Project West Wind

West Wind Wind Farm
Location of West Wind Wind Farm in New Zealand
Country New Zealand
Location Makara, west of Wellington City
Coordinates 41°16′35″S 174°39′37″E / 41.27639°S 174.66028°E / -41.27639; 174.66028Coordinates: 41°16′35″S 174°39′37″E / 41.27639°S 174.66028°E / -41.27639; 174.66028
Status Operational
Construction began September 2007 (September 2007)
Commission date April 2009 (April 2009)
Construction cost $440 million
Owner(s) Meridian
Wind farm
Type Onshore
Hub height 68 m (223 ft)
Rotor diameter 82 m (269 ft)
Rated wind speed 13–14 m/s (47–50 km/h; 29–31 mph)
Power generation
Units operational 62
Make and model Siemens: SWT-2.3-82 VS
Nameplate capacity 142.6 MW
Capacity factor 44.0%
Average generation 550 GWh

Project West Wind is a wind farm located at Terawhiti Station and Makara Farm west of Wellington, New Zealand.

It is the first wind farm for the capital city, and has a capacity of 143 MW.[1] Construction of the wind farm project began in September 2007[2] and was completed in late 2009.[3] The wind farm received resource consent for up to 66 turbines,[4] however only 62 were installed.[5] It is owned and operated by Meridian Energy.

The wind farm was officially opened in April 2009, when Prime Minister John Key turned on the first 15 turbines.[6] Electricity from the farm is stepped-up to 110 kV and is injected into Transpower's national grid via a tee off one of its Wilton to Central Park lines.

Six turbines suffered premature bearing failures in 2011.[7]

The wind farm was the winner of the Energy and Resources category in the 2012 New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards.[8]

An aerial view of the Project West Wind wind farm at Makara, New Zealand.
Project West Wind wind farm

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Wind Farms". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
  2. ↑ Clark, Helen (2007-09-27). "Clark: Opening of Meridian's Project West Wind". Scoop. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
  3. ↑ "Project West Wind". New Zealand Wind Energy Association. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  4. ↑ "Decision approving conditions" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-09-21.
  5. ↑ Blundell, Kay (2008-01-30). "Turbine farm for Ohariu Valley". The Dominion Post. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
  6. ↑ "West Wind Powers Wellington". Scoop. 2009-04-29.
  7. ↑ Bradley, Grant (8 June 2011). "Wellington winds too windy for wind farm". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  8. ↑ "Controversial wind farm Wins Prestigious Engineering Award". New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards. 3 December 2012.


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