Wind Power News: New Zealand
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These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted.
Dismay at wind farm move
Councils are opposed to Government plans to fast-track Contact Energy’s application to build a gigantic $1 billion wind farm along the isolated Te Akau coast.
Environment Minister Trevor Mallard this week announced his intention to “call in” the 180turbine Hauauru ma Raki wind farm planned for construction between Te Akau and Port Waikato.
In deeming the project to be of national significance, Mr Mallard has used his ministerial intervention powers to direct that the resource consent process be referred to . . .
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Fast-track looms for wind farm
Mighty River Power has moved to fast-track the proposed Turitea wind farm, asking Environment Minister Trevor Mallard to take the resource consent process out of Palmerston North City Council’s hands.
Yesterday, Palmerston North Mayor Jono Naylor received a letter from Mr Mallard notifying the council of the application for a “call-in”.
Resource consent applications for the proposed wind farm were lodged with local councils on August 8, and the city council had planned to appoint independent commissioners to hear the . . .
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Turbine certainty called for
Horizons Regional Council is calling on local councils to get firm on where wind farms can go in Manawatu-Wanganui, or residents will have no certainty about what’s being built next, or where.
Horizons has fielded 29 inquiries in the past two years from parties interested in building wind farms, and chief executive Michael McCartney has again called for regional leadership on the issue.
“Local government in the region needs to come up with ways to provide communities with . . .
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Call-in board of wind farm inquiry named
A judge, landscape architect, engineer and environmental law expect have been appointed to consider the proposed Contact Energy wind farm near Raglan.
The Hauauru ma Raki wind farm project of up to 540 megawatts is on the Waikato west coast, 8km north of Raglan.
The affected councils are Environment Waikato, Franklin District Council and Waikato District Council.
Under the Resource Management Act, Environment Minister Trevor Mallard called in the proposal after deeming it of national significance. . . .
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Wind farm proposal near Raglan to be called in
Environment Minister Trevor Mallard today announced he intends to call in a renewable energy development proposal for a 180-turbine wind farm near Raglan so it is considered by an independent Board of Inquiry.
Contact Wind Limited and Contact Energy Limited are applying to build the Hauauru ma Raki wind farm on the Waikato west coast, eight kilometres north of Raglan.
Under section 141A of the Resource Management Act, the minister can call in a proposal if it is . . .
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Minister calls in Contact wind farm project
Environment Minister Trevor Mallard says he intends to call in Contact Energy’s proposal for a 180-turbine wind farm near Raglan to be considered by an independent board of inquiry.
The Hauauru ma Raki wind farm project of up to 540 megawatts is on the Waikato west coast, 8km north of Raglan.
Under the Resource Management Act, the minister can call in a proposal if it is deemed to be of national significance and direct that the matter is referred to either a . . .
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Wind farm plan sparks local anger
The beautiful Puketoi ranges will be turned into an “industrial park” if locals don’t put a stop to the proposed Waitahora wind farm, the head of an opposition group says.
Last week, Contact Energy announced plans for a $500 million, 177-megawatt wind farm on the remote Puketoi ranges, east of Pahiatua.
The company said the ranges could support a world-class wind farm, which would be an important project for power generation in New Zealand. But a group of locals, some . . .
Project delays affect NZ Windfarms' revenue
A delay in commissioning of the second stage of turbines at the Te Rere Hau windfarm near Palmerston North caused NZ Windfarms Ltd to miss its prospectus revenue forecast.
But the money earned interest, helping the company meet its profit forecast.
The company, which has Vector Ltd as a cornerstone shareholder, reported a net profit of $2.42 million in the year to June 30 from a deficit of $352,000 a year ago. There was no dividend.
“Our first priority remains the completion of . . .
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Conservation board debates wind farms
Concerns about the cumulative effect of wind farms on Southland’s landscape and ecosystems have prompted the Southland Conservation Board to consider whether it should get involved.
Chairman Russell Ibbotson told yesterday’s board meeting in Gore that he had fielded numerous inquiries about whether the board would submit on TrustPower’s Kaiwera Downs project.
While he thought the board should be involved in wind farm applications, Mr Ibbotson said he did not want to make ad hoc decisions and sought guidance from board members.
Members . . .
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'Scars' from wind farm issue
Save Central, an Otago-based environmental group, is right behind the Government’s support for protecting outstanding and natural landscapes from the future development of wind generation.
Commenting on the National Policy Statement for Renewable Electricity Generation released last week, Save Central co-ordinator Graye Shattky said in a statement this week the new requirement to have ‘particular regard’ to the reversibility of adverse environmental effects is likely to rule out future consideration of outstanding and natural landscapes for any major wind farm projects.
“In . . .
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