A small wind farm on the Chatham Islands was commissioned in June 2010.
The wind farm has two 225kW Vergnet machines, which have been integrated with the existing diesel generation plant on the island. The turbines are two-bladed machines designed in France. They are designed so they can be raised and lowered on guy ropes, mainly to prevent damage during storms, but also for maintenance.
The wind farm will supply electricity to the 260 residential and commercial customers on the main island in the Chathams. The cost of electricity in the Chathams is directly influenced by the cost of diesel, and can be 5 to 10 times more expensive than in the rest of New Zealand. The wind farm is expected to reduce the cost of electricity generation in the Chathams.
Key facts
Operator: CBD Energy
Year installed: 2010
Number of turbines: 2
Turbine capacity: 0.225 megawatts
Wind farm installed capacity: 0.4 megawatts
Blade length: 15 metres
Tower height: 55 metres
Location