Vestas, a leading wind turbine manufacturer, has clinched a significant order for the second stage of the Kaiwera Downs wind farm in New Zealand.
The project, developed by Mercury Energy, will see the installation of 36 V136-4.2MW turbines operating at 4.3MW capacity.
Additionally, Vestas will provide a 30-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service and maintenance contract.
Danny Nielsen, Senior Vice President and Country Head of Vestas Australia and New Zealand said the company is pleased that Vestas and Mercury’s portfolio continues to expand in New Zealand’s renewable energy market.
“Upon completion of Stage Two, Kaiwera Downs will continue to accelerate the country’s decarbonisation ambitions. We are pleased that our industry leading people, wind turbines and sustainable energy solutions can contribute to this,” he said.
Phil Gibson, Mercury’s Executive General Manager Portfolio said Mercury is looking forward to pushing ahead with this project alongside the Vestas team.
“Together, we will have added more than 400 MW of renewables into New Zealand’s electricity mix once the Kaiwera Downs wind farm is complete,” he said .
The expansion builds upon the success of the first stage of the Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm, which was also executed by Vestas.
Once fully operational, the combined stages will make Kaiwera Downs the country’s second-largest wind farm. During peak construction, approximately 150 jobs are expected to be created.
Delivery of Vestas’ wind turbines is slated to begin in Q4 2025, with commissioning set for Q1 2026.
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