Joining the league of eight innovative companies and projects that have being granted substantial loans by the US Department of Energy, First Wind Holdings' experimental wind startup - Kahuku Wind Power - has recently received a $117 million stimulus loan guarantee for developing a 30-megawatt farm on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

Aimed at helping Hawaii plan a clean and sustainable energy future, the Kahuku Wind project - the construction of which will commence after the approval from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission and the funding guarantees come through - will essentially harness the strong trade winds that blow steadily in Oahu; thereby setting up a local energy source boasting zero air emissions.

As per the information forwarded by Kahuku Wind's formidable owner and backer, the Boston-based First Wind, the federal loan will essentially finance the construction of 12 wind turbine generators - 2.5 megawatts each - that would help generate wind-power sufficient enough to supply as many as 7,700 homes via the Hawaiian Electric Company.

In comparison to the other major wind farms, the Kahuku wind farm, which will create nearly 200 jobs, will also feature a battery storage system, that will be installed to ensure that the supply of wind-power is not only more consistent, but the energy load is also stabilized.