NZS 6808:2010 Acoustics – noise Programme

• Introduction • Wind farm acoustics 101 • Key changes to NZS 6808 • NZ projects and prospects • Example • Questions Introduction White Hill Motorimu Timeline

• NZS 6808:1998

• SNZ review (Nov 2004)

• NZWEA / EECA Review (May 2007)

• SNZ scoping workshop (Nov 2007) Committee

• Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority • Executive of Community Boards • Local Government • Massey University • Ministry for the Environment • Ministry of Health • New Zealand Acoustical Society • New Zealand Institute of Environmental Health Inc. • New Zealand Wind Energy Association • Resource Management Law Association • University of Auckland Timeline

• NZS 6808:1998

• SNZ review (Nov 2004)

• NZWEA / EECA Review (May 2007)

• SNZ scoping workshop (Nov 2007)

• Committee (Jul-Dec 2008)

• Consultation (Mar-Apr 2009)

• Committee (May-Oct 2009) • NZS 6808:2010 Process

• Review research and current practice

• Propose method based on the evidence

• Test and debate proposed method

• Reach consensus position Potential effects

• Infrastructure

• Visual

• Construction phase

• Noise Wind farm acoustics 101 Sound

Pressure changes (Pascals)

decibels (dB) Sound levels

NZS 6808 decibels

• 1 dB + 1 dB = 4 dB • 35 dB + 35 dB = 38 dB

• + 3 dB audible difference

• + 10 dB doubling of subjective loudness Frequencies

• Human hearing – less sensitive to low frequencies

• A-weighting approximates human hearing L90

70 dB

60 dB

50 dB

L90 40 dB

30 dB Time Sources of sound

• Blade aerodynamic sound • Gearbox, generator, hydraulics mechanical sound • Transformer electrical sound Key changes to NZS 6808 Noise limits 50 dB 45 dB 40 dB 35 dB

25 dB Noise limits

55

50

45

40 Noise limit, dB Noise limit High amenity noise limit 35

30 20 25 30 35 40 45 Background sound level, dB High amenity noise limit

West Wind Less than 25 dB Less than 1.5 m/s NZS 6808:2010 6 m/s or less Cumulative effects

• Noise Limits apply to total sound from: – all wind farms – all stages of a wind farm Wind speed height

100

90

80

70

60

50

Height (m) 40

30

20

10

0 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 2 Wind speed relative to 10 m Predictions

Distance Air absorption

Ground attenuation Screening terrain, foliage, buildings Octave-bands ISO 9613 Measurements

70 dB

60 dB

50 dB

L90

40 dB L95

30 dB Time Special Audible Characteristics

• Tonality

• Impulsiveness

• Amplitude Modulation Small wind turbines

• Less than 200 m2 swept rotor area – approximately 8 m blade length

• District plan limits

• On/off tests Alleged health effects

• Literature reviewed

• No causative link shown to exist

• Inaudibility not justified

• Attitude influences perception of noise Consent conditions

• Recommended conditions in NZS 6808:2010

• Procedural details not required Wind Directions An update on New Zealand’s wind energy activity

Fraser Clark, Chief Executive RMLA NZS6808 Roadshow, Palmerston North, 29 March 2010 Outline

> Wind energy – the technology > Why wind energy > The industry today > Where we’re headed About NZWEA

> Represents over 80 organisations: > Generators and developers > Transpower and lines companies > manufacturers > Consultancies, financiers and legal firms. > Policy & regulatory advocacy, public awareness and industry development. > Utility scale generation only Blades Main components of a wind turbine Hub Siemens SWT-2.3-82 > West Wind > 2.3 MW rated output > 9,500 MWh/yr (~1,150 homes) > 40 metre blade length > 67 metre high tower

Foundation Tower (underground) Blades Main components of a wind turbine

Nacelle Windflow 500 Hub > Te Rere Hau > 0.5 MW rated output > 1,300 MWh/yr Tower (~160 homes) > 16.2 metre blade length Foundation (underground) > 30 metre high tower How it works… Wind direction

Electricity to grid (via substation) Not an aeroplane propeller, but it does have wings… How big?

Most new Windflow/ Brooklyn wind farms Te Rere Hau

Drivers of increasingSelection size of includesize & model higher depends on yields and reduced infrastructurespecific site characteristics When is a wind farm a wind farm? > 1 to 100+ turbines > 30 to 100 m high towers > 2 or 3 blades > Arrangement influenced by wind conditions, terrain, turbine size/spacing Electricity: a national system… …with national significance

1.6m residential consumers (33%) 0.2m commercial consumers (23%) 0.1m industrial consumers (44%)

Source: Transpower Significance is acknowledged in case law

“Electricity is a vital resource for New Zealand. There can be no sustainable management of natural and physical resources without energy, of which electricity is a vital component “

Genesis Power Ltd. And Anor v Franklin District Council (‘Awhitu’), A148/05 at [64] Why wind energy?

> No fuel price > No fuel risk > No carbon risk Source: Contact Energy HY Results > Portfolio and location diversity > Proven technology > Plenty of energy

Source: Contact Energy HY Results Competitive with other technologies

Meridian Energy “Choices, Options, Decisions 2009 Update” Contributing to the economy > Price taker – does not cause electricity price rises (actually reduces spot prices). > Ongoing regional economic benefits & employment ($150m+ at construction). > Low-risk, long-term infrastructure (no fuel price, dependable fuel supply, no carbon emissions). Contributing to security of supply

> West Wind > Voltage support > Local generation kept the lights on during substation fire > Energy supply during dry years (i.e. White Hill during 2008). > Technology improvements mean that wind farms can provide some ancillary services. Other advantages for NZ

> No greenhouse gas emissions > No fuel price or supply risk > World-leading wind resource > Potential sites nation-wide > Scaleable > Hydro base increases flexibility of use > Reduces dry year supply risk > Existing land use retained Wind Energy now Operating and under construction Installed Capacity 497.4 MW Waikato 11% Under Construction 80.4 MW Installed by end 2011 577.8 MW Manawatu 52% Planned Consented Up to 1,016 MW Southland Wellington & & Otago Wairarapa 26% Environment Court/ 10% Board of Inquiry Up to 1,150 MW Marlborough High Court Up to 630 MW & Canterbury 0.2% Under Investigation ??? MW Recent highlights

> and 2 small wind farms > 500 MW installed capacity > 4-5% of NZ’s electricity Future opportunity

54,000 52,000 50,000 48,000 Demand 46,000 Growth GWh 44,000 42,000 Recession? 40,000 Dry years, 38,000 Fuel risk, Retirements 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Year How much? How soon? How fast?

> Electricity demand growth estimate: 1.5% per year

> 42,245 GWh generated in 2008

> 30% increase needed by 2025 (54,410 GWh) How much? How soon? How fast?

> Electricity demand growth estimate: 1.5% per year

> Reducing supply and price risks

> “Dry year” risk

> Fuel supply and price risks

> Introduction of carbon price How much? How soon? How fast?

> Electricity demand growth estimate: 1.5% per year

> Reducing supply and price risks

> 90% renewable electricity by 2025 target

> Up from 65% now

> With demand increasing, 70-100% increase in renewable generation How much? How soon? How fast?

> Electricity demand growth estimate: 1.5% per year

> Reducing supply and price risks

> 90% renewable electricity by 2025 target Wind energy in 20 years:

> 2,500 to 3,000 MW, up from 500 MW

> 20% of our electricity, up from about 4%

> Variety of small and large-scale projects throughout NZ In line with international trends Rapid global wind energy growth is being facilitated by support schemes…

…while in New Zealand projects proceed on a purely economic basis. World-class performance

Source: NZWEA calculations from MED data, Windstats Newsletter NZ has a significant wind resource…

“Tranche 1” =31,230 GWh

“Tranche 1” =19,550 GWh

Source: Electricity Commission ‘Transmission to Enable Renewables’ Report NZ has a significant wind resource…

…but not all of it is:

* Accessible * Available * Consentable * Economically viable Wind in the Manawatu

Source: Electricity Commission ‘Transmission to Enable Renewables’ Report Wind in Taranaki and the Hawkes Bay Wind in Taranaki and the Hawkes Bay Wind energy in the Manawatu

Wind farm Location Operator Size Status Te Apiti Ruahine Ranges Meridian 90.8MW Operating Energy Tararua Tararua Ranges TrustPower 161MW Operating

Te Rere Hau Tararua Ranges NZ Wind 32.5MW Operating/ Farms (76.5MW) seeking consent Turitea Tararua Ranges Mighty River 288MW Seeking Power consent And a bit beyond

Hau Nui Southern Wairarapa Genesis Energy 8.7MW Operating Central Wind Taihape 130MW Consented Hawkes Bay Hawkes Bay Hawkes Bay Wind 225MW Consented Wind Farm Farms Titiokura Hawkes Bay Unison & Roaring 48MW Consented 40s Waitahora Dannevirke Contact Energy 177MW Seeking consent Other sites under investigation Policy environment

> No feed-in tariffs, renewables obligations, tax credits, capital subsidies, etc. > Price on carbon expected to allow all generation sources to compete directly. > Non-legislated target of 90% renewable electricity by 2025 (as long as this does not compromise ‘security of supply’). Carbon – a view to the future is emerging through the smog

> Electricity sector enters ETS 1st July 2010.

> 50% allocation and $25/t price cap to end-2012.

> Equivalent to fixed price $12.50/t – unlikely to be enough to drive immediate investment.

> UN Negotiations & review of ETS in 2011 means uncertainty remains. Wind energy and the RMA

> Project Hayes adds to a sequence of inconsistent consent decisions > Experience to date with ‘call-in’ is a possible disincentive to its use in future > Timing and decision uncertainty, together with high costs are a potential disincentive to both developers and turbine OEMs. > RMA reform? > balancing national & regional benefits against localised effects > resolving tension between the economic & social benefits of infrastructure development and its environmental effects What the industry is doing…

> Establish ‘best practice’ as a route to consistency & certainty. > Industry guidelines > Non-statutory guidance (i.e. QP) > Standards (i.e. NZS6808) > Also seeking more robust & consistent landscape character assessment. > Stakeholder participation critical 29-31 March, Palmerston North www.windenergy.org.nz Example Process Check plan provisions

Predict 35 dB contour

Measure background

Determine noise limits

Refine predictions

Prepare a report

Statutory processes and construction

Measure wind farm Fictitious wind farm District plan maps

• High country (rural) zone • Village is township zone District plan rules

• No reference to wind farms • Reference to NZS 6802 for general noise • NZS 6802:2008 excludes wind farms

• No reference to special acoustic amenity

• NZS 6808:2010 appropriate standard 35 dB contour Background sound (dB) A90(10min) Background L

Wind farm hub-height wind speed (m/s) Noise limits (dB) A90(10min) Background L

Wind farm hub-height wind speed (m/s) Report

• Sound level contours (35 dB and 40 dB)

• Background sound measurements

• Noise limits

• Predictions at individual receivers Post-installation measurements

• Repeat procedure as for background sound

• Check regression curve below noise limit

• On/off testing if necessary

• Compliance report Summary

You now know:

• when and why there was a revision

• the project included all the key stakeholders

• the key changes between the 1998 original and 2010 revision

NZS 6808:2010 is available as a pdf or hard copy from Standards New Zealand - www.standards.co.nz Questions