Tidal Turbine Energy Project

The tidal turbine project is a first in New Zealand and once commissioned will be one of the first commercial tidal developments in the world.

Crest Energy Limited has applied for RMA consent to construct a marine turbine power generation project in the Kaipara Harbour in Northland, northern New Zealand, for a period of 35 years. The Project comprises up to 200 completely submerged marine tidal turbines with a maximum generating capacity of around 200MW, located near the entrance of the Harbour.

Tidal turbines follow similar principles to wind turbines, except that it is possible to forecast the tides and therefore both the level of generation and the time of day for production of power. As sea water is 830 times denser than air the same flow generates several hundred times more power in water than in air. In addition tidal turbines are totally submerged and therefore invisible and silent.

The Kaipara Harbour has a number of factors making it suited to marine turbines. Up to 8,000 million cubic metres of water pass in and out of the harbour each day, which is equivalent to flooding the island of Manhattan to half the height of the Empire State Building (185 metres / 600 feet). The harbour is rarely used for shipping due to the treacherous tides and sand bars at its mouth. The Kaipara harbour is one of the largest harbours in the world covering 900 square kilometres with 3,000 kilometres of shoreline.

Crest Energy, passed the first hurdles in August 2008 when the regulating authority, Northland Regional Council, recommended in favour of the project. The Environment Court’s December 2009 interim decision indicated a possible positive recommendation for the project subject to some additional fact finding and the preparation of a draft environmental monitoring plan. The next big step is to lodge the additional information with the Court in August 2010.

For further information please click this link to Crest Energy