Home Resources Resources

All about wind energy

Are wind turbines noisy?
Is wind energy reliable?
What do people think about wind farms?
What is their impact on the environment?

Learn more

Wind farms in New Zealand

New Zealand’s wind farms have an installed capacity of 622 megawatts and generate over 4% of our electricity. Find out where they are on our wind farm map.

View map

NZWEA resources

Wind energy case studies

These case studies explore the opportunities and benefits, at a local level, created by wind farm development, and the direct economic contribution of one wind farm development to the Manawatu economy.

Factsheets

NZWEA's factsheets explore a range of issues to do with wind energy, including sound, technology, electricity supply and development effects. 

An introduction to NZS 6808:2010 Wind Farm Noise

NZS 6808 is the New Zealand Standard that recommends limits on noise from wind farms. The 2010 edition replaces the earlier edition published in 1998.

This short film outlines:

  • the sound made by wind turbines
  • the limits on wind farm sound recommended by the New Zealand Standard
  • how the Standard was developed
  • how the Standard will be used. 

Lesson plan

A science, social sciences and technology unit from Starters and Strategies exploring the way wind energy is generated, its benefits and environmental impacts. 

Sound Advice DVD

Sound is one of the most misunderstood issues related to wind farm development. Wind Farm Developers can use Sound Advice to explain, in a fun and interesting way, the context of sound measurement and measuring sound from wind turbines. The DVD is available from NZWEA on a lease or rental basis. Find out more...

Other useful publications and websites

Wind's Up: Planning the future now, Mark Ashby, 2004

This report questions how, in the context of the New Zealand planning system, we can positively plan for wind energy - while taking care to address environmental impacts.

Wind energy - the facts

The 'Wind Energy – The Facts' publication is widely considered to be the most important wind energy reference in the world. It presents a detailed overview of the wind energy sector, with the most up-to-date and in-depth information on the essential issues concerning wind power today. 'Wind Energy - The Facts' is implemented by a consortium led by the European Wind Energy Association.

Economics of wind development in New Zealand is a report prepared by Deloitte for the New Zealand Wind Energy Association. It can be downloaded from:
www.windenergy.org.nz/documents/economicsnz.pdf