UPC Wind, a wind power company based in Newton, Mass., has pledged $50 million toward Ho'i I Ka Pono, a campaign led by the Molokai Community Service Council (MCSC) to purchase all of the lands now owned by Molokai Ranch in Hawaii.
‘Once the community has regained control of the lands owned by Molokai Ranch, we will work directly with community members to lease a portion of the land to build a 21st century wind farm that will generate clean wind energy for Molokai and Oahu,’ says Paul Gaynor, CEO of UPC Wind.
The wind farm would provide lease revenue to the Molokai community and keep the land rural and accessible for traditional uses, such as farming, hunting and cultural practices, according to Karen M. Holt, executive director of MCSC.
In Hawaii, UPC Wind built the Maui-based 30 MW Kaheawa Wind Power project. The wind farm serves approximately 9% of Maui's annual electricity needs.
