Dozens of applications for Northland renewable energy generation

Renewable energy can help lighten the load of Northland lines' companies Northpower and Top Energy. Photo / Tania Whyte

Northland electricity lines companies and Transpower have received more than two dozen applications for renewable energy projects in the region, well before a pioneering pilot on that mode of power generation was announced.

The plans would produce enough energy to power more than 375,000 homes.

Transpower is presently seeking feedback from iwi, generation developers, local and central government, interest groups and the community at large to understand the level of support for a Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) in Northland and to work out the costs involved and the benefits they provide.

Northland's abundance of wind and solar resources was behind Transpower's decision to consider the region for the pioneering pilot, backed by lines operators Top Energy and Northpower.

Northpower has received about 10 applications in the last few years, ranging from a two megawatt (MW) solar farm to a 70MW windfarm at Omamari being looked at by Mercury. The applications are at different stages of development.

"Over the last two years Transpower, Top Energy and Northpower have received dozens of applications from generation developers totalling nearly two gigawatts of renewable generation. That's enough to power over 375,000 households – with some to spare,"
Northpower chief executive Andrew McLeod said.

Northpower general manager network Josie Boyd said wind resources would be best focused along the West Coast, and solar generation on where there was affordable flat land.

She said there also needed to be a good network connection with capacity close by, otherwise new lines would need to be built to connect it.

The pros and cons of setting up a Renewable Energy Zone in Northland is being looked at by Transpower and lines companies. Photo / NZME

Northpower's peak load has historically been around 176MW – usually on a winter's evening.

Boyd said the lines from Dargaville to Maungatapere were already at capacity, with projects currently in the pipeline.

"We think the REZ concept can have real benefits for Northland, given that we have some of the highest wholesale electricity prices in the country, partly because of distance from electricity generation sources.

"Developing new generation can help lower the price of power and stimulate the local economy through infrastructure investment."

Top Energy has received about 18 applications over the last two years, predominantly for solar connections.

The applications are also for wind and geothermal power generation.

Ngawha geothermal generation currently provides 98 per cent of power in the Far North district.

With the existing 90MW of grid-based solar which has already been approved, a Top Energy spokeswoman said its network from Kaitaia to Kaikohe was fully committed, as was the Transpower line south out of the Far North.

Top Energy has fielded enquiries for a further 730MW of solar and wind across its network.

"The lines south of Kaikohe need to be upgraded to enable this generation to be built, as does the second line to Kaitaia from Kaikohe. These are in addition to the dedicated connection to each of these new generators," she said.

Most parts of Tai Tokerau receive about 2000 hours of sunshine each year and there are strong wind sites along the West Coast.

In its consultation documents, Transpower said large volumes of new renewable energy could be generated with incremental network investments, primarily through upgrading existing assets.

If there was sufficient support, Transpower planned to seek expressions of interest from generation developers in the third and fourth quarter of 2022.

Renewable Energy Zones are also an important tool in helping to meet the Government's target of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

Transpower said its Net Zero Grid Pathways Generation Consultation identified the potential for 600MW of grid-scale solar generation and 900MW of wind generation across Northland.

This is on top of the potential for wide-scale adoption of embedded rooftop solar, which can take advantage of Northland's sunlight hours.

Transpower said the existing but significantly under-utilised 220KV grid backbone interconnection lines from Auckland to Marsden could export around 300MW of electricity, even during times of interruption and asset outages, and potentially about a further 600MW of power.

A Northland Renewable Energy Zone could not only enable additional renewable generation and utilise existing capacity in the transmission network to get that energy to where it was needed, but it would also strengthen the region's ability to be a net exporter of electricity.

Submissions close at 5pm on April 8 and can be made online at transpower.co.nz/REZ.