Meridian Energy is confident it can address the Department of Conservation's fears about the effects of its 92 square kilometre windfarm in Central Otago. DoC has lodged a submission to the Central Otago District Council saying the windfarm should be declined a resource consent, despite the Government submitting in support of it.

Meridian Energy has strenuously attacked a suggestion that it has a secret expansion plan for its proposed $2 billion Central Otago wind farm. It insists that is not the case. The controversial Project Hayes - to erect 176 wind turbines on the Lammermoor Range, 30km south of Ranfurly - has been opposed by All Black Anton Oliver, poet Brian Turner and artist Grahame Sydney.

The TrustPower machine rumbled into Outram yesterday, highlighting details of the proposed Mahinerangi wind farm and answering locals’ questions. And it seemed Tony Penny, of Traffic Design Group, addressed the most contentious issue early. He explained the trucks destined to rumble through Outram’s main street would be manoeuvrable enough to ensure the corner pub would not be damaged. That statement prompted appreciative murmurs from the audience. TrustPower staff outnumbered residents by 20 to 16 and fielded none of the heated questions which came from Lee Stream locals the previous night.

HORSHAM community leaders want the right to veto the construction of wind-powered turbines if improvements in technology make the Horsham district a viable area for the machines.

THE future of the $600 million Macarthur Wind Farm project has been threatened by the construction of two small farmstay units on a neighbouring property.

Expansion of the nation’s electricity generation by wind turbines may be eco-friendly, but it’s not winning hearts and minds in local communities, says Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Morgan Williams. Dr William’s report – Wind Power, People and Place – released today, said tensions were being increased by the limited scope for most New Zealanders to be involved in wind power development.

Energy giant AGL has formally dumped a controversial $140 million wind farm in South Gippsland, Victoria. The company originally put the 48-turbine Dollar wind farm on hold last October and yesterday confirmed it was pulling out altogether. AGL said the project was less financially attractive than others under consideration. The decision was purely a business one, AGL said. But the Dollar project, near Foster, was strongly opposed by thousands of Gippsland residents who claimed it would be a blight on the coastline.

A huge $180 million wind farm has been proposed for Glenthompson giving the drought-hit district a timely boost. If the wind farm goes ahead – which is highly likely given the State Government’s enthusiastic support generally for wind farms – it will easily be the second largest development in Southern Grampians Shire, only behind the $270 million Iluka development in Hamilton and Balmoral.

It is the first wind farm proposal for the shire, and will be located along its border with the Moyne Shire between Penshurst and Caramut. Between 13 and 15 wind turbines have been proposed with a maximum nominal rated power of 29.9 Megawatts (MW).

A $300 million wind farm is planned for the coastline near Waverley, and providing resource consents are successful, work will start erecting up to 45 turbines in August next year.

Trustpower's $400 million Mahinerangi wind farm has been approved by the Environment Court, the Otago Daily Times has been told. No official details were available yesterday. Upland Landscape Protection Society legal co-ordinator Ewan Carr said in Cromwell yesterday the wind farm had been approved by the court, "subject to conditions". "But we don't know what the conditions are. We will reserve comment until we've a bit more understanding of the decision," he said.

Trustpower's $400 million Kaiwera Downs wind farm, near Gore, has been granted consent, but that is likely to be appealed. The 240MW wind farm, 15km southeast of Gore, was approved yesterday by the Gore District Council and Environment Southland after the application was heard at an eight-day hearing in March and April. But an opponent of the development, Henry McFadzien, said an appeal will probably be made to the Environment Court, although he had doubts whether an appeal could be funded right through to a court hearing. In its decision yesterday, the hearing panel said the positive effects of the wind farm, at a national level, outweighed the negative visual effects.

The energy company is holding an open day at the Waewaepa stockyard from 10am-2pm, to discuss yet another proposed farm - this time in the ranges east of Pahiatua. Many locals, some of whom only found out about the farm in a mailbox leaflet a month ago, were not impressed, Mr Taylor said. "They have put all the glossy brochures out, and all the bull**** and jellybeans or whatever you want to call it. I am not that rapt about it."

HUNDREDS of wind turbines will dot south-west Victoria's landscape with another company announcing yesterday it wanted to develop a $180 million wind farm near Glenthompson. The proposal for a 43-turbine development by private investment bank Investec Bank and Windlab Systems will be at least the 12th wind energy development either operating, approved or in the pipeline for south-west Victoria.

Emeritus professor Alan Mark, of Dunedin, gave evidence about the hurdles of revegetating native snow tussock at an Environment Court appeal hearing for the Project Hayes development yesterday. Prof Mark said trials of revegetation on site had so far produced less than satisfactory results, and he was concerned about whether it was possible to appropriately rehabilitate areas damaged during a five-year construction of the wind farm.

Western Australia's Environment Minister Mark McGowan has criticised his federal counterpart Ian Campbell for continuing to pursue a national approach to deal with wind farm developments.

MINI wind turbines are being installed on major buildings in central Adelaide as part of the State Government's push for renewable energy. Five have been commissioned with the first already in place on top of the State Administration Centre, which includes the office of Premier Mike Rann. They will be trialled over the next 12 months and if successful the State Government will approve another 20 for government buildings.

AGL Energy has backed away from its controversial $140 million wind farm proposal for Victoria’s east. A company spokeswoman has confirmed the planning process for its 48-turbine Dollar Wind Farm proposal had been placed on indefinite hold. The project was opposed by residents of southern Gippsland, but company spokeswoman Jane Counsel yesterday said the move was a business decision.

Australia's biggest retail energy provider AGL has bought the rights to develop another wind farm in South Australia. The 71-megawatt farm will be located just 20 kilometres from AGL's Hallett Hill wind farm being built in the state's mid north. The company aims to put 34 wind turbines on the new site, which could be up and running by 2009.

AGL Energy Ltd (AGL) says it has acquired rights to build a third wind farm in South Australia. The new farm will be at Mount Bryan (Hallett 3), approximately 200km north of Adelaide. Hallett 3 is expected to have a capacity of up to 90 megawatts and will be located around 15km from two other farms currently being built by AGL, the 95 megawatt Brown Hill (Hallett 1) wind farm and the 71 megawatt Hallett Hill farm (Hallett 2).