Wind power, people, and place

Wind power is one of our major renewable energy sources. But to date dialogue has been limited on such key issues as how New Zealand is developing wind power, what lies behind people's concerns about it, and its place in our energy future.

New Zealand is expanding its wind power, and we have many good sites. Over 80% of us support it in principle. But it is expanding in ways that are causing tensions in some communities.

We are using the same model we used for hydro in the 1960s and gas and coal in the 1980s: large-scale and dominated by Government agencies. Little opportunity exists for people to invest in wind farms, or for smaller-scale developments, or for local community ownership.

Local ownership creates a more intimate link between a community and its energy, and will give people some sense of controlling their energy future. Such a shift would sit well the growing potential to expand the supply of energy from smaller-scale renewable sources.

This indepth 142-page report looks at many dimensions of wind power including its contribution to sustainable energy; New Zealand developments to date; international trends; impacts on landscapes and communities; legal and policy frameworks; and case studies from Auckland, Wellington, and Manawatu.