Currently, there are 6 wind energy developers (5 are NZWEA members) investigating offshore wind energy projects off the coastline of Aotearoa New Zealand. Four regions are being considered, with the South Taranaki Bight being the most attractive, followed by the Waikato and then South Wellington and Southland. The South Taranaki Bight and Waikato coastlines offer the more favourable conditions for offshore wind energy due to the shallow coastal waters and superior wind resources in those locations.

Other factors that make these two regions more attractive include access to deep water ports, such as the Port of Taranaki, and access to the national grid to export the renewable electricity.

Below is a table showing the proposed offshore windfarms that are being investigated. While there are 11 projects being considered, many are overlapping in terms of their respective location. It is likely that once the regulations are in place, between 2 GW – 8 GW will eventually be built over the next 10-20 years. The level of offshore wind project development will be determined by the quantum of electricity demand growth, the amount of new industrial businesses created, and the forecast level of commercial returns expected.

As the viability for floating turbine designs becomes more attractive, the acreage of coastal areas than can be developed for offshore wind increases. Most sites listed below are in shallow waters, and are more suited to fixed bottom wind turbines, however there are a few projects being considered that are best suited to floating turbine designs. As floating turbine technology costs reduce, these turbines will likely become more popular.