Tararua Wind Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tararua Wind Farm |
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Tararua Ranges, east of Palmerston North |
| Coordinates | 40°20′46″S 175°46′48″E / 40.34611°S 175.78000°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 1999 (stage 1) 2004 (stage 2) 2007 (stage 3) |
| Owner(s) | Tilt Renewables |
The Tararua Wind Farm is a huge wind farm in New Zealand. It is owned and run by a company called Tilt Renewables. You can find it on 700 hectares of farmland in the Tararua Ranges. This is a mountain range located east of Palmerston North.
This wind farm is very important for New Zealand. It has the biggest power capacity of any wind farm in the country. It can produce a total of 161 MW of electricity. That's enough power for many homes!
Contents
What is the Tararua Wind Farm?
The Tararua Wind Farm uses the power of wind to make electricity. It is located in a windy area, which is perfect for wind turbines. The farm helps provide clean energy for New Zealand. This means it creates power without burning fossil fuels.
When Did the Wind Farm Start?
The Tararua Wind Farm began making power in 1999. This was the first part, called Stage 1. Since then, it has been made bigger two times. The newest part of the farm started working in September 2007. Each upgrade added more turbines and power.
How Many Turbines Are There?
The Tararua Wind Farm has 134 turbines in total. These turbines are like giant windmills. They spin when the wind blows, and this spinning creates electricity. The farm uses two different types of turbines.
What Kinds of Turbines Are Used?
There are two main types of turbines at the Tararua Wind Farm:
- Vestas V47 Turbines: There are 103 of these turbines. Each one can make 660 kilowatts (kW) of power. A kilowatt is a unit of power. Each V47 turbine has three blades that are 23.5 meters long. They stand on a steel tower that is 40 meters tall.
- Vestas V90-3MW Turbines: There are 31 of these larger turbines. Each V90-3MW turbine is much more powerful. It can make 3 megawatts (MW) of power. A megawatt is 1,000 kilowatts. These turbines have three blades that are 45 meters long.
