Kawailoa Wind — United States of America

Kawailoa Wind is a 69 MW wind power plant in Hawaii, United States of America. It is operated by Kawailoa Wind LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 93 GWh, it can supply roughly 27k homes. It ranks #3278 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2012, it is around 14 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, wind supplies about 10.3% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0057529.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000906790; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 69 MW, Kawailoa Wind is around the median wind plant in United States of America (67.7 MW). Wind turbines convert moving air into electricity; output is variable and site-dependent, and modern turbines deliver some of the lowest-cost new generation on many grids.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

15%, from 93 GWh of reported generation; the median for 1120 wind plants in United States of America that report generation is 30%

Generation trend

114 GWh in 2013 and 93 GWh in 2019 (−18%)

Highest and lowest year

2016: 143 GWh; 2019: 93 GWh

Share of United States of America wind capacity

less than 0.1% of 104,873 MW across 1,139 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

602 of 1,139 dated wind plants in United States of America are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Reported generation trend

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Kawailoa Wind LLC.

Local climate & thermal context

This wind plant converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity through turbine rotors. It sits in a tropical savanna climate (Köppen As) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 21.6°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt corrosion the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #567 largest wind power plant of 1139 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 1139 wind power plants in this dataset, together about 104,873 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Kawailoa Solar · Solar · 49 MW · Hawaii
• Kahuku Wind Power LLC · Wind · 30 MW · Hawaii
• Schofield Generating Station · Other · 50.4 MW · Hawaii
• Waihonu North Solar · Solar · 5 MW · Hawaii
• Waihonu South Solar · Solar · 1.5 MW · Hawaii
• Waipio Solar · Solar · 45.9 MW · Hawaii

Location

Coordinates 21.6115, -158.027 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions