Fire Island Wind Project
Fire Island Wind, LLC owns and operates a 17.6 megawatt wind turbine project on Fire Island, three miles off the coast of Anchorage, Alaska. The project began delivering clean, renewable energy to Anchorage homes in the fall of 2012. The 11 wind turbines located on Fire Island have the capacity to power approximately 7,000 homes in Southcentral Alaska. Fire Island Wind helps ease the strain on dwindling natural gas supplies in Cook Inlet, eliminating the need for an estimated 500 million cubic feet of natural gas each year, utilizes no water and reduces carbon emissions. The project provides a viable, reasonably-priced new energy source for Southcentral Alaska and generates most of its power during the winter months when the Anchorage community needs it the most. Through its parent company, Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI), Fire Island Wind entered into a long-term power purchase agreement with Anchorage utility Chugach Electric Association. The 25-year agreement provides a flat price for energy throughout the entire term of the agreement. CIRI is the region’s first major independent power producer. CIRI has the capacity to expand to a total of 33 turbines with a generation capacity of 52.8 MW.Wind turbine information
Phase 1:
Eleven GE XLE 1.6 MW Wind Turbine Generators- Hub height – 80 meters (262 feet)
- Wind turbine blades – 3 blades/40 meters each (131 feet)
- Rotor diameter – 82.5 meters (271 feet)
- Swept area – 5,346 square meters (1.3 acres)
- Rotation speed - between 9.8 and 18.7 RPM
- Active yaw control – steers the machine with respect to wind direction
- Active blade pitch control – regulates turbine rotor speed
The project’s net capacity factor is approximately 33 percent.
Wind turbine information
Phase 1:
Eleven GE XLE 1.6 MW Wind Turbine Generators
- Hub height – 80 meters (262 feet)
- Wind turbine blades – 3 blades/40 meters each (131 feet)
- Rotor diameter – 82.5 meters (271 feet)
- Swept area – 5,346 square meters (1.3 acres)
- Rotation speed – between 9.8 and 18.7 RPM
- Active yaw control – steers the machine with respect to wind direction
- Active blade pitch control – regulates turbine rotor speed
The project’s net capacity factor is approximately 33 percent.