Puketiro Wind Farm

[kegan]

This has been in the news recently and is stirring up plenty of controversy. What do you think - should it go ahead or not?

Here's a quick overview of the project that I've put together. (I'll post my opinion separately so as to keep this post factual.)

Brief Summary


50 turbines
3MW capacity
125m high (80m tower + 45m blades)
total wind farm capacity 150 MW

Location

Hills behind Pauatahanui, specifically the ridge line running north-south roughly parallel to the Paekakariki Hill Road and spurs off this ridge towards the east.

38 turbines are planned for land owned by GWRC (most in the Akatarawa Forest and some in Battle Hill Farm Regional Park). 12 are planned for adjoining private land.

http://www.gw.govt.nz/story_images/4456_Puketiro_s8861.jpg

Photo Simulations

View from Battle Hill Regional Park entrance. This and other photo simulations can be seen in large size on the RES NZ website (http://www.res-nz.com/nz_infrastructure.html).
http://www.gw.govt.nz/story_images/4464_RESBattleHillmo_s8884.jpeg

Links

The developer - RES NZ Ltd - www.res-nz.co.nz
The council - GWRC - www.gw.govt.nz/section1634.cfm
The NIMBYs - Preserve Pauatahanui Society - www.puketiro.org
The hype - The DomPost: Wind farm 'visible from Island Bay to Waikanae' - www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4287667a23918.html

[Moveax]

Of course build them. Give the idiots 3 choices, go ahead with the wind turbines, offer to build a coal power station instead or cut off their power. These turbines will hardly be visible, it's just a bunch of idiots being idiots.

[Adamnz]

Of course build them. Give the idiots 3 choices, go ahead with the wind turbines, offer to build a coal power station instead or cut off their power. These turbines will hardly be visible, it's just a bunch of idiots being idiots.

:cheers::cheers:

[deepred]

Three choices truly come in threes:

a) 3-blade turbines (http://yes2wind.co.nz)
b) Three Gorges (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Gorges_Dam#Relocation_of_local_residents)
c) Three Mile Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Mile_Island_accident)

[Verbal]

I don't understand why some people can't understand that the world we live in now is a changed place. We can't continue to have growth on the back of a growing environmental debt. We need to have renewable energy sources, it's not something we can afford to delay.

I'd say the same thing to those who are complaining about the government regulating on catalytic converters...

[kegan]

And now my opinion:

We should just build a huge Huntly style coal fired power station right in the middle of Whitby because anything is better than filthy wind turbines.

Well no actually. I think the wind farm is a great idea. Where I'm living in Porirua at the moment is in sight of the ridge line where they would be built and it doesn't bother me.

I've just finished reading an article about it in the local rag (Kapi-Mana News). They've printed the original leaked Theorectical Visability Zone map that the DomPost one was based on - the original is somewhat more informative (I would scan it if I had access to a working scanner).

From the article, it sounds like the NIMBYs are growing in number and getting organised. Hopefully they don't get it canned.


"This is about the most serious threat to Porirua's way of life, ambience and concept that we have ever had."
- PCC Councillor Robert Shaw


Is he serious?


Puketiro could be a "carbon credit liability" because of the need to cut down forests that would not be replanted for its footprint.


Heard of carbon off-setting? Plant some replacement trees elsewhere - ideally on steep marginal farmland where it has the added advantage of erosion control.
The alternative is coal. Quite a "carbon credit liability".

[Moveax]

Theres already a huge amount of new trees being planted in that area anyway as it's a requirement that was made if transmission gully motorway is built.

[kegan]

I wasn't taking it too seriously - I think it's just a bit of scaremongering.

Anyway it's not as if forest needs to be cleared for every turbine site. Here's what GWRC have to say about it (from their FAQ (http://www.gw.govt.nz/story10186.cfm?)):

What happens to forestry?
There are no pine trees planted on some of the ridges because there is too much wind. In other parts, pines will have to be removed to allow the turbines to fully capture the wind. There are few native trees on the site, mainly in the lower gullies. A wind energy development on the ridges will not interfere with our ongoing plantation forestry activities. On some ridges in the centre of the site, the native forests have been logged in the past. RES is looking at the issues if wind turbines were to be placed in these locations.

[Tui]

Turbine farm for Ohariu Valley
By KAY BLUNDELL - The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 30 January 2008

Meridian Energy has confirmed plans for a 31-turbine wind farm in Wellington's Ohariu Valley, after battling for two years against strong community opposition to develop a $420 million wind farm at Makara.


The energy company is working with five farmers who own 4000 hectares of exposed coastal land between Makara and Titahi Bay.

The proposed Mill Creek turbines will be 111 metres high and are projected to generate 71 megawatts of power – enough for 35,000 homes.

The farmers, whose farms have been in their families for up to five generations, formed Windcorp six years ago to seek interest from energy companies to put turbines on their land. They selected Meridian Energy but discussions broke down in 2003 over how much they should be paid.

Agreement has now been reached and community consultation began at a meeting with residents last night.

One of the farmers, Greg Best, said the idea was first mooted 13 years ago when the farmers were looking at ways to keep their land.

"We are very excited about it. We have considered the community and not put towers on ridges that are too close – they are all out the back and towards the coast."

The approach was different to the one Meridian took with the 62-turbine West Wind Project, he said.

"We are discussing it with local residents first to try and get feedback."

Meridian spokeswoman Claire Shaw said the land shared the same wind as the Makara project.

Makara residents fought the West Wind proposal for two years, highlighting the problem that even if electricity was carbon-free, New Zealanders still did not want its generation to impinge on their lifestyle.

After more than 4000 submissions, resource consent was granted, but residents raced to the Environment Court.

The court shaved four turbines off Meridian's original 70-turbine proposal and the company dropped a further four and cut the height of the turbines from 125 metres to 111.

Meridian decided last September to proceed with the project.

It began roadworks before Christmas and plans to have equipment on the site by October.

New Zealand Wind Energy Association chief executive Fraser Clark welcomed the Mill Creek Project, saying it would be great to see the community-driven incentive succeed.

"It has taken a fair amount of determination and patience for the landowners to get this far, it is a reflection of the desire to see clean, renewable, climate-friendly energy being utilised,"he said.

The Mill Creek and West Wind projects should work well together. "The resource there is amongst the best in the world," he said.

Two open days were planned on February 12 and 16 to get feedback before a resource consent application was lodged with Wellington City Council.

[EyeoftheFish]

http://eyeofthefish.org/a-new-farm-for-ohariu/

Mmmm, more windfarms. Hopefully the approval process will be smoother than the western wind project.

I didnt quite realise the scale of the proposed turbines (hopefully my diagram is accurate)

[Milan Luka]

No problem with these at all. Makes sense to me. I dont buy any arguments about noise pollution or being a blight on the landscape. If anything I think they are beautiful in away. And yep Id be happy to have a whole bunch of them in my neighbourhood.