Siemens Confrimed As Turbine Supplier For Project

Media Release: Embargoed to 10.00am Thursday 27 September 2007

Siemens Confrimed As Turbine Supplier For Project West Wind

Meridian Energy has chosen Siemens’ 2.3 megawatt (MW) wind turbines for its 62-turbine West Wind wind farm near Wellington, New Zealand.
 
With a total capacity exceeding 140 megawatts, the Siemens 2.3 MW turbines will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of all the houses in Wellington.
 
At today’s ceremony to mark the turning of the first sod at the Makara site west of Wellington, Meridian Chief Executive Dr Keith Turner said the West Wind site had a wind resource the envy of the rest of the world.  
 
“We are absolutely delighted to be able to make a start on building this wind farm which I believe will become a new symbol for Wellington,” Dr Turner said.
 
Also at the ceremony, Head of Siemens Wind Power Division Andreas Nauen said Siemens technology will play an important role in establishing a carbon-neutral energy sector in New Zealand.
 
“Our most advanced wind power technology, accrued over many years since our first installation of wind turbines in Denmark in 1979, will be employed on this project to support New Zealand’s overall commitment to climate preservation via the use of renewable energy sources. Our turbines are reliable, cost-effective and will help secure a sustainable future energy supply for this region.”
 
Siemens (N.Z.) Managing Director Gottfried Pausch said Siemens was proud to be working with Meridian on the West Wind project which is the largest wind farm contracted by Siemens in the southern hemisphere to date.
 
“New Zealand is a world leader in setting targets for reduced CO2 emissions via the introduction of renewable energy sources. Wind power projects such as West Wind will be critical in achieving these goals.”
 
Siemens’ role in the West Wind project includes the supply of wind turbines, installation, commissioning, and a two-year service agreement. Siemens has successfully implemented several onshore and offshore wind turbine projects worldwide, in similar wind conditions to New Zealand.
 
Improvements to external roads around the site have begun in Makara as required by the resource consent conditions.  Higgins Contractors has been confirmed as the civil engineering contractor for Project West Wind.  Higgins was the civil contractor of Meridian’s first wind farm, Te Apiti, north of the Manawatu Gorge.
 
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