Wind Energy Map - Southland

450247 view from bluff hill southland new zealand credit invercargill city council

What This Map Shows You

This map is designed to help anyone get a simple understanding of how much wind energy any given location in Southland can receive. This map provides you with:

  • Mean wind speed at 100m above the ground.
  • Mean power density related to the wind speed and air density.
  • The prevailing wind direction.

 

Explore Southland’s wind energy potential
Interested in understanding where Southland’s best wind energy opportunities are?

The Southland Murihiku Energy Strategy Implementation - Assessment of wind resources is a detailed assessment which maps areas across the region with strong wind resources, helping identify locations with the potential to support future renewable energy development.

Understanding Wind Speed

Wind speed describes how fast the wind is moving and is measured in metres per second (m/s). It strongly influences how much electricity a wind turbine can produce.

How wind turbines respond to wind speed

  • 3–5 m/s – Turbines start generating electricity (cut‑in speed).
  • 10–15 m/s – Turbines operate at maximum output.
  • ~25 m/s – Turbines shut down for safety (cut‑out speed).

Because wind varies constantly, turbines do not run at full power all the time. In real‑world conditions, only 10–40% of the wind’s energy is typically converted into electricity.

What is a good wind speed?

  • < 5 m/s – Generally unsuitable for wind energy
  • 6 – 7 m/s – Moderate, may suit small or specialised projects
  • 7 – 8.5 m/s – Good for modern wind turbines
  • > 8.5 m/s – Excellent wind energy conditions

In practice, many operating wind farms and recent wind energy investments in Southland and across New Zealand typically target areas with long-term average wind speeds of approximately 9-11 m/s.

Wind Classes

Wind turbines are designed for different wind conditions, defined by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards:

  • IEC III (Low wind): 7.5 m/s
  • IEC II (Medium wind): 8.5 m/s
  • IEC I (High wind): 10 m/s

Higher classes indicate stronger and more productive wind environments.

Understanding Wind Power Density

It combines wind speed, frequency, and air density into a single value and is measured in watts per square metre (W/m²). This makes it one of the best indicators of wind energy potential, often more informative than wind speed alone.

Power Density (W/m²) Resource Quality
0–200 Very poor
200–300 Poor
300–400 Marginal
400–500 Good
500–600 Very good
600–800 Excellent
> 800 Outstanding

Contact

This map is part of the Energy in the Landscape programme led by Great South, and the wind data is sourced from the Global Wind Atlas.

For more information, please visit our website Net Zero & Decarbonisation

For site-specific inquiries or further assistance, please contact: info@greatsouth.nz