Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Video | Business Headlines | Internet | Science | Scientific Ethics | Technology | Search

 

Interconnecting distant NZ windfarms could be boon for grid

Wednesday 27 May 2015

Interconnecting distant NZ windfarms could be boon for grid

Variable winds—even in New Zealand’s most blustery locations—make it difficult for windfarms to contribute more fully to the national grid, but now University of Otago research points the way to achieving a highly reliable supply of wind power.

A new study by the Department of Geography’s Dr Nicolas Cullen and his former Master’s student Peter Gibson indicates that interlinking windfarms across different regions of the country could boost generation reliability from New Zealand windfarms.

The pair made the discovery after carefully analysing New Zealand’s wind circulation patterns alongside five years of synthesised wind speed data from 15 existing or proposed wind farm sites.

Dr Cullen says they calculated that even just a two-region network linking windfarms in far northern and southern regions of the country could substantially reduce zero-generation hours.

“We essentially found that if the weather is poor for generating power in the Far North, there is a good chance conditions will be favourable for generation in Otago and Southland, and vice versa,” Dr Cullen says.

This phenomenon and similar, though less pronounced, variations between other regions mean that interconnecting wind farms through high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology would largely solve supply reliability issues, he says.

Mr Gibson says that their research found that weather patterns influence New Zealand windfarms in different ways due to a range of climatological and geographical factors.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“Traditional methods for wind farm site selection do not take this into account, so our findings have implications for the future planning and site selection of windfarm projects in New Zealand,” he says.

Dr Cullen says that interconnecting distant windfarms could help meet Government targets of moving from 73 percent of electricity generation from renewable sources to 90 percent by 2025.

“Our wind resources are some of the best in the world, but currently this renewable provides only 5 percent of New Zealand’s total generation. There is a lot of scope to grow its contribution and greatly reduce, or ideally eliminate, generation from fossil fuels,” he says.

The study appears in the May issue of the US Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology.

ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Business Headlines | Sci-Tech Headlines

 
GenPro: General Practices Begin Issuing Clause 14 Notices

GenPro has been copied into a rising number of Clause 14 notices issued since the NZNO lodged its Primary Practice Pay Equity Claim against General Practice employers in December 2023.More

SPADA: Screen Industry Unites For Streaming Platform Regulation & Intellectual Property Protections

In an unprecedented international collaboration, representatives of screen producing organisations from around the world have released a joint statement.More

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.