Te Apiti Wind Farm Project Profile

Te Apiti Wind Farm

Gold Standard New Zealand 01/03/2009
Te Apiti Wind Farm - Project Profile version1.0

Contents

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Project Summary 1.1 Project Snapshot

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Project Benefits 1.1 Key Achievements

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Background Technical Details How the project meets Climate Friendlys principles

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Project Summary

The Te Apiti Wind Farm was the first wind farm in New Zealand to provide electricity to the national grid. It is a 90 MW project situated within 1,150 ha of farmland, north of the Manawatu Gorge in the North Island of New Zealand. The wind farm consists of 55 turbines, each capable of generating 1.65 MW of energy, producing enough power for approximately 45,000 homes. The project helps New Zealand to diversify its energy
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sources as well as the geographical spread of electricity generation. The project was the first New Zealand wind farm to supply electricity directly into the National Grid and to use megawatt-size machines.

Project Snapshot
Name: Location: Coordinates: Type: Standard: Volume: Vintage: Status: Project Operator: Te Apiti Wind Farm Manawatu, Lower North Island, New Zealand 401745.60S/1754828.80E Wind Gold Standard (GS) 6,649 VERs 2006 Gold Standard registered Meridian Energy Limited

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Project Benefits

Environmental - The use of wind power displaces the use of fossil fuels such as gas and coal to generate electricity. Therefore, the project reduces local pollution of SO2 and NO2 associated with fossil fuels. Social The project benefits the community surrounding the wind farm by providing an additional income stream for farmers while using a small proportion of the land. Economic The project helps the development of the local wind industry. It also contributes to the development of local tourism as it attracts an average of 400 groups of sightseers a week.

Key Achievements

R Avoids GHG emissions R Helps water conservation R Reduces local pollution of SO2 and NO2 R Diversifies electricity generation R Supports local economic development R Secures electricity supply

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Background

The Manawatu Gorge area is ideal for wind farms. The Tararua and Ruahine Ranges provide a barrier to the predominantly westerly winds that flow across New Zealand. Between the two ranges lies a lower range of hills that serve to funnel the wind. Majority of the energy generated in New Zealand is from hydropower sources. But with limited storage, the country requires a set of thermal plants to meet average demand. To displace the use of coal and gas, the country needs to find other sources of renewable energy. Wind generation has an increasing role to play in the diversity of supply and is compatible with hydro generation; when the wind blows, water can be conserved. Wind farms also have a minimal impact on the landscape, and the land that they are situated on can still be used for other purposes such as farming.

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Technical Details

Danish company Vestas supplied the 1.65 MW turbines for Te Apiti. The turbines were made in Denmark, the blades in the Isle of Wright and the towers in Vietnam and Australia. Each turbine has a tower measuring 70 metres high, fitted with 3 blades each 35 metres in diameter. The blade rotations per minute can vary according to the wind speed but have a maximum speed of 17 rpm. The turbines are electronically controlled, with microprocessors that automatically start, stop and monitor them. In very high winds the turbines automatically shut down to avoid damage. Note: This project was developed as a Joint Implementation project between the New Zealand and Dutch governments. The NZ Government provided AAU (Assigned Amount Units) for the Kyoto Protocol first commitment period (2008 12) to meet the number of ERUs generated. Gold Standard VER credits purchased by Climate Friendly were generated prior to the first Kyoto Protocol commitment period and therefore do not count toward New Zealands Kyoto Protocol target. This means they meet the regulatory test for additionality without AAUs being assigned to match the VERs generated.

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How the project meets Climate Friendlys principles

Climate Friendly only invests in projects that: Principles Address the root cause of climate change Are permanent Are additional Are verifiable Are project based Contribute to sustainable development Are synchronous Are exclusive How Te Apiti meets these criteria P Wind power doesnt emit GHG P Emissions reductions cant be reversed P Carbon finance required to overcome financial barriers P Verified by Det Norske Veritas (independent third party) P Not allowance-based under compliance requirements P Reduces pollution and creates employment P Emissions reductions have already occurred P Robust assurance process ensures no double counting

01/03/2009

Te Apiti Wind Farm - Project Profile

version1.0