Turbine maker hopes for changes

Christchurch wind-turbine manufacturer Windflow Technology hopes changes to the Resource Management Act will make it easier to build wind farms.

The company yesterday reported a smaller half-year loss from a year earlier as revenues climbed to $11.8 million for the six months to the end of December, compared with $2.9 million a year earlier. Revenue would have been higher but for problems ranging from supplier quality control through to development delays.

Wind farms can face substantial resource consent hurdles and chief operating officer Tom Hooper said it was hoped the Government's commitment to remove obstacles could help.

The company's twin blade Windflow 500 turbines were built mainly of New Zealand-sourced materials, making them less vulnerable to the impact of the falling kiwi dollar.

Windflow estimates that every turbine made here represents 10 jobs in New Zealand and the flow-on effects of these on the local economy should not be underestimated. Direct production costs, including turbine costs, for the latest period were $10.8 million. The deficit for the period was $1.1 million, compared with a deficit of $2.2 million a year earlier.

During the past half-year Mighty River Power became a cornerstone shareholder in Windflow, investing more than $7.1 million. Windflow also received an order for the remaining 32 turbines in the existing contract for the Te Rere Hau windfarm near Palmerston North.

The company said its production figures for the current full year would be below the 60 turbines it had targeted. But it did expect to achieve and maintain its target production of five turbines a month.