Windfarm generates industry support

The New Zealand Wind Energy Association has lent its support to an application to build the country's biggest windfarm on the Makara hills on Wellington's southwest coast.

Meridian Energy filed a resource consent application on Friday for Project West Wind.

The association yesterday gave its full support to the application and urged all New Zealanders to have their say on the project.

The public has till August 10 to make submissions before the application goes to a likely resource consent hearing.

Association chief executive James Glennie said West Wind had been well-researched and was one of the world's best sites for generating electricity from wind.

Studies indicated the proposal was supported by most Wellingtonians, he said.

The association hoped the city's residents would look beyond the vocal minority opposition to the windfarm and consider the broader regional and national interests.

"We have to listen to local community groups. However, we cannot afford to ignore the needs of the millions of other electricity consumers around the country or the needs of our natural environment," Mr Glennie said.

The fight against the windfarm is being led by the Makara Guardians group, who claim the struggle for their 128-household community is a David vs Goliath battle.

"We're going to have to say as a nation, there has got to be certain places where these things are not appropriate," guardian Peter Shearer said last month. "And we're saying Quartz Hill [in Makara] is one of them."

Makara-Ohariu Community Board chairwoman Ruth Paul said she objected to Meridian's proposal because of its size and proximity to homes, and expected most Makara residents to oppose it.

But Mr Glennie said declining gas reserves and volatile oil and liquefied natural gas prices were a reality, and the risks posed by climate change were recognised by all parties at last week's G8 summit in Scotland.

"New Zealand needs more renewable, sustainably generated electricity, he said.

"Wellington, as the nation's capital and the region with one of the world's best wind resources, has an opportunity to show real leadership in this field."

Project West Wind

* 70 turbines up to 125m high.

* 210-megawatt output, enough to supply more than 100,000 homes.

- NZPA