The Tauhara geothermal energy plant in New Zealand (supply: Contact Power)
Contact Power has formally opened the 174-MW Tauhara geothermal energy plant in New Zealand, accounting for about 3.5% of the nation’s electrical energy provide.
The 174-MW Tauhara geothermal energy plant by Contact Power in New Zealand has formally been opened, a end result of three and a half years of building and an funding of $924 million.
Earlier this 12 months, Contact Power introduced the completion of a 30-day check of the ability facility, thus supplying energy to the grid albeit at a decreased capability. On the full 174-MW capability, the Tauhara geothermal energy station can provide electrical energy to 200,000 properties in New Zealand. This accounts for about 3.5% of New Zealand’s electrical energy and creates financial savings of 500,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per 12 months, or equal to eradicating 220,000 petrol playing cards from the roads.
“It’s a red-letter day for New Zealand’s transition to a renewable power future and a welcome addition to the nation’s power provide,” mentioned Mike Fuge, CEO of Contact Power throughout the opening ceremony.
“Our new geothermal energy station at Tauhara, demonstrates Contact’s continued skill to speculate, construct and ship world-class belongings for the good thing about all New Zealanders. Geothermal power performs a vital function in making a dependable provide of electrical energy. It’s additionally the place New Zealand leads the way in which with expertise and ingenuity, so it’s thrilling to develop our fleet of geothermal belongings in addition to to have two extra geothermal energy stations on the way in which.”
Contact Power has at the very least two extra large-scale geothermal energy tasks within the superior phases of improvement. A few month in the past, the power firm introduced the beginning of grid provide of the Te Huka 3 energy plant, which can ramp as much as the utmost 51.4 MW capability by the top of 2024.
Extra not too long ago, Contact Power engaged with Ormat Applied sciences for EPC of the 101-MW Te Mihi 2 geothermal energy plant, which is predicted to go surfing by 2027.
Supply: Scoop.co.nz
