Wind generation currently provides about 4% of New Zealand’s electricity. On an annual basis, this is enough electricity to meet the demand of about 180,000 homes.
Wind’s contribution is expected to grow as wind farms currently under construction begin to generate electricity.
Live electricity generation information
Visit www.em6live.co.nz to find out how much electricity is being generated by wind farms right now.
Quarterly wind generation
|
Quarter ending |
Generation |
% of total generation |
|---|---|---|
|
March 2010 |
413000 |
4.1 |
|
December 2009 |
511000 |
4.9 |
|
September 2009 |
377000 |
3.4 |
|
June 2009 |
274000 |
2.5 |
|
March 2009 |
294000 |
3.1 |
|
December 2008 |
304000 |
3.0 |
|
September 2008 |
264000 |
2.3 |
|
June 2008 |
221000 |
2.0 |
|
March 2008 |
258000 |
2.6 |
|
December 2007 |
291000 |
2.8 |
|
September 2007 |
283000 |
2.5 |
|
June 2007 |
200000 |
1.9 |
|
March 2007 |
146000 |
1.5 |
|
December 2006 |
194000 |
1.9 |
|
September 2006 |
161000 |
1.5 |
|
June 2006 |
104000 |
1.0 |
|
March 2006 |
158000 |
1.6 |
(Source: New Zealand Energy Quarterly, Ministry of Economic Development)
Detailed historical electricity generation data is available from the Centralised Dataset on the Electricity Commission's website.
Generation capacity
The combined capacity – or the rated output – of wind farms in New Zealand is 497.3 megawatts. What this means is that at any given moment, if all wind farms were operating at their full capacity they could produce 497.3 megawatts of electricity.
Wind turbines in New Zealand operate about 90% of the time, but the amount of electricity they generate is dependent on wind conditions. This is why wind generation is often referred to as “variable generation”.
Over the span of a year, New Zealand wind farms generate at an average of about 40% of their rated output - this figure is also referred as “capacity factor”.
Capacity factor is defined as the amount of electricity actually generated relative to the amount that would have been produced if the generator had been running at its full output over the same period. Capacity factor is not a measure of efficiency, nor a measure of the time spent operating.
No form of generation produces electricity at its full output, 100% of the time, so a capacity factor of less that 100% does not mean a form of generation is unreliable. Hydro generation has an annual average capacity factor of around 50%, gas 65%, geothermal, 80%. Generators are often offline because of maintenance, unexpected faults, fluctuations in demand or constrained fuel supply.
New Zealand's total generating capacity – 2009
|
Fuel type |
Installed capacity at year end |
|---|---|
|
Wind |
496 |
|
Hydro |
5378 |
|
Gas |
1228 |
|
Coal |
1000 |
|
Geothermal |
627 |
|
Oil |
155 |
|
Other |
27 |
|
Cogeneration |
575 |
|
Total |
9486 |
Source: Energy Data File 2010, Ministry of Economic Development