Wind can provide New Zealand with clean, renewable energy.
Greenpeace supported this project and joined the appeal in the
Environment court on the basis of its significance in helping New
Zealand reduce greenhouse pollution.
Sixty-six wind turbines will be built at Makara as part of
Meridian Energy's West Wind project.
The site will generate enough electricity to supply most
households in the Greater Wellington region.
Greenpeace Climate Campaigner Vanessa Atkinson said the decision
brought New Zealand one step closer to a clean energy future.
"This was just the kind of project New Zealand needs to reduce
its skyrocketing emissions and eventually achieve a 100 per cent
switch to renewable energy.
"Zealand has an abundant wind resource and utilising it together
with other renewable energy sources and with increasing energy
efficiency means we can stop depending on dwindling and dirty
supplies of fossil fuels.
"Renewable energy is a safe, simple and obvious key part of the
solution to climate change"
"Project West Wind effectively avoids pumping out a half
million tonnes of CO2 annually, and emissions reductions from the
project will save New Zealand up to $26 million in avoiding the
purchase of emissions reductions under the Kyoto Protocol (1).
"This is a great example of the Resource Management Act doing
its job in assessing the local impacts and the contribution that
renewable energy projects can make to tackling climate change - the
greatest challenge facing the planet.
Ms Atkinson said renewable energy sources such as wind were a
key plank in Greenpeace's New Zealand Energy Revolution: How to
prevent climate chaos report, which was developed last year by
local and international experts.
The report sets out a pathway for a secure and environmentally
sustainable New Zealand energy system, and concludes we can achieve
a 100% renewable electricity supply by 2025.
Other contacts: Vanessa Atkinson, Climate Campaigner 021 565 165
Kathy Cumming, Communications Officer 021 495216
Notes: (1) Based on the upper 2006 price of carbon credits on the European market of $25 EURO / tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Exp. contact date: 2007-06-16 00:00:00