By Celsias Team
Posted on July 27, 2010. Listed in:
Genesis Energy announced today that it will lodge a resource consent application for a wind farm in the northern Wairarapa.
The proposed Castle Hill Wind Farm site is located 20kms north-east of Masterton and 20km east of Eketahuna. Genesis Energy has signed land use agreements with 27 owners of 30,000ha, with around 4,000ha suitable for wind farm development.
Genesis Energy chief executive Albert Brantley says the decision to apply for resource consents for the project is a significant step forward for the company’s strategy to increase its portfolio of renewable energy.
“Genesis Energy has an objective of developing new generation that demonstrates strong sustainability performance. We have a target to consent and construct 300MW of new renewable energy generation by 2015. However, as a commercially-driven business, we will focus on any economically viable project.”
He says that since announcing its interest in February of last year, Genesis Energy has carried out extensive wind monitoring and engineering studies and has initiated environmental assessments of the project.
Wind monitoring has show the site has the potential generation capacity of up to 600MW. The exact number of wind turbines, their precise location and size is yet to be determined. Genesis Energy says that if they get the go-ahead to construct the wind farm, it could be built in stages over several years.
The resource consent application will contain details on the turbines, site layout, construction and operation activities and a complete assessment of environmental effects, and is expected to be lodged before mid 2011 following consultation with the community.
The company says the consent application will take into account feedback via community consultation. Consultation is expected to take place via a number of open days, along with one-on-one conversations and meetings with representative groups.
Image: Flickr - The James Kendall Of The Pistoleers
