Hydro

This report provides high level guidance to independent renewable energy project developers who wish to investigate and progress distributed generation projects.

This report was commissioned by EECA and prepared by Sinclair Knight Merz Pty Ltd. The report focuses on geothermal, hydro and wind projects in the range of 10 kW to 20 MW. The report makes developers aware of the range of issues that need to be addressed at the early stages of such projects, up until the point when developers typically seek tender submissions for detailed design and equipment supply.

JG Wilson Hire Ltd investigated multi-megawatt sized run-of-river hydro electric schemes on a river in Central Otago. Four separate layout options were investigated, from which two separate scheme layout alternatives were investigated more thoroughly.  

Renewable Power Ltd investigated the viability of redeveloping the Maruia Falls Power Station, near Murchison in the Tasman district. The scheme originally generated electricity from the 1950s until the 1980s when it was decommissioned. This study evaluated the possibility of using the original structure and re-commissioning the station as a run of river scheme able to generate around 3GWh p.a.

Maungapohatu is a very remote Maori community Te Urerewa National Park. There is no reticulated electricity supply and the distance to the grid is too far for grid connection to be feasible. In this report the Te Mapoupa Papakainga Trust considers the use of hydro electric power to lower electricity costs to the community by reducing diesel consumption for electricity generation.