Company Information for Western Wind Energy Plc

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Company Statement

Western Wind Energy (TSXV: WND) produces clean, renewable energy from more than 500 wind turbine generators located in Tehachapi and San Gorgonio Pass, California. Currently, Western Wind Energy's annual energy output is approximately 75 billion watt hours per year.

The Company owns more than 4,000 acres of fee simple land and leases more than 22,000 acres in California and Arizona. Most of the Western Wind Energy land has been zoned and permitted for wind development. Western Wind Energy is currently producing 34.5 megawatts of energy generated through 503 operating turbines. In addition, Western Wind Energy has long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in place for up to an additional 120 MW of energy.

Western Wind Energy is in the business of acquiring exceptional land sites, capital and technology for the production of electricity from renewable sources. Western Wind Energy conducts its operations in California, Arizona and Ontario through various wholly owned subsidiaries. Management of Western Wind Energy includes individuals involved in the operations and ownership of utility scale wind energy facilities in California since 1981.

Mission Statement
Our targeted and select ownership of world-class wind energy opportunities, comprehensive understanding of the entire wind energy business, access to transmission and 28 years of continuous operating experience enables Western Wind Energy to selectively develop the highest yielding wind energy assets in the US.

Operations and Technology

Western Wind has long-term Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs) in place for the 154.5MW of energy and expects to meet this level of productivity within eighteen months. The agreements in place carry a value of more than US$1 billion over the next twenty years, including the Production Tax Credit (PTC) granted by the federal government. Work is carried out through the company's subsidiaries, Aero Energy LLC (California) and Verde Resources Corp. (Arizona).
PRODUCTION
Mesa
The Mesa Wind Generating Facility is located in southern California on 440 acres of federally leased land and is currently producing 30 megawatts of power.
In October 2007 the company announced that it had filed a final plan for the development to expand the Mesa Wind Generating Facility from 30 megawatts to 50 megawatts. Western Wind has submitted a plan of development to the Bureau of Land Management with complete biological, archeological and cultural studies, which indicate the expansion will not cause a significant impact. The company has also received final clearance from the US Federal Aviation Authority for the installation of new wind turbine generators. The installation is expected to be complete by the end of 2008. The facility generates an annual revenue of more than US$5 million, to date the company has invested a total of US$13.4 million into the project.
On October 4, 2007 the California Public Utilities Commission signed a unanimous resolution that authorized the 2007 Market Price Referent (pricing structure) for renewable energy projects in California. The new pricing structure caused the company's producing California assets to have an increased revenue of more than 30 percent. With the Western Wind's existing production, this new Market Price Referent will equal a minimum increase of US$2 million per year. 
Windridge
The Windridge Operating Facility is 100 percent owned by Western Wind and located on approximately 200 acres of fee-simple land in the Tehachapi Pass Wind Resource Area in Kern County, California. The Tehachapi Pass is the world's largest aggregated wind park, where more than 5,000 wind turbine generators produce more than 1.4 billion kilowatt hours per year.
The Windridge Operating Facility has been producing energy consistently since 1984 from 43 wind turbine generators. The company has a 30 year power sales agreement with Southern California Edison, the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California, effective until 2014. Western Wind received final clearance from the Federal Aviation Authority and subsequently announced its intention to expand production at Windridge from 4.5 megawatts to 12 megawatts.
Western Wind's management has been involved in the ownership and operation of wind energy facilities in Tehachapi for more than 27 years. 
DEVELOPMENT
Windstar I
Located just two miles from Western Wind's Windridge Operating Facility, the WindStar I project covers more than 1,500 acres of fee simple land. The company holds a 20 year power sales contract to supply Southern California Edison with approximately 400 million kilowatt hours of energy annually. The contract is worth more than CDN$700 million and will average $35 million per year once in production. The total cost of the project is expected to be $270 million. Western Wind has already invested more than $6 million dollars in development capital.
The company received a construction permit number from Kern County and completed all necessary archaeological, biological, soils analysis and visual impact studies, which concluded the project would cause no significant impact. In 2006 Western Wind applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for transmission line access of 50 to 120 megawatts and on March 15, 2007 was granted access to the full 120 megawatts.
In late 2007 the company started negotiations with several major wind turbine manufacturers for the purchase of wind turbine generators in both the megawatt and multi-megawatt classes. Delivery of the turbines is anticipated in late 2008 and setup is planned to occur in the second quarter of 2009.
Steel Park
Western Wind owns more than 1,128 acres of fee simple land and has leased 22,222 acres of federal land in an area with some of the highest recorded wind-speed frequency distributions in Arizona. This land is ideally situated beside a major interstate highway and major railroad lines, and transmission infrastructure exists within the property boundary.
Once completed, the Steel Park will produce 215 megawatts of electricity to satisfy the Arizona's growing demand for green energy. Western Wind has already applied for zoning and permitting to begin construction of the project. The first 15 megawatts of the project is expected to cost approximately $33 million, $6.2 million of which Western Wind has already invested.   
California Initiative
Western Wind is actively looking at further expanding its property portfolio in California. Management has secured wind resource information on 66 prime sites throughout the state. These sites will be evaluated with the goal of developing an additional 1,300 megawatts of wind capacity. 





 

Geographical Spread

California / Arizona

Board of Directors and Key Management

Jeff Ciachurski	Chief Executive Officer & Director
Chris Thompson	Chief Financial Officer
J. Michael Boyd	Vice President of Development & Chairman of the Board
George Salama	Vice President, Business Development and Western Solargenics Inc.
Steve R. Mendoza	Executive Vice-President, Chief Engineer
T. Alana Steele	General Counsel

Company Address Suite 1330 - 885 West Georgia Street Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 3E8 Telephone: (604) 684-4743 ext 238 Facsimile: (604) 939-1292 Email: judy-ann[at]ascentacapital.com Website: http://www.westernwindenergy.com

Additional Address/Key Contact Head Office Western Wind Energy Corp. Suite 1326, HSBC Building 885 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC Canada V6C 3E8

Capital 29,173,968 as at February 14, 2008

Annual General Meeting TBA

Year End 31 December

Nominated Advisors Western Wind Energy is a TSX listed company and therefore does not require a nominated broker

Broker/Analyst Reports

13/02/08 - Western Wind Energy - Another 100 MW site secured in California

Major Shareholders

Pacific Hydro – 21.0%

Management & Insiders – 11% - 14%

Most Recent Statement

22/08/08 - Investor Update
07/08/08 - Western Wind Energy Corp. Reports Record Net Earnings of Ten Cents ($0.10) Per Share for the Second Quarter on Revenues of $2.1 Million for the Quarter Ended June 30, 2008
09/07/08 - Western Wind Energy Terminates Investor Relations Contract with Ascenta Capital Partners, Inc.
25/06/08 - Western Wind Energy Completes Repayment of the Mesa Acquisition Loan to Pacific Hydro Pty. Limited
14/04/08 - RECORD YEAR END REVENUES INCREASE 167 PERCENT
03/04/08 - LOEWEN ONDAATJE MCCUTCHEON LIMITED COMPLETES 6 MILLION SHARE SALE OF PACIFIC HYDRO PTY. LIMITED SHAREHOLDINGS OF WESTERN WIND ENERGY