Project Hayes
| Project Hayes | |
|---|---|
 Location of Project Hayes in New Zealand
|
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Otago |
| Coordinates | 45°30′39″S 169°53′3″E / 45.51083°S 169.88417°ECoordinates: 45°30′39″S 169°53′3″E / 45.51083°S 169.88417°E |
| Status | withdrawn |
| Owner(s) | Meridian Energy |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 176 |
| Nameplate capacity | 630 MW |
Project Hayes was a controversial wind farm proposed for the Lammermoor Range of Otago, New Zealand. The project was developed by Meridian Energy from 2006 to 2012 at a cost of $8.9 million.
It had a proposed capacity of up to 630MW, at the time making it the largest wind farm project in the southern hemisphere. The proposed farm would have covered an area of approximately 92 km², used up to 176 wind turbines and cost up to $2 billion. Meridian initially won resource consent for the project in 2007, but these were overturned by the Environment Court in 2009, and Meridian eventually announced it was withdrawing its application for consent in January 2012.
The project was named after engineer Eben Ernest Hayes (1851–1933), founder of the Hayes Engineering Works in Otago. He developed a windmill to power his engineering works from 1910 to 1927, and manufactured windmills for pumping water on farms.
In May 2006, Meridian announced three public consultation days to explain Project Hayes. Between July and October 2006, Meridian lodged applications for resource consents with the Central Otago District Council and with Otago Regional Council.
Resource consents for Project Hayes were granted in 2007, however the decision was appealed to the Environment Court. The project was opposed by a number of people, including the former All Black Anton Oliver who is also opposing the nearby Mahinerangi Wind Farm. The respected painter Grahame Sydney and poet Brian Turner also opposed the wind farms. Meridian spent more than NZ$7.6 million on the consenting process.
In November 2009, the Environment Court declined the consents as they concluded that the project did not achieve sustainable management under the Resource Management Act 1991 because the substantial adverse impacts, principally on the outstanding natural landscape, outweighed the positive factors, principally the large quantity of renewable energy.
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