Wind Energy in New Zealand
New Zealand is ideally situated to generate electricity from wind. Located directly across the path of prevailing westerly winds, many regions of New Zealand have a wind resource that is among the best in the world, with annual average wind speeds of approximately 10m/s.
Last year the Ministry commissioned a study, Availability and Costs of Renewable Sources of Energy for Generating Electricity and Heat, which identifies that wind energy has the potential to contribute significantly to meeting New Zealand's energy needs. The table below identifies the contribution wind power could make to consumer energy, compared with hydro-generation, at less than 15 cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh).
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