Green light for Turitea wind farm

~ New Zealand
27 Jul 2007 ~

Green light for Turitea wind farm

Turitea Reserve can be used for "renewable electricity generation", the High Court has ruled in a groundbreaking decision released yesterday. It means Mighty River Power can apply for resource consents to build up to 60 wind turbines in the reserve at the northern edge of the Tararua Range, 11km south-east of Palmerston North. But critics warn a ... Complete story »

North Canterbury wind farm proposed

~ New Zealand
24 Jul 2007 ~

North Canterbury wind farm proposed

Resource consents for a wind farm in North Canterbury are expected to be lodged with the Hurunui District Council next month or early September. MainPower wants to build the farm on a 3km ridge running north-east from the summit of Mount Cass, 6km east of Waipara. It could be generating power by late 2009 to between 4000 ... Complete story »


~ New Zealand
24 Jul 2007 ~

Company to appeal Tararua wind-farm decision

A company planning a wind-farm in the Tararua Ranges will appeal a decision to restrict the number of turbines it is allowed to build. At a resource consent hearing last month, it was decided to approve only 75 of the 127 wind turbines Allco Wind Energy was hoping for. The company's local project manager, Bernhard Voll, says ... Complete story »

New Zealand 18 Jul 2007 ~

New Zealand
18 Jul 2007 ~

Lammermoor Range fails criteria

The Lammermoor Range is of district significance, but stops short of being outstanding, according to a confidential landscape report obtained under the Official Information Act. The report was commissioned by the Central Otago District Council and presented by Meridian Energy on the last day of the Project Hayes wind farm hearing last week. Meridian counsel Andrew Beatson ... Complete story »

Meridian denies expansion plan

New Zealand
13 Jul 2007 ~

Meridian denies expansion plan

Meridian Energy has strenuously attacked a suggestion that it has a secret expansion plan for its proposed $2 billion Central Otago wind farm. It insists that is not the case. The controversial Project Hayes – to erect 176 wind turbines on the Lammermoor Range, 30km south of Ranfurly – has been opposed by All Black Anton Oliver, ... Complete story »

Closing address critical of opponents

Allegations of electricity price-fixing and scathing criticism of some wind farm opponents spiced up the final day of the Project Hayes hearing yesterday. The five-week hearing ended with a bang as counsel for Meridian Energy, Andrew Beatson, presented a 115-page report that was heavily critical of submissions from Contact Energy and Central Otago District Council planning ... Complete story »

New Zealand 29 Jun 2007

New Zealand
29 Jun 2007 ~

Residents welcome decision

Those opposed to the Motorimu wind farm were yesterday processing the decision. Scotts Road resident Sue Stewart said she was pleased with the decision. "On the whole we're very happy. We're certainly happy that the commissioners recognised there were significant issues." She said the decision to cut the number of wind turbines by 40 percent was a good ... Complete story »

New Zealand 29 Jun 2007

New Zealand
29 Jun 2007 ~

Wind farm could be torpedoed

The Environment Court has shaken the foundations of the Motorimu Wind Farm project by slashing the number of turbines by 40 percent, threatening to make the project unviable. Allco Wind Energy technical director Bernhard Voll said it would either appeal the decision, or withdraw its proposal. Allco owns the wind farm company. Motorimu Wind Farm had ... Complete story »