Te Rere Hau Wind Farm
1It’s not every day you get the chance to work on a wind farm, so there was a fair bit of friendly internal competition for the Te Rere Hau project. Located in the picturesque Tararua Ranges close to Palmerston North, the wind farm now has 97 turbines, generating enough power for approximately 18,000 local households.
2Holmes Consulting was brought in to consider foundation options, with a particular focus on minimising the environmental impacts of construction. We developed a solution that significantly reduced the amount of concrete required for a turbine – thereby reducing the carbon footprint of the construction operation. In addition, the foundation design also reduced the amount of excavation required, reducing the visual and ecological impact on the site. At the same time, the solution saved time and money: a very welcome added benefit.
3The windfarm site was steep and varied in its topography: a difficult place to work. Our solution allowed the foundation reinforcing to be tied offsite, with a bolt-free connection of the tower to the foundation. These options significantly reduced the amount of work required to be carried out on the top of the Tararuas.
If you’re driving through the region, you’ll see the windfarm on the skyline – spare a thought for the intelligent foundations holding them in place.
