Harapaki Wind Farm Explained

Harapaki Wind Farm
Location:Hawke's Bay
Country:New Zealand
Coordinates:-39.1839°N 176.6931°W
Owner:Meridian Energy
Operator:Meridian Energy
Status:o
Ps Units Operational:41[1]
Ps Electrical Capacity:176 MW
Ps Annual Generation:542 GWh[2]

The Harapaki Wind Farm is a wind farm project in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand. Construction began in June 2021[3] [4] and was completed in 2024.[5] As of 2024 it is the second-biggest wind farm in New Zealand.

History

In 2006, Hawke's Bay Wind Farm Ltd was granted resource consent for a 75 turbine, 225 MW wind farm at Titiokura.[6] The same year Unison Networks was granted consent for a 15 turbine, 45 MW development. Both consents were upheld by the Environment Court in October 2006.[7] A proposed expansion of Unison's project[8] was rejected by the Environment Court in 2009.[9] [10]

In 2010 Hawke's Bay Wind Farm Ltd was purchased by Meridian Energy.[11] Unison's consent was purchased in 2011, and the sites combined.[12]

In August 2019 Meridian sought interest from potential contractors for the wind farm's construction.[12] Construction was expected to begin in 2020, but was delayed due to the possible closure of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter.[13] In February 2021 Meridian announced that construction would begin later that year, and would take approximately three years.[14] [15] Site preparation began in mid-2021.[16] The first turbines arrived in Napier in March 2023[17] and transportation of components to the wind farm site began in July 2023 when State Highway 5 had been sufficiently repaired following the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.[18]

The wind farm began generating in November 2023[19] [20] and reached full capacity in July 2024.

Location

The wind farm is built on the Maungaharuru Range, near the Titiokura Summit, about 34 km northwest of Napier Airport.[6] The altitude of the range is approximately 1300 metres.

Operation

The wind farm uses 41 Siemens Gamesa 4.3 MW turbines, measuring 85m (279feet) from base to hub with a rotor diameter of 120m (390feet). Electricity is supplied to the national grid via a new substation on Transpower's Redclyffe-Whirinaki-Wairakei 220 kV transmission line.[21]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NZ’s largest crane and 41 turbines later, Harapaki Wind Farm is now fully operational . Emma Brannam . Hawke's Bay Today . 20 July 2024.
  2. Web site: Meridian kicks off $395m Harapaki development . BusinessDesk . 24 February 2021 . 18 December 2022.
  3. Web site: Meridian Energy's huge new $395 million wind farm, and 260 jobs, coming to Hawke's Bay . Marty Sharpe . Stuff . 24 February 2021 . 19 April 2021.
  4. Web site: A lot of air . . . . . 15 June 2021 . 19 June 2021.
  5. Web site: Harapaki, NZ's 2nd-biggest wind farm, goes fully operational . . 19 July 2024 . 20 July 2024.
  6. Web site: Fact sheet: August 2007 . Hawke's bay wind farm ltd . August 2007 . 2008-09-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081014042536/http://www.hawkesbaywindfarm.net.nz/docs/Fact%20Sheet%20August%2007.pdf . 2008-10-14 .
  7. News: Environment Court says yes to Te Pohue turbines . 19 July 2007 . 17 June 2021 . en-NZ. 1170-0777.
  8. Web site: Titiokura/Te Waka Wind Farm . Unison . August 2008 . 2008-09-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081014101952/http://unison.co.nz/site_resources/library/OUR%20COMMUNITY/Titiokura_Te_Waka_Wind_Farm_aug_08.pdf . 2008-10-14 . dead .
  9. Web site: Wind farm decision a waste, says lines company . RNZ . 24 February 2009 . 17 June 2021.
  10. Web site: Maori issues cited as wind farm declined . Marty Sharpe . Stuff . 20 March 2009 . 17 June 2021.
  11. Web site: Meridian buys company with wind farm consent . Marty Sharpe . Stuff . 5 November 2010 . 17 June 2021.
  12. Web site: Wind farm first approved 14 years ago may finally get underway . Marty Sharpe . Stuff . 5 August 2019 . 5 August 2019.
  13. Web site: Hawke's Bay windfarm shelved because of Tiwai Point closure plan . Hawke's Bay Today . Doug Laing . 27 August 2020 . 17 June 2021.
  14. Web site: Meridian aims to build new wind farm every three years . Tom Pullar-Strecker . Stuff . 24 February 2021 . 19 April 2021.
  15. Web site: Hawke's Bay wind farm will create 260 jobs in 3 years, but iwi's long term concerns remain . Hawke's Bay Today . Gianina Schwanecke . 23 February 2021 . 17 June 2021.
  16. Web site: Work on Harapaki Wind Farm, north of Napier, set to spin to full speed in spring . Hawke's Bay Today . 29 August 2021 . 31 August 2021.
  17. Web site: Turbine components arrive for Harapaki wind farm in Hawke's Bay . New Zealand Herald . James Pocock . 6 March 2023 . 7 March 2023.
  18. Web site: New Hawke's Bay wind farm: Five months on the road to Harapaki . New Zealand Herald . Doug Laing . 19 July 2023 . 20 July 2023.
  19. Web site: Cyclone-delayed wind farm starts delivering power . Business Desk . 17 November 2023 . 24 November 2023.
  20. Web site: Hawke's Bay wind farm: What it's like in the hills as $448m Harapiki sustainable energy project takes shape . Hawke's Bay Today . James Pocock . 2 December 2023 . 2 December 2023.
  21. Web site: Harapaki Wind Farm, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. 2021-10-28. www.power-technology.com. en-GB.

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