Mahinerangi Wind Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mahinerangi Wind Farm |
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Four of the twelve turbines at Mahinerangi Wind Farm, 2 April 2011
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | north of Lake Mahinerangi, Otago |
| Coordinates | 45°45′38″S 169°54′18″E / 45.76056°S 169.90500°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | September 2010 |
| Commission date | March 2011 |
| Construction cost | NZ$75 million |
| Owner(s) | Tilt Renewables |
The Mahinerangi Wind Farm is a big power station that uses wind to make electricity. It's located near Lake Mahinerangi, about 50 kilometers west of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand. This wind farm helps power homes and businesses using clean energy.
The first part of the wind farm started working in March 2011. It can make 36 megawatts (MW) of power. There are plans to make it much bigger, adding another 160 MW! A company called Tilt Renewables owns and runs this important project. It was one of the first large wind farms built in New Zealand's South Island.
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Building the Wind Farm
Building the first part of the Mahinerangi Wind Farm began in September 2010. Before they could start, the project needed special permission, which was given in 2007.
Twelve giant wind turbines were put up. These turbines were a type called Vestas V90-3MW. They had been used before at another wind farm in New Zealand.
Turbine Delivery
Getting the huge turbine parts to the remote site was a big job. They were shipped by boat to Port Chalmers. From there, they were carefully trucked all the way through Dunedin to their final home.
First Power Generated
The wind farm started making its very first electricity on February 21, 2011. The first two turbines were connected and began working. By the end of March 2011, all twelve turbines in the first stage were finished and producing power.
Where is the Wind Farm?
The Mahinerangi Wind Farm is built on a large area of land, about 17 square kilometers. This land is high up, between 600 and 730 meters above sea level. It's about 50 kilometers west of Dunedin.
Most of the land where the wind farm is built is used for farming. Sheep and cattle graze there, sharing the space with the tall wind turbines.
Future Plans: Stage 2
There are big plans for the Mahinerangi Wind Farm to grow even larger. This next step is called Stage 2. It could add up to 100 more wind turbines!
These new turbines would be able to produce 160 MW of power. This would make a lot more clean electricity for New Zealand. The permissions for Stage 2 were given in 2009.
How Electricity Gets Around
The electricity made by the first stage of the wind farm goes into nearby power systems. These are the Deep Stream and Waipori hydro schemes, which also make electricity from water.
This way, the wind farm could use existing power lines, saving money. The electricity then travels to Dunedin's local power network. It can also go into a larger 110 kilovolt (kV) power line run by Transpower New Zealand Limited. This line connects places like Halfway Bush, Balclutha, and Gore.
Connecting Future Stages
When Stage 2 is built, it will make too much electricity for the smaller Waipori/Deep Stream system. So, the power from Stage 2 will connect to a different, larger Transpower line. This line runs from Halfway Bush to Roxburgh Dam and passes close to the wind farm.
