Hawaii begins construction on wind farm

Posted by IronPlanet on Feb 29, 2012 4:52:00 AM

Construction crews have broken ground on the largest wind farm project in Hawaii's history, a 69-megawatt set of turbines that is expected to bring power to 5 percent of the island of Oahu.

Approximately 30 Siemens wind turbines will be built on Kamehameha Schools' Kawailoa Plantation lands on the north side of the island. The turbines will eventually power up to 14,500 homes with clean, renewable energy.

"This groundbreaking for Kawailoa Wind is a historic occasion for Hawaii because, as the largest wind project ever in the state, it will harness enough clean, sustainable energy to provide power for thousands of families on Oahu," said U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka. "Renewable electricity production makes our islands more energy self-sufficient, environmentally sustainable, and secure, which is critically important now and for future generations."

By 2030, Hawaii hopes to have 40 percent of its energy coming from clean, renewable resources, and the new wind farm is one of the first steps toward that ambitious goal.

Major construction projects for state governments can be highly beneficial for construction companies. Contractors that know how to keep costs down through buying used construction equipment online will be in a better position to bid for government contracts.

Topics: Construction, Industry Headlines