Aurecon New Zealand developing global wind energy projects

Engineers from Aurecon New Zealand have been helping to develop wind energy projects around the world. The team has been led by Blair Walter, Aurecon’s global head of renewable energy.

The Cookhouse Wind Farm, located in South Africa, is about to enter commercial operation. The wind farm is the largest project from Round 1 of the South African government’s renewable energy procurement program, developed by African Clean Energy Developments and constructed by Indian turbine supplier Suzlon Energy. It has a total of 66 turbines and a combined installed capacity of 138.6 MW - enough to supply around 100,000 average South African houses.

“We worked with the developer in the early stages of the project to finalise the technical details, contracts and financing for the project,” said Walter. “We then assisted the developer in bidding the project into the first round of the South African government’s procurement process for renewable energy projects, before moving into a construction management role.”

Since starting with the Cookhouse Wind Farm, Aurecon’s renewable energy team has advised on several other wind and solar projects in South Africa. Over the past 18 months, it has become involved in projects in other parts of Africa such as Kenya, where it has helped a client to buy two late-stage wind development options. The first of these is the 60 MW Kinangop Wind Farm to the north of Nairobi - the first major independent wind farm in East Africa to go ahead.

Aurecon is providing similar roles on wind projects in Asia, primarily Thailand, and will shortly turn its attention to South America. Walter said a major driver for wind generation in developing regions such as Africa and Asia is energy supply security.

“By using domestic wind energy resources, countries can reduce dependence on imports of fossil fuels and electricity from their neighbours, increasing certainty in both the availability and price of electricity, which is essential to underpin economic growth,” he said.

“It’s easy to attract finance for wind projects, both private sector and donor funding. The World Bank recently announced that it was stopping all financing of coal-fired power generation projects and other funding agencies are following suit.”

Walter said New Zealand is recognised for its world-class wind energy expertise, stating, “Our existing wind farms are highly productive by international standards, generating double the amount of electricity that traditional wind areas in Europe produce.” In addition, the country is regarded as cost-competitive in international markets.

Aurecon’s renewable energy team in Wellington has specialist skills in wind resource assessment, layout optimisation, turbine selection and energy yield prediction. The team also has considerable experience with development staging, contract strategy and financing so it can provide a comprehensive support package to renewables developers, even those based in remote locations.

“I think that Kiwis are generally well regarded wherever we go and we can engage successfully with clients anywhere in the world and provide a valuable service,” said Walter. “Our willingness to assist and flexibility overcomes the challenges of time zones and distance.”