Community Wind Farm Proposed for Wellington

Wind turbineA citizens’ initiative for a community wind farm in Long Gully is inviting wider public participation this month, at an open meeting  planned for Friday 19th November in Wellington at Crossways Community Centre, Mt Victoria.

Community wind farms like this one have several major advantages over large commercial wind farms: they are smaller in size and number and can be community owned rather than externally imposed. We think this provides a great opportunity to local citizens to make a small ethical investment in renewable energy and obtain credit for clean power generation, all without having to have a suitable site themselves.

There are similar  community wind farm projects currently at the planning or discussion stage, in the Waitati – Blueskin Bay district near Dunedin, and  in Otaki, where there is a community board initiative.  The Mill Creek wind farm proposal in Ohariu also comes out of an approach from local farmers.

The Long Gully wind farm project has a resource consent, held by Wind Flow Technologies, which has now been lodged with the Wellington City Council. A contract is at present being negotiated with an electricity supplier to purchase the electricity generated. The next steps will be to set up a suitable banking and investment structure for the purchase and construction of the wind turbines.

Open public meeting

Interested members of the public are invited to come to the November 19th meeting which will be held at 6 pm at Crossways Community Centre, 6 Roxborough St, Mt Victoria, Wellington.

More on Community Wind farms

Waitati Energy Project

Dunedin’s Waitati North is to become the first community in New Zealand to own their own power company, build a community-owned wind farm, and sell electricity back to the grid.

Community Small Scale Wind Farms for New Zealand

Comparative Study of Austrian Development, with Consideration for New Zealand’s Future Wind Energy Development [PDF]

Is there an appropriate model for community wind turbine ownership in NZ? [PDF]
A study by Jane Pearce.

Paul BruceFor more information

Cr Paul Bruce, 021 02719370  Paul.Bruce@gw.govt.nz

Conor Coady  021 0748237

Chris Freear, Windflow Technology Ltd, chris.freear@eml.net.nz 021 946332

A citizens’ initiative for a community wind farm in Long Gully is inviting wider public participation this month, at an open meeting  planned for Friday 19th November in Wellington at Crossways Community Centre, Mt Victoria.
Community wind farms like this one have several major advantages over large commercial wind farms: they are smaller in size and number and can be community owned rather than externally imposed. We think this provides a great opportunity to local citizens to make a small ethical investment in renewable energy and obtain credit for clean power generation, all without having to have a suitable site themselves.
There are similar  community wind farm projects currently at the planning or discussion stage, in the Waitati – Blueskin Bay district near Dunedin, and  in Otaki, where there is a community board initiative.  The Mill Creek wind farm proposal in Ohariu also comes out of an approach from local farmers.
The Long Gully wind farm project has a resource consent, held by Wind Flow Technologies, which has now been lodged with the Wellington City Council. A contract is at present being negotiated with an electricity supplier to purchase the electricity generated. The next steps will be to set up a suitable banking and investment structure for the purchase and the erection of the wind turbines.
Interested members of the public are invited to come to the November 19th meeting which will be held at 6 pm at Crossways Community Centre, 6 Roxborough St, Mt Victoria, Wellington.
For more information contact:
Cr Paul Bruce, 021 02719370  Paul.Bruce@gw.govt.nz
Conor Coady Cel 021 0748237
Chris Freear, Windflow Technology Ltd, chris.freear@eml.net.nz Cel 021 946332
Background information on Community Wind farms
Dunedin’s Waitati North is to become the first community in New Zealand to own their own power company, build a community-owned wind farm, and sell electricity back to the grid. http://www.transitionnetwork.org/projects/waitati-energy-project
Community Small Scale Wind Farms for New Zealand:
A Comparative Study of Austrian Development, with Consideration for New Zealand’s Future Wind Energy Development
Is there an appropriate model for community wind turbine ownership in NZ
A study by Jane Pearce.  Email: ecoternatives@internet.co.nz

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5 November 2010 Energy , , ,