Wind of change for Taranaki
Two offshore wind turbines in Taranaki could potentially double New Zealand’s electricity supply, a discussion paper promoting low emission wind energy in the region says.
The paper, Offshore Wind – An Energy Opportunity for Taranaki, from regional development agency Venture Taranaki, highlights offshore wind as an important energy opportunity and calls for further investigation.
The paper identified locations off the Taranaki coastline, especially South Taranaki, for generating electricity based on wind strength and bathymetric, or water depth. It highlighted areas potentially suitable for offshore fixed turbines.
A 1800ksqm area off the South Taranaki coast could accommodate up to 12 gigawatts (GW), while a 370sqkm area off North Taranaki could host 2.4GW, it said.
One gigawatt is equal to 1 billion watts, and together these would almost effectively double New Zealand’s electricity supply.
Taranaki’s experience in the marine energy environment was a natural fit for this increasingly-deployed renewable energy source, it said.
Venture Taranaki chief executive Justine Gilliland said if New Zealand is to realise its low emission energy goals and meet future energy needs it needed to look beyond current efforts.
The discussion paper offered a first step in that process and supports the Energy Pathway Action Plan for Taranaki’s 2050 Roadmap, she said.
Venture Taranaki, with Taranaki-based Elemental Group, had explored both fixed and floating wind turbines
‘‘Offshore wind energy generation is a proven technology being rapidly developed and harnessed internationally, while at the same time costs are reducing significantly,’’ Elemental Group spokesman Andrew Revfeim said.
‘‘There is a real opportunity to grow offshore wind as a renewable energy resource that could provide large quantities of lowcost clean energy.’’
Green hydrogen developer Hiringa Energy chief executive Andrew Clennett said offshore wind power was a reliable, low impact solution.
Hiringa planned to produce green ammonia using onshore wind power with Ballance Agri-Nutrients at Kapuni.