat Technologies, is the sole geothermal company in Hawaii and produces up to 30 mw of energy. In February, company officials announced that they had signed an agreement with Hawaii Electric Light Co. for an additional 8 megawatts. The agreement is currently under review by the state Public Utilities Commission.
But the news was not greeted with enthusiasm by wind developers at Foster City, Calif-based Tawhiri Power, a partnership between Apollo Energy Corp. and General Electric Energy Financial Services. According to a document filed with the PUC, Tawhiri Power is concerned the additional geothermal energy could cause “severe economic damage to the company.”
Read more in Pacific Business News.
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