| Kaipara Tidal Power Station | |
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Kaipara Harbour, Northland |
| Coordinates | |
| Status | Proposed |
| Owner(s) | Crest Energy |
| Tidal plant information | |
| Technology | Tidal stream generator |
| Turbines | 200 × 1.2 MW |
| Power generation information | |
| Maximum capacity | 200 MW |
| Website Crest Energy |
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The Kaipara tidal power station is a proposed tidal power project to be located in the Kaipara Harbour. The project is being developed by Crest Energy, with an ultimate size of 200MW at a cost of $700 million.[1]
Crest plans to place the turbines at least 30 metres deep along a ten kilometre stretch of the main channel Historical charts show this stretch of the channel has changed little over 150 years. The output of the turbines will cycle twice daily with the predictable rise and fall of the tide. Each turbine will have a maximum output of 1.2 MW, and is expected to generate 0.75 MW averaged over time.[1]
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The entrance to Kaipara Harbour, one of the largest harbours in the world, is a channel to the Tasman Sea. It narrows to a width of 6 kilometres (3.7 mi),[2] and is over 50 metres (160 ft) deep in parts. On average, Kaipara tides rise and fall 2.10 metres (6.9 ft). At high tide, nearly 1000 square kilometres are flooded. Spring tidal flows reach 9 km/h (5 knots) in the entrance channel and move 1,990 million cubic meters per tidal movement or 7,960 million cubic meters daily.[3]
In 2008, the Northland Regional Council granted resource consents for only 100 turbines. This was appealed to the Environment Court, which in 2011 set conditions for the project allowing for 200 turbines, with many conditions including staged development.[4] The Minister of Conservation granted resource consents for the project in March 2011.[5]