"By the end of this year New Zealand will have nearly four times as much wind generation as it does now . . . TrustPower's expansion of the Tararua windfarm is the first of several wind power developments that will come onstream in the near future," the minister said.

The number of turbines has increased from 48 to 103, boosting the windfarm’s maximum output from approximately 32MW to 68MW. The NZ$60 million expansion means the Manawatu Gorge windfarm can now supply electricity for up to 28,000 households.

"This extra wind power is onstream now because the project was assisted by Kyoto Protocol carbon credits from the Government,” Hodgson said.

"New Zealand's wind generation capacity at the end of last year was about 36 megawatts. TrustPower has doubled that by extending Tararua and later this year Te Apiti and Hau Nui are due to come onstream. Wind power is taking off, which is good news for both the electricity system and the environment."

Other windfarm projects to get carbon credits if they proceed are: Meridian Energy's proposed Te Apiti windfarm (about 90MW) in the Manawatu; New Zealand Windfarms' proposed Te Rere Hau windfarm (about 50MW), also Manawatu; the Wainui Hills Wind Farm’s proposed plant (up to 30MW) near Wellington; Genesis' proposed Hau Nui windfarm extension (5MW), Wairarapa, and Awhitu windfarm (about 19MW), southwest of Auckland.