http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4217358a7693.htmlWest Wind is expected to be the world?s best wind farm, but the plan has been strongly opposed by residents concerned about the noise and size of the giant turbines, some less than a kilometre from homes.
The wind farm is expected to generate power at full potential about 47 per cent of the time, double the international average for wind farms.
Because of the consistent winds at Makara, the project should produce some power more than 90 per cent of the time.
A breeze of about 4 metres a second is needed to produce power, but in storm conditions - more than 25 metres a second - winds will be too strong to produce power.
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