BACKGROUND 

Following a study and public consultation process in 2005, the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) decided to use its own Puketiro Forest to establish a windfarm. After a tender process, RES was appointed to develop it.

Puketiro will help the Wellington region raise its energy self-sufficiency and increase the amount of electricity available from fully renewable sources, while having a comparatively low environmental impact.

RES is working through studies to establish firm details about the windfarm project. When the results are ready, we will form our proposal and consult on it later this year. Following your feedback and further refinement, RES will prepare resource consent applications which we hope to lodge towards the end of the year.

Why was Puketiro chosen?

After detailed study by GWRC, Puketiro was chosen to support its policy of helping Wellington to become more energy self sufficient and less reliant on non-renewable sources. Public consultation showed that of the 1300 submissions received, over 90% were in favour of making the land available for a windfarm. RES’ studies so far indicate that the site has a favourable wind resource; is near to a suitable transmission network, and has reasonable separation from residential areas. We believe that by being sensitive to the community and the environment during the design and consenting processes, the wind farm should have only minor adverse effects.