The New Zealand Wind Energy Association (NZWEA) welcomes the Fast Track approval of Contact Energy’s Southland Wind Farm.
The approval paves the way to build New Zealand’s largest wind farm project to date. It will have a total generation capacity of at least 380MW comprising 55 turbines of 7MW each. Collectively, they will provide renewable energy to power 150,000 Kiwi households.
The proposed wind farm will be developed across 58km² of privately owned land in eastern Southland, about 30km southeast of Gore.
This project will significantly increase the amount of electricity supplied to the national grid and will support strategic economic growth and social outcomes for Southland.
NZWEA Chief Executive, Kevin Hart, said the project supports the energy transition objectives of doubling renewable energy by 2050, half of which will come from wind projects like this. We therefore congratulate Contact Energy and the government for making this valuable renewable energy project a reality.
