DOE offers Hawaii $117M loan for wind energy project

March 10 -- The Department of Energy has offered to guarantee a loan for a 30-megawatt wind energy project in Hawaii, the federal agency announced today.

The DOE offered a loan guarantee of $117 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment funds for Boston-based First Wind.

The wind project will be built on the island of Oahu and will include 12, 2.5-megawatt wind turbine generators and a battery energy storage system for electricity load stability.

Electricity generated by the project will be sold to the Hawaiian Electric Company Inc. The State of Hawaii, which now relies on imported oil for about 90% of its energy, has set a goal of meeting 70% of its energy needs with clean energy by 2030 through its Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Amanda Smith-Teutsch at 330-865-6166 or asmith-teutsch@crain.com