Te Apiti wind farm
Encyclopedia
Te Āpiti is a wind farm
owned and operated by Meridian Energy
. It is located on 11.5 km² of land north of the Manawatu Gorge
in the North Island
of New Zealand
. At 90.75 MW, it was New Zealand's largest capacity wind farm until September 2007, when the third stage of the nearby Tararua Wind Farm
was completed.
The $100 million wind farm consists of 55 separate turbines
capable of generating 1.65 MW each, representing a total capacity of 90.75 MW. Each turbine is atop a 70 metre high tower. It is fitted with 3 blades each 35 metres in length.
The Manawatu Gorge
area is ideal for wind farms. The Tararua
and Ruahine Range
s provide a barrier to the predominantly westerly winds that flow across New Zealand. Between the two ranges lies a lower range of hills that serve to funnel the wind. TrustPower
, another New Zealand electricity generator and retailer, operates a wind farm on the south side of the Manawatu Gorge.
The Te Apiti wind farm is also a carbon offset
project, compensating among others the British bank HSBC
http://www.hsbccommittochange.com/hsbc-case-studies/carbon-dioxide/reducing-emissions/index.aspx and the Dutch government http://www.senternovem.nl/carboncredits/contracted_projects/newzealand_te_apiti_wind_farm_project_eru0306.asp for CO2 emissions from flying and electricity use.
As of 2007, installed capacity of wind turbines in New Zealand has reached 321 MW and a further 46.5 MW is under construction.
's national grid. Previously constructed windfarms, including Hau Nui
and Tararua
, connected to the national grid via local distribution and sub-transmission lines.
Electricity from the 55 turbines is sent via a 48 kilometres (29.8 mi) network of underground cables to the Te Apiti substation
near the lookout, where the electricity is stepped-up to 110 kV for transmission. A 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) single-circuit transmission line runs east from the substation, down to the Woodville
substation, where electricity generated by Te Āpiti is distributed via three 110 kV circuits to the Hawke's Bay
(two circuits) and the Wairarapa
(one circuit). An additional twin-circuit line connects Woodville to Bunnythorpe, near Palmerston North
, where Te Āpiti's generation is connected to the 220 kV grid for distribution to Wellington
, Waikato
, and Taranaki.
The New Zealand online education programme, LEARNZ, conducted a virtual field trip to Te Apiti Wind Farm in April 2008. Over 1500 New Zealand school students joined LEARNZ teacher Darren on this trip. Telephone conferences were held between students and wind farm staff. Two telephone conferences were held while Darren and Meridian staff were on top of a 70m high wind turbine.
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
owned and operated by Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy Limited is a New Zealand state-owned electricity generator and retailer. The company generates the largest proportion of New Zealand's electricity, generating 32 percent of the country's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and is the fourth-equal largest retailer, with...
. It is located on 11.5 km² of land north of the Manawatu Gorge
Manawatu Gorge
The Manawatu Gorge runs between the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges of the North Island of New Zealand, linking the Manawatu and Hawke's Bay regions...
in the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. At 90.75 MW, it was New Zealand's largest capacity wind farm until September 2007, when the third stage of the nearby Tararua Wind Farm
Tararua Wind Farm
The Tararua Wind Farm is a wind farm owned and operated by TrustPower. It is located on of farm land on the Tararua Ranges of New Zealand. It has become New Zealand's largest capacity wind farm with a total capacity of 160MW....
was completed.
The $100 million wind farm consists of 55 separate turbines
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
capable of generating 1.65 MW each, representing a total capacity of 90.75 MW. Each turbine is atop a 70 metre high tower. It is fitted with 3 blades each 35 metres in length.
The Manawatu Gorge
Manawatu Gorge
The Manawatu Gorge runs between the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges of the North Island of New Zealand, linking the Manawatu and Hawke's Bay regions...
area is ideal for wind farms. The Tararua
Tararua Range
The Tararua Range is one of several mountain ranges in the North Island of New Zealand which form a ridge running parallel with the east coast of the island between East Cape and Wellington....
and Ruahine Range
Ruahine Range
The Ruahine Range is one of several mountain ranges in the North Island of New Zealand which form a ridge running parallel with the east coast of the island between East Cape and Wellington....
s provide a barrier to the predominantly westerly winds that flow across New Zealand. Between the two ranges lies a lower range of hills that serve to funnel the wind. TrustPower
TrustPower
TrustPower Limited is a New Zealand electricity generation and electricity retailing company, listed on the New Zealand stock exchange.TrustPower is New Zealand's fifth largest electricity generator and the fourth largest electricity retailer , serving 260,000 customers throughout New Zealand...
, another New Zealand electricity generator and retailer, operates a wind farm on the south side of the Manawatu Gorge.
The Te Apiti wind farm is also a carbon offset
Carbon offset
A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for or to offset an emission made elsewhere....
project, compensating among others the British bank HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
http://www.hsbccommittochange.com/hsbc-case-studies/carbon-dioxide/reducing-emissions/index.aspx and the Dutch government http://www.senternovem.nl/carboncredits/contracted_projects/newzealand_te_apiti_wind_farm_project_eru0306.asp for CO2 emissions from flying and electricity use.
As of 2007, installed capacity of wind turbines in New Zealand has reached 321 MW and a further 46.5 MW is under construction.
Transmission
Te Āpiti was the first wind farm in New Zealand to connect directly to TranspowerTranspower New Zealand Limited
Transpower New Zealand Limited is the state-owned enterprise responsible for electric power transmission in New Zealand. Transpower performs two major functions in the New Zealand Electricity Market...
's national grid. Previously constructed windfarms, including Hau Nui
Hau Nui Wind Farm
The Hau Nui Wind Farm is a 15-turbine wind farm located approximately south-east of Martinborough, in the South Wairarapa District of New Zealand...
and Tararua
Tararua Wind Farm
The Tararua Wind Farm is a wind farm owned and operated by TrustPower. It is located on of farm land on the Tararua Ranges of New Zealand. It has become New Zealand's largest capacity wind farm with a total capacity of 160MW....
, connected to the national grid via local distribution and sub-transmission lines.
Electricity from the 55 turbines is sent via a 48 kilometres (29.8 mi) network of underground cables to the Te Apiti substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
near the lookout, where the electricity is stepped-up to 110 kV for transmission. A 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) single-circuit transmission line runs east from the substation, down to the Woodville
Woodville, New Zealand
Woodville is a small town in the southern North Island of New Zealand, 75 km north of Masterton and 25 km east of Palmerston North. In the 2006 census 1,398 people are usually resident in Woodville, a decrease of 81 people, or 5.5%, since the 2001 Census.-Early History and Local...
substation, where electricity generated by Te Āpiti is distributed via three 110 kV circuits to the Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay is a region of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. The regional council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings.-Geography:...
(two circuits) and the Wairarapa
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
(one circuit). An additional twin-circuit line connects Woodville to Bunnythorpe, near Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
, where Te Āpiti's generation is connected to the 220 kV grid for distribution to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, Waikato
Waikato
The Waikato Region is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato, Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the northern King Country, much of the Taupo District, and parts of Rotorua District...
, and Taranaki.
Virtual Field Trip
See also
- Te Rere Hau Wind FarmTe Rere Hau Wind FarmTe Rere Hau is a wind farm owned and operated by NZ Windfarms Ltd. It is situated on the Tararua Ranges, approximately 11 km east of Palmerston North in New Zealand....
- Wind farmWind farmA wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
- Wind power in New ZealandWind power in New ZealandWind power in New Zealand generates a small but rapidly growing proportion of the country's electricity, as the country makes increasing use of its outstanding wind resources...