Wind Power in New Zealand

Wind Power and Wind Energy Providers and Stations in New Zealand

Commercial wind power generation is poised for a giant leap. New Zealand is no exception. Energy suppliers are actively investing in new wind farms, and a local startup is already manufacturing wind turbines based on proprietary technology.

• Wind

The harnessing of wind energy in New Zealand on a large scale can be traced back to a single wind turbine installed on Brooklyn Hill behind Wellington in 1993. It was constructed by the then Electricity Corporation of New Zealand (ECNZ) to investigate the feasibility of wind power generation. The turbine is still in use with Meridian Energy, however its capacity is limited by the technology of the time, and it generates only 10% of that available from modern turbines.

In addition to the Brooklyn turbine, two other single turbines have been installed for local supply in Canterbury - one at Gebbies Pass in 2003, and the other at Southbridge in 2005.

Five wind farms are currently in operation, ranging in size from 15 turbines at Hau Nui in the Wairarapa, to 134 at Tararua in the Manawatu. Together they generate 2.6% of the national total, sufficient for 145,000 households.  

The Major Players

Contact Energy
Contact currently has no wind farms in operation, however it applied for resource consent for the Hauauru ma raki project in the Waikato in mid-2008. The site will extend over a distance of 34km along the Waikato coast from Port Waikato to Raglan, and will comprise of up to 180 wind turbines.

Contact also applied for resource consent for its Waitahora Project to be located near Dannevirk in southern Hawkes Bay, and comprise 65 wind turbines.

Genesis Power
Genesis' assets are primarily in thermal and hydro stations in the North Island. It has only one wind farm, the Hau Nui site in the Southern Wairarapa.

Hau Nui Stage 1 was commissioned in 1996, and its seven wind turbines upgraded in 1999. Stage 2, comprising eight turbines, was commissioned in 2004. The site provides a significant proportion of the power consumed in the Southern Wairarapa area. 

MainPower New Zealand
MainPower is a regional power distributor based in Rangiora, supplying power to the North Canterbury-Kaikoura area.

The company currently has no wind farms in operation, however in late 2007 it applied for resource consent for a proposed project at Mt Cass, east of Waipara in North Canterbury.

Meridian Energy
Meridian has power generation assets amounting to 30% of New Zealand's electricity generation capacity. The company has subsequently focused on wind energy as its main source of growth, and commissioned the Te Apiti wind farm in the Manawatu in 2004, and the White Hill wind farm in Southland in 2007.

Meridian's West Wind site at Makara behind Wellington is scheduled for completion in 2009.

Mighty River Power
Mighty River has geothermal plants near Taupo, Marsden A and B thermal power stations near Whangarei, and hydro stations on the Waikato River.

The company currently has no wind farms in operation, however it plans to develop 500MW of wind power generation capacity by 2015.

NZ Windfarms
Based in Christchurch, NZ Windfarms was established in 2004 to identify and develop wind farm sites, and sell the electricity generated.

The company completed Stage 2 of its first wind farm at Te Rere Hau in the Manawatu in late 2008. Further expansion is scheduled in Stage 3 and 4, and is scheduled for final completion in mid-2009.

TrustPower
Based in Tauranga, TrustPower owns more than 30 power stations throughout New Zealand, all based on renewable energy sources.

The company commissioned Stage 3 of its Tararua wind farm in 2007, increasing the number of turbines in operation to 134.

Ventus Energy (NZ)
Established in 2004, Ventus Energy (NZ) Ltd is the New Zealand subsidiary of Ventus Energy Ltd, an Irish developer of renewable energy resources, notably wind energy.

In mid 2006, the company received resource consent for its proposed wind farm of 22 wind turbines at Taumatatotora, south of Taharoa near Waitomo.

Windflow Technology
Established in 2001, Windflow Technology Ltd is based in Christchurch and supplies, through its subsidiaries and subcontractors, locally designed and manufactured wind turbines, related engineering services, and wind farm management, to customers in New Zealand, Australia, and beyond.

Windflow Technology's subsidiary Wind Blades Ltd in Auckland's East Tamaki manufactures blades for the company's innovative twin-blade Windflow 500 wind turbine, and has facilities to assemble 200 of the turbines annually. Wind Gears Ltd, a joint venture company, manufactures a proprietary torque limiting gearbox for the turbine.

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Technology images from Flickr: Wind Power, Microchip and Cable.