New Zealand Wind Energy Association

Wind generation currently provides over 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 a number of generators have plans for future wind farms.

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

(Source: New Zealand Energy Quarterly, Ministry of Economic Development)

Generation capacity

The combined capacity – or the rated output – of wind farms in New Zealand is 622 megawatts.  What this means is that at any given moment, if all wind farms were operating at their full capacity they could produce 622 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 around 45% of their rated output - this figure is also referred as “capacity factor” and is among the highest in the world.

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 operational generating capacity – 2010

Source: Energy Data File 2010, Ministry of Economic Development