Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm |
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|---|---|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Gore |
| Coordinates | 46°14′29″S 169°3′21″E / 46.24139°S 169.05583°E |
| Owner(s) | Tilt Renewables |
The Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm is a planned project in the Southland area of New Zealand. It aims to create clean energy using wind power. This large wind farm is expected to have 83 wind turbines. It will be able to produce up to 240 megawatts (MW) of electricity. The company Tilt Renewables will own and run this important project.
The name Kaiwera means "hot food" in Māori. This translation comes from the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
What is the Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm?
The Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm is a big plan to build a power station that uses wind. This type of power station is called a wind farm. It will be located in the beautiful Southland region of New Zealand. The main goal is to generate electricity from the wind. This helps to provide power for homes and businesses. It also helps to protect our planet.
The project is designed to be very powerful. It will have a maximum capacity of 240 MW. This means it can produce a lot of electricity. To do this, it will use up to 83 large wind turbines. Each turbine will spin in the wind. This spinning motion creates clean, renewable energy.
Where will the Wind Farm be Located?
The Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm will be built in a specific area. It is about 15 kilometres (about 9 miles) south-east of a town called Gore. This location is in the Southland region. The entire wind farm will cover a large area. It will be spread across about 2,568 hectares. That's roughly 25.68 square kilometres (about 9.9 square miles). This big space is needed for all the wind turbines. It also allows for safe operation and maintenance.
Project Approval and Development
Building a large project like a wind farm needs special permission. This permission is called "resource consent." It means that the government and local councils have approved the project. They check if it meets environmental rules. They also make sure it is good for the community. The Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm project received its resource consent in June 2008. This was an important step. It meant the project could move forward with its plans.
