December 14, 2016
New Zealand

Windflow weathers consent storm

Chris Hutching | 14/12/2016 | ssl-www.stuff.co.nz

Windflow Technology’s turbine blades on Banks Peninsula will be in action again with some restrictions to satisfy neighbours.

The resource consent for the wind turbine expired in 2013 and some neighbours in the Gebbies Pass area appealed a new application because they said it had disturbed their sleep. But five of them approved of the application.

The Environment Court granted the consent but ruled the wind turbine must be shut down between 7pm to 10pm when the wind is stronger than 10 metres a second and creates a surge in noise.

Windflow founder Geoff Henderson said a demonstration prototype turbine would be back at Gebbies Pass in the next few weeks after final details of the consent were finalised.

Meanwhile, Windflow has held its annual meeting and Henderson told shareholders about two new projects in the Pacific, and its United Kingdom installations.

He also plans to talk to Australian regulators and manufacturers about the company’s synchronous generators which he said could prevent more of the power blackouts experienced earlier this year in South Australia.

Windflow was likely to seek more money from shareholders next year, Henderson said.

Shareholders at the annual meeting elected Ian McInnes as a director, and gave approval for a loan from major shareholder David Iles to be used for turbine projects in the Pacific, in addition to the existing approval to use the loan for turbines in the UK.

The company claims its two-bladed turbines have lower capital and operating costs, best power to weight ratio in the industry, high performance in strong and turbulent winds, ease of transport and installation, and synchronous generation.

– Stuff


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/12/14/windflow-weathers-consent-storm/