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Harapaki Wind Farm

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Coordinates: 39°11′2″S 176°41′35″E / 39.18389°S 176.69306°E / -39.18389; 176.69306
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Harapaki Wind Farm
Harapaki Wind Farm from Napier
Map
CountryNew Zealand
LocationHawke's Bay
Coordinates39°11′2″S 176°41′35″E / 39.18389°S 176.69306°E / -39.18389; 176.69306
StatusOperational
OwnerMeridian Energy
OperatorMeridian Energy
Wind farm
Hub height85 metres (279 ft)
Rotor diameter120 metres (390 ft)
Power generation
Units operational41[1]
Nameplate capacity176 MW
Annual net output542 GWh[2]
[edit on Wikidata]

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.[5]

History

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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.[5]

Location

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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

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The wind farm uses 41 Siemens Gamesa 4.3 MW turbines, measuring 85 m (279 ft) from base to hub with a rotor diameter of 120 m (394 ft). Electricity is supplied to the national grid via a new substation on Transpower's Redclyffe-Whirinaki-Wairakei 220 kV transmission line.[21]

See also

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References

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