February 11, 2012
New Zealand

Winds of Wairarapa change fan debate

Nathan Crombie, Wairarapa Times-Age, www.times-age.co.nz 10 February 2012

Protest and applause has gathered pace online about the proposed construction of energy company wind farms in Wairarapa.

Meridian Energy and Genesis Energy are each seeking resource consent to build wind farms; a 20-turbine operation near Eketahuna and a massive $1.68 billion complex that would straddle the north of the valley with 268 turbines respectively.

Each company has by turn drawn fire and defenders with their plans to harness world-class Wairarapa wind for power and profit.

brian4920, of Woodville, was thrown into a fit of nausea after reading of the Meridian plan.

“Every time I look at the wind farm in Woodville I feel sick. The windmills are a blight on the landscape, and to see sheep having to spend their whole lives with these sickening rotating blade above their heads I just feel even worse,” he said.

“Anyone who likes these things must have watched The Wombles of Wimbledon, the children’s programme that was designed to programme children to accept these horrible things. As adults.”

However, ekewindboy took an opposing view and posted his approval of a wind farm visible from his, and by inference, every other Eketahuna home.

“What’s not to like? Free and limitless resource, local jobs for local companies and the sheep absolutely love these things, next time you are at a windfarm have a look whose [sic] in the shade or shelter standing next to a nice warm transformer..!

“Wind turbines are modular and can be taken away in a matter of days, best of all the price of the fuel is the same today as in 20 years!!! Try saying that about your other sources of energy.”

brian4920 countered that any ongoing wind farm jobs will belong to Wellington crews, who will arrive by helicopter to service the turbines before winging back to their capital city homes.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/11/winds-of-wairarapa-change-fan-debate/