Te Uku powers the Waikato

The Waikato’s first wind farm officially opened on 10 February, when Prime Minister John Key formally switched on the turbines at Te Uku wind farm.

The wind farm is a joint alliance between Meridian Energy and WEL Networks. It is the first generation development project of its type in New Zealand between an electricity generator–retailer and a lines company.

At the opening John Key noted wind energy is rapidly becoming an important part of our electricity supply. “In a world where we want to get away from fossil fuels and ultimately have a cleaner, greener environment, wind is a tremendous technology for us.”

Meridian’s Chief Executive Tim Lusk commented that the project team had to overcome many challenges during construction of the wind farm, including dealing with the site’s very steep terrain, which in places reaches heights of over 400 metres above sea level. “They built 26kms of roads to transport the turbines to their foundations and built and maintained over 180 ‘erosion and sediment controls’ during the project. All of their hard work was recognised when they won Environment Waikato’s inaugural ‘site of the year’ award last year.”

Te Uku’s Waikato location helps to highlight how our natural resources, including the wind, create a competitive economic advantage for New Zealand. Te Uku, like New Zealand's other wind farms, will be among the most productive in the world, making good use of a high quality wind resource to generate cost-effective electricity.

Te Uku also demonstrates that wind farms not only support other economic activity such as agriculture and tourism, but integrate into it. The new wind farm sits on productive Waikato farmland and overlooks the popular and scenic Raglan coast.

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Economic benefits flow from wind farms

Te Uku is just one of four wind farms currently being built. When all four projects are complete New Zealand's wind capacity will sit at 623MW, and supply around 5% of our electricity.

The activity at the four sites represents over $300 million of investment, which is creating opportunities for local businesses and communities.

Just over half of the 830 people who worked on Te Uku wind farm live in the Waikato. In addition to those directly employed on the site, Meridian Energy has used the services of a large number of local companies, including: couriers, caterers, waste management providers, water piping and drain laying service providers, aggregate suppliers, painters and plasterers, concrete suppliers, general cartage operators, re-fuelling services, vehicle maintenance and plant hire services.

Wind farms also create ongoing economic benefits for local communities. The ongoing operation of the three Manawatu wind farms injects an estimated $8 to $11 million into the Manawatu economy each year.

Locally based companies like Ashhurst Engineering and Construction have been able to expand their operations as a result of opportunities at these wind farms. AEC’s work in and around wind farms has taken them all over the world. They have built specialist equipment for use at wind farms and create innovative solutions to new challenges.

The wider benefit to the New Zealand economy, created by these wind farms, is reliable and cost-effective electricity generation for the next 20 years and beyond.

Beyond these direct economic benefits, New Zealand’s wind farms are developing a track record of helping to keep the lights on during extreme faults on the electricity system.

Find out more about what a wind farm development mean for the surrounding community and the electricity system. Read our wind energy case studies.

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Wind farm round up

Mahinerangi
Six of TrustPower's Mahinerangi wind farm's 12 wind turbines are now running. The remaining six will be commissioned in the next few weeks. Read more.

Lulworth
Energy3's new 1 megawatt Lulworth wind farm, near Ward in Marlborough, is now operating. The wind farm has four secondhand Micon 530 wind turbines, each of which has a capacity of 250kW. Read more. 

Mt Stuart
Pioneer Generation will begin construction of its 7.65 MW Mt Stuart wind farm, near Milton in the Clutha District, in April 2011. The wind farm will have nine 850kW Gamesa wind turbines. Read more. 

Hauauru Ma Raki
The Board of Inquiry has released a draft decision granting consent for Contact Energy’s proposed Hauauru ma raki wind farm in the Waikato. Read more.

Turitea
The Board of Inquiry has released a draft decision granting consent for Mighty River Power to build a wind farm east of Palmerston North. Mighty River Power had been seeking consent for 105 turbines, but the draft decision gives consent to only 61. Read more. 

Waitahora
In November the Environment Court granted Contact Energy consent for the proposed Waitahora wind farm near Dannevirke in the Southern Hawkes Bay. The wind farm could have up to 58 turbines with a combined capacity of 156 MW. Read more. 

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In the news and on the net

Wind farm noise in perspective
A new report from Australian acoustics consultants Sonus confirms that infrasound from wind farms is both well below our normal perception levels and around the same levels as infrasound measured at the beach, in the Adelaide Central Business District and near a power station.

A report commissioned by the Australian Clean Energy Council reveals that the New Zealand Wind Farm Noise Standard (which is used both in Australia and New Zealand) is among the toughest and most up-to-date of the guidelines used for controlling wind farm noise in the world.

Global wind capacity increases by 22% in 2010 - Asia leads growth
Global wind power installations increased by 35.8 GW in 2010, according to figures released by the Global Wind Energy Council. “Wind power is now rapidly expanding beyond the traditional ‘rich country’ markets, a clear sign of its growing competitiveness,” said Steve Sawyer, GWEC’s Secretary General. For the first time, in 2010 more than half of all new wind power was added outside of the traditional markets in Europe and North America. This was mainly driven by the continuing boom in China, which accounted for nearly half the new wind installations (16.5 GW).

Wind energy outlook
Just what potential is in the wind? The latest Global Wind Energy Outlook suggest global wind energy capacity could reach 2,300 GW by 2030, providing up to 22% of the world's electricity needs.

Wind energy costs come down
The cost of wind turbines has fallen significantly in the past couple of years, down about 15 per cent to 20 per cent, making wind power more attractive.

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2011 Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition

11-13 April 2011, Wellington Town Hall

New Zealand is leading the world in demonstrating that wind energy is a cost-effective and competitive source of electricity. Our wind farms compete directly against other forms of generation without any form of subsidy – a unique global achievement.

The 2011 NZ Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition is your opportunity to:

- explore how NZ developers are optimising projects, from design through development to operation, to create economically competitive wind farms

- learn how changes in policy, regulation and technology are creating greater opportunities, both here and overseas

- gauge the state of the NZ and international wind energy markets

- compare the NZ and Australian markets and explore opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region

- meet with key players in NZ and the international wind energy industry.

The comprehensive conference programme has something for everyone involved in the wind industry, and it will be accompanied by our largest-ever trade exhibition.

To find out more about this event visit the conference website.

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