Genesis' plans for building Auckland's first wind farm on the Awhitu peninsula have also won credits, or emission units, from the government for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and helping to make New Zealand's electricity supply more secure.

Associate Energy Minister Harry Duynhoven announced the government support today and said the 5MW Hau Nui extension was expected to start generating electricity later this year. Depending on the resource consent process, the planned 19MW Awhitu wind farm could start generating next year.

The new turbines would generate enough power for up to 10,000 homes and they also had the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 350,000 tonnes between now and the end of the government's first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol in 2012.

Genesis Power will receive up to 330,414 carbon credits, or Kyoto emission units, as it achieves its targeted reduction in emissions.

Genesis chief executive Murray Jackson said the company wanted to grow its renewable energy generation portfolio, wind, mini hydro stations and waste fuel generation.

The capacity factor for the existing Hau Nui wind farm had averaged 43% per annum over the past three years and the forecast for the enlarged site looked good.

Duynhoven said these projects were two of six wind farm proposals to have received emission units from the government last December.