When fully operational, the 21MW Auwahi Wind project is expected to be capable of generating enough energy to power the equivalent of 10,000 homes, and the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has approved a 20-year contract for Maui Electric Company to purchase the electricity produced at Auwahi. A123’s GBS storage system is designed to facilitate the smooth and efficient operation of the wind farm.

In addition, A123’s Smart Grid Domain Controller will manage voltage regulation requirements for the project, leveraging the battery system and other assets including substation capacitor banks. When called upon, the storage solution will deliver up to 11MW of power in milliseconds.

We believe that wind-rich locations like Hawaii represent a significant opportunity for energy storage, especially as project developers and utilities continue to understand that storage has the capability to help maximize production and reduce the challenges associated with the variability of wind power generation. We consider Sempra Generation’s selection of our GBS energy storage solution for the Auwahi Wind project to be strong validation of our technology, and we look forward to showcasing the benefits of our energy storage systems for wind power integration when the Auwahi project is operational.

—Robert Johnson, vice president of the Energy Solutions Group at A123